Acts 4:17-27

17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them ¹to speak no more to anyone in this name."

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, ²"Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

20 for ³we cannot but speak of what ⁴we have seen and heard."

21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, ⁵because of the people, for all were praising God ⁶for what had happened.

22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices ⁷together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, ⁸who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,

25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,^[a] said by the Holy Spirit, ⁹"'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?

26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and ¹⁰the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his ¹¹Anointed'^[b]--

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your ¹²holy servant Jesus, ¹³whom you anointed, both ¹⁴Herod and ¹⁵Pontius Pilate, along ¹⁶with the Gentiles and ¹⁷the peoples of Israel,