Open English Translation ACTs Chapter 4

4 While Peter and Yohan were still talking to the people, the chief priests and a temple officer and some people from the Sadducee sect approached them 2 because they were very upset about what they had been teaching the people, including preaching that Yeshua could give life to the dead. 3 So they arrested the two, and as it was already evening, they put them in jail overnight. 4 Despite this, many people who had heard their message trusted in Yeshua and the number of families who were believers grew to around 5,000.

5 Then the next day, the religious leaders and the elders and the religious teachers gathered together in Yerushalem 6 along with those descended from high priests, including Annas the current high priest and Caiafas and Yohan and Alexander. 7 After having Peter and Yohan brought in and standing them in the middle, they began to ask, “Under what authority did you do this?”

8 Then Peter, having been filled with the holy spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we’re being questioned today about a good deed done to a man who couldn’t walk and which resulted in his healing, 10 then you all need to know, and the people of Israel should also know, that it was done under the authority and name of Yeshua the messiah. He was the man from Nazareth that you executed on a pole, but who God brought back to life. It was because of his authority that this man can now stand before you without deformity. 11 [ref]This Yeshua is:

‘the stone which was rejected by you builders,

has now become the vital cornerstone.’

12 We can’t be saved by anyone else, because there’s no other name or authority that’s been given in the entire world under which people can be saved.

13 The assembled leaders were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and Yohan who they knew to be illiterate, working-class men Then they recognised that they had been with Yeshua, 14 but since the man who was no longer deformed was standing there with them, there was nothing that they could really accuse them of. 15 So they had them removed from the room, and they asked each other, 16 “What should we do with these fellows? By now everyone in Yerushalem has heard about the miracle they did, and we have no way to rebuff it. 17 However, we have to stop it spreading even further, so maybe we should ban them from speaking about this name to anyone.” 18 So they called them back in and decreed that they weren’t allowed to preach or teach under the name of Yeshua anymore.

19 But Peter and Yohan answered, “You judge for yourselves whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to him? 20 As for us, we’re not able to be silent about what we saw and heard.” 21 So after making some further threats, the leaders sent them off. They hadn’t been able to find anything to punish them for, because the people were all praising God for what had happened 22 and because the man who had miraculously recovered was over forty years old.

23 After Peter and Yohan had been released, they went to their own group and told them what the chief priests and elders had said. 24 [ref]When they all heard this, they began to pray out loud to God, saying, “Master, you created heaven and earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 [ref]You spoke long ago by the holy spirit through our ancestor who was your servant, David, when you said,

‘Why are the other nations angry and why have their peoples tried new ideas?”

26 The earthly kings and rulers stood and worked together against the master and against his messiah.’

27 [ref]And indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met with the pagan Romans and the peoples of Israel to conspire against your holy servant Yeshua who you chose. 28 Then they did exactly what your power and plan had already decided would happen. 29 So now, master, see their threats and help us, your slaves, to be able to proclaim your message with boldness. 30 Let us experience your power to heal and do miracles and things that confirm the scriptures by means of the name and authority of your holy servant, Yeshua.”

31 As they finished their requests, the place where they had met was shaken and all of them were filled with the holy spirit, and they went out and boldly proclaimed God’s message.

32 [ref]And so the group of believers were united in their will and attitude. No one claimed anything to be their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 The missionaries of the master, Yeshua, experienced great power and proclaimed the truth about how he came back to life, and God’s favour was with them. 34 None of them were lacking anything, because any of them who owned properties or houses would sell them and donate the proceeds. 35 They would lay them down in front of the missionaries, and from there it was distributed around according to what needs each person had.

36 Yosef (a Levite born in Cyprus who was nicknamed by the missionaries as ‘Barnabas’, meaning ‘Encourager’) was one who 37 owned a field which he sold, and brought the money and put it down in front of the missionaries.