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¹ While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadduces came upon them, ² being displeas'd that they taught the people, and maintain'd the resurrection from the dead in the person of Jesus. ³ and they laid hands on them, and put them in prison, till the next day: for it was now evening. ⁴ however, many who heard Peter's discourse, believed, to the number of about five thousand people.

⁵ On the morrow, the rulers, senators, and doctors of the law, then at Jerusalem, assembled, ⁶ with Annas the high priest, Caiphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the pontifical family. ⁷ and having caused Peter and John to appear, they asked, by what influence, or by what authority have you done this? ⁸ then Peter filled with the holy spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people, and senators of Israel, ⁹ since we are this day to be examined about the cure of a cripple, and by what means he was recovered; be it known to you all, ¹⁰ and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you entirely recover'd. ¹¹ this is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but is become the chief of the angle. ¹² salvation is not to be had by any other: for there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we can be saved. ¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were illiterate, and of the lower rank of men, they were surpriz'd; but tho' they knew that they had been Jesus's disciples, ¹⁴ yet seeing the man who was cured standing with them, they could not tell what to reply.

¹⁵ having therefore order'd them to withdraw from the council, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ saying, what shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ but to prevent its spreading any further among the people, let us charge them with threats not to speak for the future to any man in that name. ¹⁸ so they called them in, and commanded them not to speak or teach upon any account, in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ but Peter and John made answer, do you yourselves judge, whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey you rather than God. ²⁰ for we cannot avoid publishing what we have seen and heard. ²¹ so when they had further threatned them, they let them go, not finding it practicable to punish them, because of the people, who all glorified God for that which was done. ²² for the man who was so miraculously cured, was above forty years old.

²³ As soon as they were discharg'd, they went to their brethren, and reported all that the chief priests and senators had said to them: ²⁴ at the relation of which they unanimously lift up their voice to God, and said, Lord, thou art the God who hast made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is therein: ²⁵ who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said , "why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? ²⁶ the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ." ²⁷ for it was truly against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, that Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, united themselves in this city, ²⁸ to effect what thy power and thy wisdom pre-determined to be done. ²⁹ and now, Lord, behold their threatnings: and enable thy servants to deliver thy word with freedom, ³⁰ by displaying thine hand in miraculous cures, and prodigies, which by the name of thy holy child Jesus shall be done. ³¹ When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled, trembled; they were all filled with the holy spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

³² Now the whole body of believers were but one heart, and one soul: no one look'd upon what he possessed, as his own, but every thing was held in common. ³³ Great was the power by which the apostles attested the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and they were all greatly favoured by the people. ³⁴ for there was no poor among them, because as many as bad lands or houses, sold them, and brought the value, ³⁵ which they laid down at the apostles feet: and they distributed it to every man as his occasions required. ³⁶ among the rest one Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (that is to say, the son of consolation) a Levite, and a native of Cyprus, ³⁷ sold an estate he had, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.