Acts 5:14-38

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

¹⁵so as into the broad places to bring forth the ailing, and to lay them upon couches and mats, that at the coming of Peter, even his shadow might overshadow some one of them;

¹⁶and there were coming together also the people of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bearing ailing persons, and those harassed by unclean spirits — who were all healed.

¹⁷And having risen, the chief priest, and all those with him — being the sect of the Sadducees — were filled with zeal,

¹⁸and laid their hands upon the apostles, and did put them in a public prison;

¹⁹and a messenger of the Lord through the night opened the doors of the prison, having also brought them forth, he said,

²⁰'Go on, and standing, speak in the temple to the people all the sayings of this life;'

²¹and having heard, they did enter at the dawn into the temple, and were teaching. And the chief priest having come, and those with him, they called together the sanhedrim and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and they sent to the prison to have them brought,

²²and the officers having come, did not find them in the prison, and having turned back, they told,

²³saying — 'The prison indeed we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors, and having opened — within we found no one.'

²⁴And as the priest, and the magistrate of the temple, and the chief priests, heard these words, they were doubting concerning them to what this would come;

²⁵and coming near, a certain one told them, saying — 'Lo, the men whom ye did put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people;'

²⁶then the magistrate having gone away with officers, brought them without violence, for they were fearing the people, lest they should be stoned;

²⁷and having brought them, they set them in the sanhedrim, and the chief priest questioned them,

²⁸saying, 'Did not we strictly command you not to teach in this name? and lo, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and ye intend to bring upon us the blood of this man.'

²⁹And Peter and the apostles answering, said, 'To obey God it behoveth, rather than men;

³⁰and the God of our fathers did raise up Jesus, whom ye slew, having hanged upon a tree;

³¹this one God, a Prince and a Saviour, hath exalted with His right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness of sins;

³²and we are His witnesses of these sayings, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.'

³³And they having heard, were cut to the heart, and were taking counsel to slay them,

³⁴but a certain one, having risen up in the sanhedrim — a Pharisee, by name Gamaliel, a teacher of law honoured by all the people — commanded to put the apostles forth a little,

³⁵and said unto them, 'Men, Israelites, take heed to yourselves about these men, what ye are about to do,

³⁶for before these days rose up Theudas, saying, that himself was some one, to whom a number of men did join themselves, as it were four hundred, who was slain, and all, as many as were obeying him, were scattered, and came to nought.

³⁷'After this one rose up, Judas the Galilean, in the days of the enrolment, and drew away much people after him, and that one perished, and all, as many as were obeying him, were scattered;

³⁸and now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone, because if this counsel or this work may be of men, it will be overthrown,