Parallel Bible results for "acts 4"

Acts 4

The Message Bible MSG

1 While Peter and John were addressing the people, the priests, the chief of the Temple police, and some Sadducees came up,

2 indignant that these upstart apostles were instructing the people and proclaiming that the resurrection from the dead had taken place in Jesus.

3 They arrested them and threw them in jail until morning, for by now it was late in the evening.

4 But many of those who listened had already believed the Message - in round numbers about five thousand!

5 The next day a meeting was called in Jerusalem. The rulers, religious leaders, religion scholars,

6 Annas the Chief Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander - everybody who was anybody was there.

7 They stood Peter and John in the middle of the room and grilled them: "Who put you in charge here? What business do you have doing this?"

8 With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose: "Rulers and leaders of the people,

9 if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing,

10 I'll be completely frank with you - we have nothing to hide. By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole.

11 Jesus is 'the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone.'

12 Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one."

13 They couldn't take their eyes off them - Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus,

14 but with the man right before them, seeing him standing there so upright - so healed! - what could they say against that?

15 They sent them out of the room so they could work out a plan. They talked it over:

16 "What can we do with these men? By now it's known all over town that a miracle has occurred, and that they are behind it. There is no way we can refute that.

17 But so that it doesn't go any further, let's silence them with threats so they won't dare to use Jesus' name ever again with anyone."

18 They called them back and warned them that they were on no account ever again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John spoke right back, "Whether it's right in God's eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide.

20 As for us, there's no question - we can't keep quiet about what we've seen and heard."

21 The religious leaders renewed their threats, but then released them. They couldn't come up with a charge that would stick, that would keep them in jail. The people wouldn't have stood for it - they were all praising God over what had happened.

22 The man who had been miraculously healed was over forty years old.

23 As soon as Peter and John were let go, they went to their friends and told them what the high priests and religious leaders had said.

24 Hearing the report, they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer: "Strong God, you made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.

25 By the Holy Spirit you spoke through the mouth of your servant and our father, David: Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples?

26 Earth's leaders push for position, Potentates meet for summit talks, The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers!

27 "For in fact they did meet - Herod and Pontius Pilate with nations and peoples, even Israel itself! - met in this very city to plot against your holy Son Jesus, the One you made Messiah,

28 to carry out the plans you long ago set in motion.

29 "And now they're at it again! Take care of their threats and give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message,

30 as you stretch out your hand to us in healings and miracles and wonders done in the name of your holy servant Jesus."

31 While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's Word with fearless confidence.

32 The whole congregation of believers was united as one - one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you can't have it." They shared everything.

33 The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them.

34 And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale

35 to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person's need.

36 Joseph, called by the apostles "Barnabas" (which means "Son of Comfort"), a Levite born in Cyprus,

37 sold a field that he owned, brought the money, and made an offering of it to the apostles.

New International Version NIV

1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.

2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.

4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.

6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.

7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!

9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,

10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

11 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.

15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.

16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.

17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!

20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.

22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.

25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one. ’

27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.

28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all

34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales

35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”),

37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.