Thematic Bible: Persecute the apostles
Thematic Bible
Sadducees » Persecute the apostles
As they were speaking to the [crowd of] people, the [Jewish] priests, the captain of the Temple [guard] and the Sadducees [i.e., a sect of the Jewish religion] approached them and were greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that Jesus had been raised from the dead. So, these [Jewish] leaders arrested Peter and John and put them in jail until the next day because it was [already] evening.
But the head priest and the Jewish sect of the Sadducees became very jealous, and arrested the apostles and put them in jail. But an angel from the Lord one night [miraculously] opened the jail doors and released them, saying, read more.
"You men, go and stand in the Temple and speak to all the people words about this Life [i.e., about Jesus]." [See John 14:6]. And when the apostles heard this, they entered the Temple about dawn and began teaching [about Jesus]. [A little later] the head priest and the Sadducees [see verse 17] called the Council [i.e., the Sanhedrin] and all of the ruling body of Jewish leaders together and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought in to them [for further questioning]. But when the officers arrived at the jail the apostles were gone, so they returned to the Council and reported, "We found the jail securely locked, with guards on duty at the doors, but when we went inside there was no one there!" Now when the captain of the Temple [guard] and the leading priests heard about this, they became frustrated over how far this [teaching] would [eventually] spread. [Just then] someone came in and said, "Look, the men you put in jail are [now] standing in the Temple teaching people." [Immediately] the captain, with his officers, went [to the Temple] and brought the apostles back again, but did not use any violence because they feared that the people might stone them. And so they brought them in [to their headquarters] to appear before the Council [for questioning]. The head priest spoke to them, [saying], "We strictly commanded you not to teach in this name [i.e., the name of Jesus] and look [what you have done]; you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to hold us responsible for this man's [i.e., Jesus'] death." But Peter and the apostles answered them, "We must obey God instead of [you] men [in this situation]. The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus [from the dead], whom you put to death by hanging Him on a tree [i.e., the cross]. But God exalted Him at His right side to be a Prince and Savior and to give the people of Israel [an opportunity] to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives] and [receive] forgiveness of [their] sins [through Him]. We apostles are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to every person who obeys Him." But when the Jewish officials heard this, they were deeply convicted in their hearts and determined to kill the apostles.
"You men, go and stand in the Temple and speak to all the people words about this Life [i.e., about Jesus]." [See John 14:6]. And when the apostles heard this, they entered the Temple about dawn and began teaching [about Jesus]. [A little later] the head priest and the Sadducees [see verse 17] called the Council [i.e., the Sanhedrin] and all of the ruling body of Jewish leaders together and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought in to them [for further questioning]. But when the officers arrived at the jail the apostles were gone, so they returned to the Council and reported, "We found the jail securely locked, with guards on duty at the doors, but when we went inside there was no one there!" Now when the captain of the Temple [guard] and the leading priests heard about this, they became frustrated over how far this [teaching] would [eventually] spread. [Just then] someone came in and said, "Look, the men you put in jail are [now] standing in the Temple teaching people." [Immediately] the captain, with his officers, went [to the Temple] and brought the apostles back again, but did not use any violence because they feared that the people might stone them. And so they brought them in [to their headquarters] to appear before the Council [for questioning]. The head priest spoke to them, [saying], "We strictly commanded you not to teach in this name [i.e., the name of Jesus] and look [what you have done]; you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to hold us responsible for this man's [i.e., Jesus'] death." But Peter and the apostles answered them, "We must obey God instead of [you] men [in this situation]. The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus [from the dead], whom you put to death by hanging Him on a tree [i.e., the cross]. But God exalted Him at His right side to be a Prince and Savior and to give the people of Israel [an opportunity] to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives] and [receive] forgiveness of [their] sins [through Him]. We apostles are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to every person who obeys Him." But when the Jewish officials heard this, they were deeply convicted in their hearts and determined to kill the apostles.