Thematic Bible: Reprove and threaten peter and john

with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other members of the high-priestly family. So they made the Apostles stand in the centre, and demanded of them, "By what power or in what name have you done this?" Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he replied, "Rulers and Elders of the people, read more.
if we to-day are under examination concerning the benefit conferred on a man helplessly lame, as to how this man has been cured; be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that through the name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene, whom *you* crucified, but whom *God* has raised from among the dead-- through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health. This Jesus is the Stone treated with contempt by you the builders, but it has been made the Cornerstone. And in no other is the great salvation to be found; for, in fact, there is no second name under Heaven that has been given among men through which we are to be saved." As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly outspoken--and also discovered that they were illiterate persons, untrained in the schools--they were surprised; and now they recognized them as having been with Jesus. And seeing the man standing with them--the man who had been cured--they had no reply to make. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin while they conferred among themselves. "What are we to do with these men?" they asked one another; for the fact that a remarkable miracle has been performed by them is well known to every one in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But to prevent the matter spreading any further among the people, let us stop them by threats from speaking in the future in this name to any one whatever." So they recalled the Apostles, and ordered them altogether to give up speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Judge whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you instead of listening to God. As for us, what we have seen and heard we cannot help speaking about." The Court added further threats and then let them go, being quite unable to find any way of punishing them on account of the people, because all gave God the glory for the thing that had happened.

This roused the High Priest. He and all his party--the sect of the Sadducees--were filled with angry jealousy and laid hands upon the Apostles, and put them into the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, read more.
"Go and stand in the Temple, and go on proclaiming to the people all this Message of Life." Having received that command they went into the Temple, just before daybreak, and began to teach: So when the High Priest and his party came, and had called together the Sanhedrin as well as all the Elders of the descendants of Israel, they sent to the jail to fetch the Apostles. But the officers went and could not find them in the prison. So they came back and brought word, saying, "The jail we found quite safely locked, and the warders were on guard at the doors, but upon going in we found no one there." When the Commander of the Temple Guards and the High Priests heard this statement, they were utterly at a loss with regard to it, wondering what would happen next. And some one came and brought them word, saying, "The men you put in prison are actually in the Temple, standing there, teaching the people." Upon this the Commander went with the officers, and brought the Apostles; but without using violence; for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. So they brought them and made them stand in front of the Sanhedrin. And then the High Priest questioned them. "We strictly forbad you to teach in that name--did we not?" he said. "And see, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and are trying to make us responsible for that man's death!" Peter and the other Apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than man. The God of our forefathers has raised Jesus to life, whom you crucified and put to death. God has exalted Him to His right hand as Chief Leader and as Saviour, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. And we--and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him--are witnesses as to these things." Infuriated at getting this answer, they were disposed to kill the Apostles. But a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, held in honour by all the people, rose from his seat and requested that they should be sent outside the court for a few minutes. "Israelites," he said, "be careful what you are about to do in dealing with these men. Years ago Theudas appeared, professing to be a person of importance, and a body of men, some four hundred in number, joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and annihilated. After him, at the time of the Census, came Judas, the Galilaean, and was the leader in a revolt. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered. And now I tell you to hold aloof from these men and leave them alone--for if this scheme or work is of human origin, it will come to nothing. But if it is really from God, you will be powerless to put them down--lest perhaps you find yourselves to be actually fighting against God." His advice carried conviction. So they called the Apostles in, and--after flogging them--ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go. They, therefore, left the Sanhedrin and went their way, rejoicing that they had been deemed worthy to suffer disgrace on behalf of the NAME.