Acts 4-5

Acts 4

¹And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

²being sore troubled because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

³And they laid hands on them, and put them in ward unto the morrow: for it was now eventide.

⁴But many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

⁵And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;

⁶and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest.

⁷And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this?

⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders,

⁹if we this day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, by what means this man is made whole;

¹⁰be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole.

¹¹He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner.

¹²And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.

¹³Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

¹⁴And seeing the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

¹⁵But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

¹⁶saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

¹⁷But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

¹⁸And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye:

²⁰for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.

²¹And they, when they had further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified God for that which was done.

²²For the man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was wrought.

²³And being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.

²⁴And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou that didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is:

²⁵who by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?

²⁶The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:

²⁷for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together,

²⁸to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel foreordained to come to pass.

²⁹And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness,

³⁰while thou stretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus.

³¹And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

³²And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

³³And with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

³⁴For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

³⁵and laid them at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.

³⁶And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of exhortation), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,

³⁷having a field, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 5

¹But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

²and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

³But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

⁴Whiles it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

⁵And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.

⁶And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.

⁷And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

⁸And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.

⁹But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.

¹⁰And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

¹¹And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.

¹²And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

¹³But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them;

¹⁴and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women;

¹⁵insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them.

¹⁶And there also came together the multitude from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

¹⁷But the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,

¹⁸and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward.

¹⁹But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said,

²⁰Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life.

²¹And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.

²²But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told,

²³saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

²⁴Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow.

²⁵And there came one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people.

²⁶Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.

²⁷And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,

²⁸saying, We straitly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.

³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree.

³¹Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.

³²And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

³³But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were minded to slay them.

³⁴But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honour of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while.

³⁵And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.

³⁶For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nought.

³⁷After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

³⁸And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown:

³⁹but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.

⁴⁰And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

⁴¹They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the Name.

⁴²And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.