Acts 4:1-13

1Peter and John were still speaking to the crowd in the yard of the temple. Then some priests, the leader of the police in the temple and some Sadducees came to them.

2They were angry because of the things that Peter and John were teaching the people there. They were teaching that Jesus had become alive again after his death. The Jewish leaders did not agree that dead people could become alive again.

3So they took hold of Peter and John. They put them in prison, because by then it was evening time. They put them in the prison until the next day.

4But many of the people who had heard Peter's message believed what he said. There were now about 5,000 men who believed in Jesus.

5The next day, the Jewish rulers and other important Jews met together in Jerusalem. The teachers of God's Law met together with them.

6They met with Annas who was the most important priest. Caiaphas, John and Alexander were also there. Other men from the family of the most important priest were with them too.

7The Jewish leaders made Peter and John stand in front of them. They began to ask them questions. They said, ‘How did you cause that man's legs to become strong? Who gave you the power and the authority to do it?’

8Then Peter became full with the Holy Spirit and he said to them, ‘All you men are rulers of the people and important Jews.

9Today you are asking us questions about the good thing that we did for this man. Before that, he could not walk. You are asking us how we caused his legs to become strong.

10Now I need to tell you and all the people of Israel what is true. Then you will know how this happened. This man is standing here in front of you and he is well. His legs are strong because of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and his authority. You fixed Jesus to a cross so that he died. But after that, God caused him to become alive again.

11The Bible says this about him: “The builders refused to use a certain stone. They thought that it had no value. But now that stone has become the most important stone at the corner of the building.” ’

12Then Peter said, ‘Only Jesus can save people. There has never been another person in the world that could do this. God has not given any other man the authority to save us.’

13The Jewish leaders saw that Peter and John were not afraid of them. They also knew that they were not special people. They had not been to any school. So the leaders were very surprised about how Peter and John spoke. They understood that Peter and John had been friends with Jesus.