Acts 4:3-18

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.

14The man who was now well stood in front of the Jewish leaders. They could see that his legs had become strong again. So they could not say anything against Peter and John.

15They told Peter and John to go out of the room where the leaders were meeting. Then they talked together to decide what they should do.

16‘What should we do with these men?’ they said. ‘Everyone who lives in Jerusalem knows about this miracle. They know that Peter and John did a great thing for that man. So we cannot say that they did not do it.

17But we do not want any more people to know what has happened. So we must say to these men, “You must stop using the name of Jesus. You must stop teaching people about him.” ’

18Then the Jewish leaders told Peter and John to come back into the room. They said to them, ‘You must not use the authority of Jesus to teach people any more. You must not speak about him.’