Acts 4:8-22

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 realised 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 amongst 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.