Acts 5:11-38

¹¹Great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard these things.

¹²Many signs and wonders were taking place among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon's Porch.

¹³But no one else had the courage to join them; however, they were held in high esteem by the people.

¹⁴Still more believers were being added to the Lord, multitudes of men and women,

¹⁵so that they even carried the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, so that as Peter came by, his shadow might fall on some of them.

¹⁶There also came together a great number of people from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

¹⁷But the high priest rose up, and all those who 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 the public jail.

¹⁹Yet during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and led them out, and said,

²⁰“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”

²¹When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, all the elders of the people of Israel, and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought.

²²But the officers that went did not find them in the prison, and they returned and reported,

²³“We found the jail securely shut and the guards standing at the door, but when we had opened it, we found no one inside.”

²⁴Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them as to what would come of it.

²⁵Then someone came and told them, “The men whom you put in the jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”

²⁶So the captain went with the officers, and brought them back, but without violence, for they feared that the people might stone them.

²⁷When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest interrogated them,

²⁸saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and desire to bring this man's blood upon us.”

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

³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

³¹God exalted him to his right hand to be a prince and a savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

³²We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

³³When the council members heard this, they were furious and wanted to kill the apostles.

³⁴But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up and commanded the apostles to be taken outside for a little while.

³⁵Then he said to them, “Men of Israel, pay close attention to what you propose to do with these people.

³⁶For some time ago, Theudas rose up claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who had been obeying him were scattered and came to nothing.

³⁷After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all who had been obeying him were scattered.

³⁸Now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or work is of men, it will be overthrown.