1. Peter and John were speaking to the people. The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to the apostles.
2. They were very upset by what the apostles were teaching the people. The apostles were saying that because Jesus rose from the dead, people can be raised from the dead.
3. So the temple authorities arrested Peter and John. It was already evening, so they put them in prison until the next day.
4. But many who heard the message believed. The number of men who believed grew to about 5,000.
5. The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
6. Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others in the high priest's family.
7. They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them. "By what power did you do this?" they asked. "And through whose name?"
8. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people!
9. Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a disabled man? Are you asking how he was healed?
10. Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus' name that this man stands healed in front of you.
11. Scripture says that Jesus is " 'the stone you builders did not accept. But it has become the most important stone of all.' (Psalm 118:22)
12. You can't be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given us no other name under heaven that will save us."
13. The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were. They also realized that Peter and John were ordinary men with no training. This surprised the leaders. They realized that these men had been with Jesus.
14. The leaders could see the man who had been healed standing there with them. So there was nothing they could say.
15. They ordered Peter and John to leave the Sanhedrin. Then they talked things over.