Acts 4:13-22 - The Name Forbidden

¹³ Now when they beheld the glad fearlessness of Peter and John and had perceived that they were amazed; and they began to recognize them, that they were companions of Jesus. ¹⁴ But since they saw the man standing with them who had been healed, they had nothing to answer. ¹⁵ So they bade them withdraw from the Sanhedrin, while they conferred together. ¹⁶ "What," said they, "shall we do with these men? For it is well known throughout Jerusalem that a notable miracle has been performed by them, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ "But that the matter may spread no further among the people, let us threaten them not to speak to any one hereafter about this name." ¹⁸ So they summoned them, and ordered them not to speak at all, nor to teach in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ But Peter and John said in reply. "Do you decide whether in the sight of God it is right to obey you rather than God; ²⁰ but for our part, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

²¹ So when they had further threatened them they let the apostles go, being quite unable to find any way of punishing them because of the people, for everybody was glorifying God over what had happened. ²² For the man on whom this miracle of healing had been wrought was over forty years old.