1Mens Peter stod sammen med Johannes og talte til folkemængden, kom de ledende præster derhen sammen med kommandanten for tempelvagten og nogle af saddukæerne.2De var oprørte over, at Peter og Johannes stod og underviste folket og oven i købet påstod, at Jesus var genopstået fra de døde.[1]3De to mænd blev pågrebet og sat i arresten til næste dag, for det var for sent til, at Det jødiske Råd kunne samles den dag.4Men mange af dem, der havde hørt Peters tale, kom til tro, og der var nu omtrent 5000 mænd i menigheden.5Næste dag blev Rådet kaldt sammen. Det bestod af de jødiske ledere og de skriftlærde i Jerusalem.6Ypperstepræsten Annas var til stede sammen med Kajfas, Johannes, Alexander og andre fra ypperstepræstens familie.7De to disciple blev ført frem, og forhøret begyndte. „Hvem har givet jer ret til at gøre det, I gjorde her i går?” lød det første spørgsmål.8Fyldt med Helligåndens kraft svarede Peter: „Ærede ledere og rådsmedlemmer!9Hvis årsagen til forhøret her er den gode gerning, som fandt sted i går, hvor en lam mand blev helbredt,10så lad mig sige ligeud til både jer og hele Israels folk, at når denne mand kan stå sund og rask foran jer, så skyldes det den kraft og autoritet, vi har fået fra nazaræeren Jesus. Det er ham, der er Messias, og det var jer, der korsfæstede ham, men Gud oprejste ham fra de døde.11Han er den sten, som I bygmestre kasserede, men som nu er blevet selve hjørnestenen.[2] (Salm 118,22; Matt 21,42)12Der findes ikke frelse andre steder end hos Jesus, for der er ingen andre i hele verden, som kan frelse os mennesker.”13Rådsmedlemmerne undrede sig over, at Peter og Johannes talte med så stor frimodighed, for de var godt klar over, at de var jævne folk uden nogen særlig uddannelse. Men så forstod de, at det var, fordi de havde været sammen med Jesus.14Og den mirakuløse helbredelse kunne de ikke komme udenom, for manden, der var blevet rask, stod selv ved siden af dem.15Derfor sendte de alle ud af retssalen, så de kunne drøfte sagen uforstyrret.16„Hvad skal vi stille op med dem?” spurgte de hinanden. „Det går ikke at benægte, at der er sket et mirakel. Hele byen taler jo om det.17Men det må være muligt at lukke munden på dem. Det her må ikke have lov til at brede sig. Vi må forbyde dem at tale til folk om Jesus.”18Så blev de to mænd kaldt ind for Rådet igen og fik besked på, at de fra nu af aldrig mere måtte tale om Jesus eller viderebringe hans lære.19„I mener altså, at vi skal adlyde jer i stedet for Gud?” sagde Peter og Johannes.20„Nej, vi kan ikke holde op med at tale om det, vi har set og hørt.”21Så lod Rådet disciplene gå, efter at de havde givet dem endnu en advarsel. De turde ikke straffe dem af frygt for, hvordan folkeskaren ville reagere. Alle lovpriste jo Gud for det mirakel, der var sket:22En lam mand på over 40 år var blevet fuldstændig helbredt.
Menigheden beder om frimodighed og fyldes med Helligånden igen
23Så snart Peter og Johannes var blevet løsladt, vendte de tilbage til de andre apostle og disciple og fortalte, hvad ypperstepræsterne og folkets ledere havde sagt til dem.24Da forsamlingen hørte det, forenede de sig i bøn: „Mægtige Herre! Det er dig, som har skabt himlen og jorden og havet og alt, hvad der er i dem.25-26Det er også dig, som for længe siden ved Helligånden talte gennem vores forfar, din tjener David, og sagde: Hvorfor er de fremmede folk så rasende? Deres konger gør sig klar til kamp. Hvorfor lægger folk nytteløse planer? Deres ledere samles til rådslagning. De kæmper imod Herren selv, de angriber hans udvalgte tjener.[3] (Salm 2,1)27Dine fjender samlede sig her i Jerusalem, både kong Herodes og den romerske guvernør, Pontius Pilatus, både jøderne og de fremmede, for at bekæmpe din hellige Tjener, Jesus,28og for at udføre det, som du i din almagt og visdom forud havde bestemt skulle ske.29Nu beder vi dig, Herre: Tag dig af deres trusler, og giv dine tjenere frimodighed til at forkynde dit ord.30Send din helbredende kraft, og lad tegn og undere ske i din hellige Tjeners, Jesu, navn.”31Da de havde bedt, rystede det sted, hvor de var forsamlet, og de blev alle fyldt med Helligåndens kraft. Derefter fortsatte de frimodigt med at tale Guds ord til folk.
