Petar i Ivan pred Vijećem
1Dok su Petar i Ivan još govorili narodu, priđu im svećenici, zapovjednik hramske straže i neki saduceji. 2Uznemirilo ih je što su, na Isusovu primjeru, navješćivali uskrsnuće od mrtvih. 3Uhite ih zato i, kako je već bila večer, bace u tamnicu do jutra. 4Ali mnogi koji su ih čuli kako propovijedaju Riječ povjerovali su i broj vjernika uvećao se na otprilike pet tisuća, ne brojeći žene i djecu.
5Sutradan se u Jeruzalemu sastanu poglavari, starješine i pismoznanci. 6Bio je ondje veliki svećenik Ana s Kaifom, Ivanom, Aleksandrom i drugima iz velikosvećeničke loze. 7Dozovu pred sebe apostole i upitaju ih: “Kakvom silom i u čije ime ste to učinili?”
8Petar im, pun Svetoga Duha, reče: “Narodni poglavari i starješine! 9Odgovaramo li mi to zbog dobroga djela koje smo učinili bolesnu čovjeku? Želite li znati kako je iscijeljen? 10Znajte i vi, i cijeli izraelski narod, da taj čovjek stoji pred vama zdrav jer je iscijeljen po imenu Isusa Krista iz Nazareta, kojega ste vi raspeli, ali ga je Bog uskrisio od mrtvih! 11Jer Isus je taj ‘kamen’ koji ste vi ‘graditelji’ odbacili, a koji je ‘postao ugaonim kamenom’.4:11 Psalam 118:22.
12Ni po kome drugome nema spasenja! Nema drugoga imena pod nebom po kojemu se ljudi mogu spasiti.”
13Članove Vijeća zaprepastila je Petrova i Ivanova neustrašivost jer su mogli jasno vidjeti da su neizobraženi i neuki ljudi. Znali su da su bili sa Isusom, 14ali kako je iscijeljeni čovjek stajao pred njima, nisu im mogli proturječiti. 15Zato narede Petru i Ivanu da iziđu iz vijećnice te počnu raspravljati:
16“Što da radimo s tim ljudima? Ne možemo zanijekati da su učinili čudesni znak—za to znaju svi u Jeruzalemu. 17Ali možda možemo spriječiti da se to još više ne razglasi. Zabranimo im da ikomu opet govore o Isusovu imenu.” 18Pozovu zato apostole i zapovjede im da nipošto ne govore o Isusovu imenu i ne poučavaju o njemu.
19Ali Petar i Ivan im odgovore: “Zar smatrate da je pred Bogom pravo da slušamo vas, a ne njega? 20Ne možemo a da ne govorimo o onomu što smo čuli i vidjeli.”
21Vijećnici im opet zaprijete ali ih na koncu puste zato što nisu znali kako ih kazniti a da se narod ne pobuni. Jer svi su slavili Boga zbog toga što se dogodilo: 22čudesno je iscijeljen čovjek koji je bio hrom više od četrdeset godina.
Vjernici mole za hrabrost
23Čim su ih oslobodili, Petar i Ivan jave se drugim vjernicima i ispričaju im što su im rekli veliki svećenici i starješine. 24Kad su to čuli, svi podignu glas i jednodušno se pomole Bogu: “Gospodine, ti si stvorio nebo, zemlju, more i sve što je u njima! 25Po Svetome Duhu kroz svojega slugu Davida odavno si rekao:
‘Zašto se narodi bune?
Zašto puci snuju ispraznosti?
26Zemaljski se kraljevi spremaju na bitku protiv Gospodina i
protiv njegova Mesije.’4:25-26 Psalam 2:1-2.
27To se dogodilo u ovomu gradu! Herod Antipa, Poncije Pilat, zajedno s narodima, urotili su se s izraelskim narodom protiv tvojega svetog Sluge Isusa, tvojega Pomazanika. 28Učinili su ono što si predodredio svojom snagom i voljom. 29Gospodine, čuj njihove prijetnje i daj svojim slugama hrabrosti da navješćuju tvoju Riječ! 30Pruži svoju moćnu ruku da se događaju iscjeljenja, čudesa i znamenje u imenu tvojega svetog Sluge Isusa.”
31Kad su se tako pomolili, potrese se zgrada u kojoj su bili. Svi se napune Svetoga Duha te su smjelo navješćivali Božju riječ.
Vjernici dijele imovinu
32Mnoštvo vjernika bilo je jednoga srca i duše: nitko nije ono što je imao zadržavao za sebe, nego su sve međusobno dijelili. 33A apostoli su s velikom silom svjedočili o uskrsnuću Gospodina Isusa. Velika je milost bila nad njima. 34Nitko od njih nije oskudijevao jer su oni koji su posjedovali zemljišta i kuće prodavali svoju imovinu 35i novac donosili apostolima da njime raspolažu. Oni su ga dijelili svakomu prema potrebama.
36Tako je Josip kojega su apostoli zvali Barnaba (što znači: “Sin utjehe”), levit, rodom s Cipra, 37imao njivu. Prodao ju je i donio novac apostolima da njime raspolažu.
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11Jesus is
“ ‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’4:11 Psalm 118:22
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
The Believers Pray
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“ ‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.4:26 That is, Messiah or Christ’4:26 Psalm 2:1,2
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
