1Enquanto assim falavam ao povo, chegaram os sacerdotes, o comandante da guarda do templo e os saduceus,2muito preocupados por Pedro e João ensinarem o povo, pela autoridade de Jesus, que há ressurreição dos mortos.3Prenderam-nos e, uma vez que já era noite, meteram-nos na cadeia, aguardando o dia seguinte.4Mas muitas das pessoas que tinham ouvido a sua mensagem acreditaram nela. Em consequência, o número de crentes passou para cerca de 5000, contando só os homens!5No dia seguinte, reuniram-se em Jerusalém os líderes, os anciãos e especialistas na Lei,6Anás o sumo sacerdote, Caifás, João, Alexandre e todos quantos havia da linhagem do sumo sacerdote.7E, pondo-os no meio, perguntaram: “Com que poder ou com que autoridade fizeram uma coisa destas?”8Então Pedro, cheio do Espírito Santo, disse-lhes: “Líderes e anciãos do povo:9se se referem ao bem praticado naquele coxo que foi curado,10deixem que vos diga claramente, a vós e a todo o povo de Israel que tal ato foi feito em nome e pelo poder de Jesus de Nazaré, o Cristo, o homem que crucificaram, mas que Deus ressuscitou. É pela sua autoridade que este se encontra aqui curado!11Pois Jesus é: ‘A pedra que vocês, os construtores, rejeitaram veio a tornar-se a pedra fundamental do edifício!’12Em mais ninguém há salvação! Debaixo do céu não há outro nome que as pessoas possam invocar para serem salvas.”13Quando os membros do conselho viram a coragem de Pedro e João, e perceberam que eram pessoas sem instrução, ficaram pasmados, reconhecendo que tinham realmente estado com Jesus.14E como poderiam pôr em dúvida aquela cura quando o antigo coxo se encontrava ali de pé?15Mandaram-nos então sair da sala do conselho e puseram-se a discutir o caso entre si.16“Que vamos fazer com estes homens?”, perguntavam uns aos outros. “Não podemos negar que realizaram um sinal assinalável e toda a gente em Jerusalém tem conhecimento dele.17Mesmo assim, talvez possamos impedi-los de espalhar a sua propaganda. Vamos ameaçá-los, para que não tornem a falar do nome de Jesus a ninguém.”18Assim, voltaram a chamá-los e ordenaram-lhes que nunca mais mencionassem nem ensinassem no nome de Jesus.19Contudo, Pedro e João responderam: “Acham justo que obedeçamos antes às vossas ordens do que às de Deus?20Não podemos deixar de falar no que Jesus fez e disse na nossa presença.”21O conselho ameaçou-os ainda mais, mas por fim deixou-os ir embora, porque não sabia como castigá-los sem provocar uma revolta, pois toda a gente glorificava Deus pelo que tinha acontecido.22O homem que fora curado por meio daquele sinal tinha mais de quarenta anos.
A oração dos crentes
23Logo que se viram em liberdade, Pedro e João foram ter com os outros discípulos e contaram-lhes o que lhes disseram os principais sacerdotes e os anciãos.24Então todos os crentes, unidos, fizeram esta oração: “Ó soberano, que fizeste o céu, a Terra, o mar e tudo quanto há neles,25falaste há muito tempo pelo Espírito Santo, por meio do nosso antepassado, o rei David, teu servo, dizendo: ‘Porque se revoltam os povos? Porque elaboram eles planos vãos?26Os reis da Terra reúnem-se com os líderes, para conspirarem contra o Senhor e contra o seu Messias!’27Foi o que verdadeiramente aconteceu, pois o rei Herodes e Pôncio Pilatos e as nações, além do povo de Israel, reuniram-se nesta cidade contra Jesus, o teu santo Servo, que tu ungiste.28Mas não fizeram mais do que aquilo que, no teu poder e vontade, determinaste que fizessem.29Agora, Senhor, escuta as suas ameaças e concede aos teus servos ousadia na pregação.30Estende a tua mão para curar e realizar sinais e maravilhas pelo nome do teu santo Servo Jesus!”31Depois desta oração o edifício em que se encontravam reunidos estremeceu e todos foram cheios do Espírito Santo, pregando corajosamente a palavra de Deus.
Os crentes repartem os seus haveres
32Todos os crentes tinham um só coração e um só espírito, e ninguém considerava seu o que lhe pertencia, repartindo os haveres uns com os outros.33Os apóstolos davam testemunhos poderosos acerca da ressurreição do Senhor Jesus. Havia, sob a bênção de Deus, uma atitude de grande estima da parte de todos para com eles.34Não se sabia o que era a pobreza, pois quem tinha terras ou casas vendia-as, levando o produto da venda35para o entregarem aos apóstolos, e distribuíam-no segundo a necessidade de cada um.36Foi o caso de José, um levita de Chipre, a quem os apóstolos puseram o nome de Barnabé, que quer dizer “filho do consolo”.37Este vendeu um campo e entregou o dinheiro obtido aos apóstolos.
1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, (1 Cr 9:11; Ne 11:11; Mt 22:23; Lc 22:4; Lc 22:52; At 5:24; At 5:26)2greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (At 3:15; At 17:18)3And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. (Lc 21:12)4But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (At 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. (Mt 26:3; Lc 3:2; Jo 18:13; Jo 18:24)7And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Mt 21:23; At 4:10)8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, (Mt 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, (At 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. (At 2:24; At 3:6)11This Jesus[1] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.[2] (Sl 118:22; Mc 9:12; Lc 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.” (Lc 24:47; Jo 4:22; Jo 20:31; At 10:43; At 13:26; At 28:28; Gl 1:7; 1 Tm 2:5; Hb 2:3; Jd 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. (Jo 7:15)14But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. (Lc 21:15; At 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. (Jo 11:47; Jo 12:19; At 3:9; At 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.” (At 5:28; At 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, (At 5:29)20for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Am 3:8; Jo 15:27; At 22:15; 1 Co 9:16; 1 Jo 1:1; 1 Jo 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. (Mt 21:26; Mt 21:46; Mc 11:32; Lc 20:6; Lc 20:19; Lc 22:2; At 3:7; At 5:13; At 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, (Ex 20:11; 2 Cr 2:12; Ne 9:6; Sl 102:25; Sl 124:8; Sl 134:3; Sl 146:6; At 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? (Sl 2:1)26The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’[5]— (Dn 9:24; Lc 4:18; At 4:5; At 10:38; Hb 1:9; Ap 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, (Mt 20:19; Mt 26:3; Mt 27:2; Lc 23:7; At 4:26; At 4:30)28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Is 46:10; At 2:23)29And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, (2 Rs 19:16; At 4:13; At 4:31; At 9:27; At 9:29; At 13:46; At 14:3; At 18:26; At 19:8; At 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.” (Sl 138:7; Pv 31:20; Is 1:25; Sf 1:4; Mt 7:22; Mc 9:39; Mc 16:17; At 3:6; At 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. (Sl 77:18; At 2:2; At 2:4; At 16:26; Fp 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 Cr 30:12; Ez 11:19; At 2:44; Fp 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. (At 1:8; At 1:22; At 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 (At 2:45; 2 Co 8:14)35and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (At 4:37; At 5:2; At 6:1)36Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, (Mc 3:17)37sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (At 4:35)