4While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees.G1161G846G2980G4314G2992G2409G2532G4755G2411G2532G4523G2186G846 2These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead.G1278G1223G846G1321G2992G2532G2605G1722G2424G386G1537G3498 3They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning.G2532G1911G5495G846G2532G5087G1519G5084G1519G839G1063G2258G2235G2073 4But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of believers now totaled about 5,000 men, not counting women and children.G1161G4183G191G3056G4100G2532G706G435G1096G5616G4002G5505 5The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem.G1161G1096G1909G839G846G758G2532G4245G2532G1122 6Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest.G2532G452G749G2532G2533G2532G2491G2532G223G2532G3745G2258G1537G1085G748G4863G1519G2419 7They brought in the two disciples and demanded, "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?"G2532G2476G846G1722G3319G4441G1722G4169G1411G2228G1722G4169G3686G4160G5210G4160G5124 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of our people,G5119G4074G4130G40G4151G2036G4314G846G758G2992G2532G4245G2474 9are we being questioned today because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?G1487G2249G4594G350G1909G2108G772G444G1722G5101G3778G4982 10Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.G2077G1110G5213G3956G2532G3956G2992G2474G3754G1722G3686G2424G5547G3480G3739G5210G4717G3739G2316G1453G1537G3498G1722G5129G3936G3778G3936G1799G5216G5199 11For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.'G3778G2076G3037G3588G1848G5259G5216G3618G3588G1096G2776G1519G1137 12There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved."G2532G3756G2076G4991G1722G3762G243G1063G2076G3777G2087G3686G5259G3772G1325G1722G444G1722G3739G2248G1163G4982 13The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.G1161G2334G3954G4074G2532G2491G2532G2638G3754G1526G62G2532G2399G444G2296G5037G1921G846G3754G2258G4862G2424 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say.G1161G991G444G2323G2476G4862G846G2192G471G3762G471 15So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves.G1161G2753G846G565G1854G4892G4820G4314G240 16"What should we do with these men?" they asked each other. "We can't deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it.G3004G5101G4160G5125G444G1063G3754G3303G1110G4592G1096G1223G846G5318G3956G2730G2419G2532G3756G1410G720 17But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus' name again."G235G3363G1268G3363G1909G4119G1519G2992G547G546G846G2980G3371G3367G444G1909G5129G3686 18So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.G2532G2564G846G3853G846G3361G5350G2527G3366G1321G1909G3686G2424 19But Peter and John replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?G1161G4074G2532G2491G611G2036G4314G846G1487G2076G1342G1799G2316G191G5216G3123G2228G2316G2919 20We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard."G1063G2249G3756G1410G3361G2980G3739G1492G2532G191 21The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn't know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising GodG1161G4324G630G846G630G2147G3367G4459G2849G846G1223G2992G3754G3956G1392G2316G1909G1096 22for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.G1063G444G2258G4119G5062G2094G1909G3739G5124G4592G2392G1096 23As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said.G1161G630G2064G4314G2398G2532G518G3745G749G2532G4245G2036G4314G846 24When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: "O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them?G1161G191G142G5456G4314G2316G3661G2532G2036G1203G4771G2316G3588G4160G3772G2532G1093G2532G2281G2532G3956G1722G846 25you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, 'Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans?G3588G1223G4750G4675G3816G1138G2036G2444G5433G1484G5433G2532G2992G3191G2756 26The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the LORD and against his Messiah.'G935G1093G3936G2532G758G4863G1909G846G2596G2962G2532G2596G846G5547 27"In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed.G1063G1909G225G1909G4675G40G3816G2424G3739G5548G5037G2264G2532G4194G4091G4862G1484G2532G2992G2474G4863 28But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will.G4160G3745G4675G5495G2532G4675G1012G4309G1096 29And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.G2532G3569G2962G1896G1909G846G547G2532G1325G4675G1401G3326G3956G3954G2980G4675G3056 30Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus."G1722G4571G1614G4675G5495G1519G2392G2532G4592G2532G5059G1096G1223G3686G4675G40G3816G2424 31After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.G2532G846G1189G5117G4531G1722G3739G2258G4863G2532G4130G537G4130G40G4151G2532G2980G3056G2316G3326G3954 