Acts 4:13-23

13 The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were. They also realized that Peter and John were ordinary men with no training. This surprised the leaders. They realized that these men had been with Jesus.

14 The leaders could see the man who had been healed standing there with them. So there was nothing they could say.

15 They ordered Peter and John to leave the Sanhedrin. Then they talked things over.

16 "What can we do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle. We can't say it didn't happen.

17 We have to stop this thing. It must not spread any further among the people. We have to warn these men. They must never speak to anyone in Jesus' name again."

18 Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus' name.

19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves. Which is right from God's point of view? Should we obey you? Or God?

20 There's nothing else we can do. We have to speak about the things we've seen and heard."

21 The leaders warned them again. Then they let them go. They couldn't decide how to punish Peter and John. They knew that all the people were praising God for what had happened.

22 The man who had been healed by the miracle was over 40 years old.

The Believers Pray

23 Peter and John were allowed to leave. They went back to their own people. They reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them.