Acts 4
Big idea: The name that healed now stands trial. Arrested for proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection, Peter — filled with the Holy Spirit — tells the council there is salvation in no other name; commanded to silence, the apostles can't help telling what they saw and heard, and the church answers threats with prayer for boldness and a deepened common life.
The chapter closes on proceeds laid at the apostles' feet, with Barnabas as the named exemplar — the exact frame against which ch. 5 measures Ananias and Sapphira's counterfeit gift. And the council's threat, defied here, escalates in ch. 5 into a second arrest of all the apostles.
4:1–4 — Arrested — and the word grows
The priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees interrupt the sermon, upset that the apostles teach the people and proclaim in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. Peter and John are put in custody overnight — but the word has already done its work: many who heard believed, and the number of the men comes to about five thousand.
1 As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them, 2 being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening. 4 But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
4:5–12 — No other name
Before rulers, elders, scribes, and the high-priestly family, Peter and John are asked: 'By what power, or in what name, have you done this?' Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answers with the gospel in miniature: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth — whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead — this man stands before you whole. Jesus is the stone the builders regarded as worthless, become the head of the corner; and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
5 In the morning, their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest. 7 When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people and elders of Israel, 9 if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 may it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands here before you whole in him. 11 He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’ 12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
4:13–22 — We can't help telling
The council marvels at the boldness of unlearned and ignorant men, recognizes that they had been with Jesus — and, with the healed man standing there, can say nothing against it. Conferring in private, they admit a notable miracle 'we can't deny' and settle for threats: speak to no one in this name. Peter and John refuse the terms: 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves — for we can't help telling the things which we saw and heard.' Further threatened, they are released — the rulers find no way to punish them because of the people, and the man healed was more than forty years old.
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can’t deny it. 17 But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.” 18 They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves, 20 for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.” 21 When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done. 22 For the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
4:23–31 — Prayer for boldness
Released, Peter and John report to their own company, and the church lifts its voice to God with one accord — beginning not with the threat but with the Lord who made the sky, the earth, and the sea. Psalm 2's raging nations are read onto Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and Israel, gathered against the holy Servant 'to do whatever your hand and your counsel foreordained to happen.' The one petition: look at their threats, and grant your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal. The place is shaken; all are filled with the Holy Spirit; they speak the word of God with boldness.
23 Being let go, they came to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, you are God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; 25 who by the mouth of your servant David, said, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? 26 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers plot together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’ 27 “For truly, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28 to do whatever your hand and your counsel foreordained to happen. 29 Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
4:32–37 — One heart and soul
The second community portrait: the multitude of believers is of one heart and soul, and no one claims his possessions as his own. With great power the apostles give their testimony of the resurrection, and great grace is on them all. No one among them lacks, for owners of lands and houses sell them and lay the proceeds at the apostles' feet, and distribution is made to each according to need. Joses of Cyprus — renamed Barnabas by the apostles, Son of Encouragement — sells a field and lays the money at their feet.
32 The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all. 34 For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need. 36 Joses, who by the apostles was also called Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race, 37 having a field, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).