4Many, however, of those who had heard the apostles' message became believers in Christ, the number of the men alone amounting to about five thousand.
5The next day, a meeting of the leaders of the people, the elders, and the teachers of the Law was held in Jerusalem.
6There were present Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of High-Priestly rank.
7They had Peter and John brought before them, and questioned them. “By what power,” they asked, “Or in whose name have men like you done this thing?”
8Then, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said, “Leaders of the people and elders,
9since we are on our trial today for a kind act done to a helpless man, and are asked in what way the man here before you has been cured,
10let me tell you all and all the people of Israel, that it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead — it is, I say, by his name that this man stands here before you lame no longer.
11Jesus is ‘the stone which, scorned by you the builders, has yet become the corner stone.’
12And salvation is in him alone; for there is no other name in the whole world, given to people, to which we must look for our salvation.”
13When the Council saw how boldly Peter and John spoke, and found that they were uneducated men of humble station, they were surprised, and realized that they had been companions of Jesus.
14But, when they looked at the man who had been healed, standing there with them, they had nothing to say.
15So they ordered them out of court, and then began consulting together.
16“What are we to do to these men?” they asked one another. “That a remarkable sign has been given through them is obvious to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
17But, to prevent this thing from spreading further among the people, let us warn them not to speak in this name any more to anyone whatever.”
18So they called the apostles in, and ordered them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John replied, “Whether it is right, in the sight of God, to listen to you rather than to him —
20judge for yourselves, for we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard.”
21However, after further warnings, the Council set them at liberty, not seeing any safe way of punishing them, because of the people, for they were all praising God for what had occurred;
22for the man who was the subject of this miraculous cure was more than forty years old.
23After they had been set at liberty, the apostles went to their friends and told them what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24All who heard their story, moved by a common impulse, raised their voices to God in prayer: “Sovereign Lord, it is you who has made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them,
25and who, by the lips of our ancestor, your servant David, who spoke under the influence of the Holy Spirit, have said — ‘Why did the nations rage, and the peoples form vain designs?
26The kings of the earth set their array, and its rulers gathered together, against the Lord and against his Christ.’
27There have indeed gathered together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you has consecrated the Christ, not Herod and Pontius Pilate only, but the nations and the people of Israel besides —
Acts 4
Acts 4:4-27