The Apostles Arrested and Freed
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of
1the Sadducees), and filled with
2jealousy
18
they arrested the apostles and
3put them in the public prison.
19
But during the night
4an angel of the Lord
5opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,
20
"Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all
6the words of
7this
8Life."
21
And when they heard this,
9they entered the temple
10at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22
But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,
23
"We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside."
24
Now when
11the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.
25
And someone came and told them, "Look! The men whom you put in prison
12are standing in the temple and teaching the people."
26
Then
13the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for
14they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,
28
saying,
15"We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you
16intend to bring this man's blood upon us."
29
But Peter and the apostles answered,
17"We must obey God rather than men.
30
18The God of our fathers
19raised Jesus,
20whom you killed by hanging him on
21a tree.
31
God exalted
22him at his right hand as
23Leader and
24Savior,
25to give
26repentance to Israel and
27forgiveness of sins.
32
And
28we are witnesses to these things, and
29so is the Holy Spirit,
30whom God has given to those who obey him."
33
When they heard this, they
31were enraged and wanted to kill them.
34
But a Pharisee in the council named
32Gamaliel,
33a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.
35
And he said to them, "Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.
36
For
34before these days Theudas rose up,
35claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.
37
After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of
36the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.
38
So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for
37if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;
39
but
38if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You
39might even be found opposing God!" So they took his advice,
40
and
40when they had called in the apostles,
41they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41
Then they left the presence of the council,
42rejoicing that they were counted worthy
43to suffer dishonor for
44the name.
42
And every day,
45in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and
46preaching
47Jesus as the Christ.