Acts
Chapter 5: 17-42
The Apostles Persecuted
17Then the high priest and
all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with
jealousy. 18They arrested the apostles and put them in the
public jail. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord
opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20“Go,
stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of
this new life.”
21At
daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the
people.
When the high priest and his associates
arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin–the full assembly of the elders of
Israel–and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22But on
arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and
reported, 23“We found the jail securely locked, with the
guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the
chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.
25Then
someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple
courts teaching the people.” 26At that, the captain went
with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared
that the people would stone them.
27Having
brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the
high priest. 28“We gave you strict orders not to teach
in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and
are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood.”
29Peter and
the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! 30The
God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead–whom you had killed by hanging him on a
tree. 31God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and
Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit,
whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33When they
heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34But
a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood
up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully
what you intend to do to these men. 36Some time ago Theudas
appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was
killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census
and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were
scattered. 38Therefore, in the present case I advise you:
Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin,
it will fail. 39But if it is from God, you will not be able
to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40His
speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered
them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41The
apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering
disgrace for the Name. 42Day after day, in the temple courts
and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that
Jesus is the Christ.
