Acts 5:12-42

Many Signs and Wonders Done

12Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people ^aby the hands of the apostles. And they were all ^btogether in ^cSolomon’s Portico. 13None of the rest dared join them, but ^dthe people held them in high esteem. 14And ^emore than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 ^fso that they even ^gcarried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by ^hat least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, ⁱbringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of ^jthe Sadducees), and filled with ^kjealousy 18they arrested the apostles and ^lput them in the public prison. 19But during the night ^man angel of the Lord ⁿopened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20“Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all ^othe words of ^pthis ^qLife.” 21And when they heard this, ^rthey entered the temple ^sat daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22But 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.” 24Now when ^tthe captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison ^uare standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26Then ^vthe captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for ^wthey were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28saying, ^x“We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you ^yintend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29But Peter and the apostles answered, ^z“We must obey God rather than men. 30 ^aaThe God of our fathers ^abraised Jesus, ^acwhom you killed by hanging him on ^ada tree. 31God exalted ^aehim at his right hand as ^afLeader and ^agSavior, ^ahto give ^airepentance to Israel and ^ajforgiveness of sins. 32And ^akwe are witnesses to these things, and ^also is the Holy Spirit, ^amwhom God has given to those who obey him.”

33When they heard this, they ^anwere enraged and wanted to kill them. 34But a Pharisee in the council named ^aoGamaliel, ^apa 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. 35And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36For ^aqbefore these days Theudas rose up, ^arclaiming 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. 37After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of ^asthe census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for ^atif this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39but ^auif it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You ^avmight even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40and ^awwhen they had called in the apostles, ^axthey beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41Then they left the presence of the council, ^ayrejoicing that they were counted worthy ^azto suffer dishonor for ^bathe name. 42And every day, ^bbin the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and ^bcpreaching ^bdthat the Christ is Jesus.