32All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.G1161G4128G4100G2258G2588G2532G3391G5590G2532G3761G3004G1520G5100G846G5224G1511G2398G235G846G2258G537G2839 33The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them all.G2532G3173G1411G591G652G3142G386G2962G2424G5037G3173G5485G2258G1909G846G3956 34There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell themG3761G1063G5225G5100G1722G846G1729G1063G3745G5225G2935G5564G2228G3614G4453G5342G5092G4097 35and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.G2532G5087G3844G652G4228G1161G1239G1538G2530G302G2192G5100G5532 36For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means "Son of Encouragement"). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.G1161G2500G3588G5259G652G1941G921G3739G2076G3177G5207G3874G3019G1085G2953 37He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.G5225G846G68G4453G5342G5536G2532G5087G3844G652G4228
5But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property.G1161G5100G435G3686G367G4862G4551G846G1135G4453G29332He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife's consent, he kept the rest.G2532G3557G575G5092G846G1135G2532G4894G2532G5342G5100G3313G5087G3844G652G42283Then Peter said, "Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.G1161G4074G2036G367G1302G4567G4137G4675G2588G4571G5574G40G4151G2532G3557G575G5092G55644The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God!"G3306G3780G4671G3306G2532G4097G5225G1722G4674G1849G5101G3754G5087G5124G4229G1722G4675G2588G5574G3756G5574G444G235G23165As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified.G1161G367G191G5128G3056G4098G1634G2532G3173G5401G1096G1909G3956G191G50236Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.G1161G3501G450G4958G846G4958G2532G1627G22907About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.G1161G1096G5613G1292G5140G5610G1292G2532G846G1135G3361G1492G1096G15258Peter asked her, "Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?" "Yes," she replied, "that was the price."G1161G4074G611G846G2036G3427G1487G591G5564G5118G1161G2036G3483G51189And Peter said, "How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too."G1161G4074G2036G4314G846G5101G3754G5213G4856G3985G4151G2962G2400G4228G2290G4675G435G1909G2374G2532G1627G4571G162710Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.G1161G4098G3916G3844G846G4228G2532G1634G1161G3495G1525G2147G846G3498G2532G1627G2290G4314G846G43511Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.G2532G3173G5401G1096G1909G3650G1577G2532G1909G3956G191G502312The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon's Colonnade.G1161G1223G5495G652G1096G4183G4592G2532G5059G1096G1096G1722G2992G2532G2258G537G3661G1722G4672G474513But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them.G1161G3062G5111G3762G2853G846G235G2992G3170G84614Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.G1161G4100G4369G3123G4369G2962G4128G5037G435G2532G113515As a result of the apostles' work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter's shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.G5620G1627G772G2596G4113G2532G5087G1909G2825G2532G2895G2443G2579G4639G4074G2064G1982G5100G84616Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.G1161G4905G2532G4128G4172G4038G1519G2419G5342G772G2532G3791G5259G169G4151G3748G2323G53717The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.G1161G749G450G2532G3956G4862G846G3588G5607G139G4523G4130G220518They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.G2532G1911G846G5495G1909G652G2532G5087G846G1722G1219G508419But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them,G1161G32G2962G1223G3571G455G5438G2374G5037G1806G846G1806G203620"Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!"G4198G2476G2532G2980G1722G2411G2992G3956G4487G5026G222221So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial.G1161G191G1525G1519G2411G5259G3722G2532G1321G1161G749G3854G2532G4862G846G4779G4892G4779G2532G3956G1087G5207G2474G2532G649G1519G1201G71G846G7122But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported,G1161G5257G3854G2147G846G3756G1722G5438G390G1161G51823"The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!"G3004G3754G1201G3303G2147G2808G1722G3956G803G2532G5441G2476G1854G4253G2374G1161G455G2147G3762G208024When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end.G1161G5613G5037G2409G2532G4755G2411G2532G749G191G5128G3056G1280G4012G846G5101G302G5124G109625Then someone arrived with startling news: "The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!"G3854G5100G1161G518G846G3004G3754G2400G435G3739G5087G1722G5438G1526G2476G1722G2411G2532G1321G299226The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them.G5119G565G4755G4862G5257G71G846G3756G3326G970G1063G5399G2992G3363G303427Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them.G1161G71G846G2476G1722G4892G2532G749G1905G84628"Didn't