Menighedens fællesskab og Barnabas
32Alle de, som var kommet til tro, var ét i hjerte og sind, og ingen anså det, de ejede, for at være deres personlige ejendom. Alt var fælleseje.33Med overbevisende kraft fortalte apostlene om, hvordan Jesus var genopstået fra de døde, og Guds nåde og velsignelse var over dem alle.34-35Ingen manglede noget, for mange af dem, der ejede hus eller ejendom, solgte det og afleverede pengene til apostlene, som så delte pengene ud til dem, der havde behov for at modtage hjælp.36Der var en troende levit, som hed Josef og var fra Cypern. Apostlene gav ham tilnavnet Barnabas (det betyder „Trøsteren”).37Han solgte en mark, han havde, og afleverede pengene til apostlene.
1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, (1.Krøn 9,11; Neh 11,11; Matt 22,23; Luk 22,4; Luk 22,52; Ap G 5,24; Ap G 5,26)2greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (Ap G 3,15; Ap G 17,18)3And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. (Luk 21,12)4But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (Ap G 2,41)5On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,6with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. (Matt 26,3; Luk 3,2; Joh 18,13; Joh 18,24)7And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Matt 21,23; Ap G 4,10)8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, (Matt 10,20)9if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, (Ap G 3,7)10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (Ap G 2,24; Ap G 3,6)11This Jesus[1] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.[2] (Salm 118,22; Mark 9,12; Luk 23,11)12And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[3] by which we must be saved.” (Luk 24,47; Joh 4,22; Joh 20,31; Ap G 10,43; Ap G 13,26; Ap G 28,28; Gal 1,7; 1.Tim 2,5; Heb 2,3; Judas 1,3)13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Joh 7,15)14But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. (Luk 21,15; Ap G 3,11)15But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,16saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. (Joh 11,47; Joh 12,19; Ap G 3,9; Ap G 4,21)17But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” (Ap G 5,28; Ap G 5,40)18So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.19But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, (Ap G 5,29)20for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Amos 3,8; Joh 15,27; Ap G 22,15; 1.Kor 9,16; 1.Joh 1,1; 1.Joh 1,3)21And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. (Matt 21,26; Matt 21,46; Mark 11,32; Luk 20,6; Luk 20,19; Luk 22,2; Ap G 3,7; Ap G 5,13; Ap G 5,26)22For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
The Believers Pray for Boldness
23When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.24And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, (2.Mos 20,11; 2.Krøn 2,12; Neh 9,6; Salm 102,25; Salm 124,8; Salm 134,3; Salm 146,6; Ap G 1,14)25who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,[4] said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? (Salm 2,1)26The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’[5]— (Dan 9,24; Luk 4,18; Ap G 4,5; Ap G 10,38; Heb 1,9; Åb 11,15)27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, (Matt 20,19; Matt 26,3; Matt 27,2; Luk 23,7; Ap G 4,26; Ap G 4,30)28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Es 46,10; Ap G 2,23)29And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, (2.Kong 19,16; Ap G 4,13; Ap G 4,31; Ap G 9,27; Ap G 9,29; Ap G 13,46; Ap G 14,3; Ap G 18,26; Ap G 19,8; Ap G 28,31; Ef 6,19)30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Salm 138,7; Ord 31,20; Es 1,25; Zef 1,4; Matt 7,22; Mark 9,39; Mark 16,17; Ap G 3,6; Ap G 4,27)31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Salm 77,18; Ap G 2,2; Ap G 2,4; Ap G 16,26; Filip 1,14)
They Had Everything in Common
32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. (2.Krøn 30,12; Ez 11,19; Ap G 2,44; Filip 1,27)33And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. (Ap G 1,8; Ap G 1,22; Ap G 11,23)34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold (Ap G 2,45; 2.Kor 8,14)35and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Ap G 4,37; Ap G 5,2; Ap G 6,1)36Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, (Mark 3,17)37sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Ap G 4,35)