16
Crowds from the cities around Jerusalem would gather. They would bring their sick and those who were troubled by evil spirits, and each person was cured.
17
The chief priest and the whole party of the Sadducees who were with him were extremely jealous. So they took action
18
by arresting the apostles and putting them in the city jail.
19
But at night an angel from the Lord opened the doors to their cell and led them out of the prison.
20
The angel told them, "Stand in the temple courtyard, and tell the people everything about life [in Christ]."
21
Early in the morning, after they had listened to the angel, the apostles went into the temple courtyard and began to teach. The chief priest and those who were with him called together the Jewish council, that is, all the leaders of Israel. They also sent men to the prison to get the apostles.
22
When the temple guards arrived at the prison, they didn't find the apostles. The guards came back and reported,
23
"We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors. However, when we opened the doors, we found no one inside."
24
When the officer of the temple guards and the chief priests heard this, they were puzzled about what could have happened.
25
Then someone told them, "The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courtyard. They're teaching the people."
26
Then the officer of the temple guards went with some of his men to bring back the apostles without using force. After all, the officer and his guards were afraid that the people would stone them to death for using force.