we tell you never again to teach in this man's name?" he demanded. "Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!"G3004G3853G3756G3852G3853G5213G1321G3361G1321G1909G5129G3686G2532G2400G4137G2419G5216G1322G2532G1014G1863G5127G444G129G1909G224829But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than any human authority.G1161G4074G2532G652G611G2036G1163G3980G2316G3123G2228G44430The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross.G2316G2257G3962G1453G2424G3739G5210G1315G2910G1909G358631Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven.G5126G2316G5312G846G1188G747G2532G4990G1325G3341G2474G2532G859G26632We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him."G2532G2249G2070G846G3144G5130G4487G2532G1161G40G4151G3739G2316G1325G3980G84633When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them.G1161G191G1282G2532G1011G337G84634But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while.G1161G450G5100G1722G4892G5330G3686G1059G3547G5093G3956G2992G2753G4160G652G1854G5100G102435Then he said to his colleagues, "Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!G5037G2036G4314G846G435G2475G4337G1438G5101G3195G4238G1909G5125G44436Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing.G1063G4253G5130G2250G450G2333G3004G1438G1511G5100G3739G706G435G5616G5071G4347G3739G337G2532G3956G3745G3982G846G1262G2532G1096G1519G376237After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.G3326G5126G450G2455G1057G1722G2250G582G2532G868G2425G2992G3694G846G2548G622G2532G3956G3745G3982G846G128738"So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown.G2532G3569G3004G5213G868G575G5130G444G2532G1439G846G1439G3754G1437G3778G1012G2228G5124G2041G5600G1537G444G264739But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!"G1161G1487G2076G1537G2316G3756G1410G2647G846G3379G2147G2532G231440The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.G1161G846G3982G2532G4341G652G1194G3853G2980G3361G2980G1909G3686G2424G2532G630G846G63041The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.G3767G4198G3303G575G4383G4892G5463G3754G2661G818G5228G846G368642And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: "Jesus is the Messiah."G5037G2250G3956G1722G2411G2532G2596G3624G3973G3756G1321G2532G2097G2424G5547
6But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.G1161G1722G5025G2250G4129G3101G4129G1096G1112G1675G4314G1445G3754G846G5503G3865G1722G2522G1248 2So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, "We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.G1161G1427G4341G4128G3101G2036G2076G3756G701G2248G2641G3056G2316G1247G5132 3And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.G3767G80G1980G1537G5216G2033G435G3140G4134G40G4151G2532G4678G3739G2525G1909G5026G5532 4Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word."G1161G2249G4342G4335G2532G1248G3056 5Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith).G2532G3056G700G1799G3956G4128G2532G1586G4736G435G4134G4102G2532G40G4151G2532G5376G2532G4402G2532G3527G2532G5096G2532G3937G2532G3532G4339G491 6These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.G3739G2476G1799G652G2532G4336G2007G5495G2007G846 7So God's message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.G2532G3056G2316G837G2532G706G3101G4129G1722G2419G4970G5037G4183G3793G2409G5219G4102 8Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.G1161G4736G4134G4102G2532G1411G4160G3173G5059G2532G4592G1722G2992 9But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia.G1161G450G5100G1537G4864G3588G3004G3032G2532G2956G2532G221G2532G575G2791G2532G773G4802G4736 10None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.G2532G2480G3756G2480G436G4678G2532G4151G3739G2980 11So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, "We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God."G5119G5260G435G3004G3754G191G846G2980G989G4487G1519G3475G2532G2316 12This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.G5037G4787G2992G2532G4245G2532G1122G2532G2186G4884G846G2532G71G1519G4892 13The lying witnesses said, "This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses.G5037G2476G5571G3144G3004G5127G444G3973G3756G2980G989G4487G2596G3778G40G5117G2532G3551 14We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us."G1063G191G846G3004G3754G5126G2424G3480G2647G3778G5117G2532G236G1485G3739G3475G3860G2254 15At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel's.G2532G537G2516G1722G4892G816G1519G846G1492G846G4383G5616G4383G32
Dublin, OH
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