Highlights
- the Apostles miraculously delivered from the prison vs 17 – 24;
- Vs 27 – 32, the Apostles testified at Sanhedrin before the high priest – obey God not men;
- Vs 32 Holy Spirit is a gift from God to those who obey Him;
- Vs 34 – 40, a wise speech by a Pharisee named Gamaliel that if the Apostles activities are human origin, it will soon die down otherwise they are fighting against God if these activities have God’s approval
Acts 5:27-42
[27]They brought the apostles in, made them stand before the Council, and the High Priest questioned them.
[28]“We gave you strict orders not to teach in the name of this man,” he said; “but see what you have done! You have spread your teaching all over Jerusalem, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”
[29]Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God, not men.
[30]The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from death, after you had killed him by nailing him to a cross.
[31]God raised him to his right-hand side as Leader and Saviour, to give the people of Israel the opportunity to repent and have their sins forgiven.
[32]We are witnesses to these things — we and the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to those who obey him.”
[33]When the members of the Council heard this, they were so furious that they wanted to have the apostles put to death.
[34]But one of them, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was a teacher of the Law and was highly respected by all the people, stood up in the Council. He ordered the apostles to be taken out for a while,
[35]and then he said to the Council, “Fellow-Israelites, be careful what you do to these men.
[36]You remember that Theudas appeared some time ago, claiming to be somebody great, and about 400 men joined him. But he was killed, all his followers were scattered, and his movement died out.
[37]After that, Judas the Galilean appeared during the time of the census; he drew a crowd after him, but he also was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
[38]And so in this case, I tell you, do not take any action against these men. Leave them alone! If what they have planned and done is of human origin, it will disappear,
[39]but if it comes from God, you cannot possibly defeat them. You could find yourselves fighting against God!”The Council followed Gamaliel’s advice.
[40]They called the apostles in, had them , and ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus; and then they set them free.
[41]As the apostles left the Council, they were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of Jesus.
[42]And every day in the Temple and in people’s homes they continued to teach and preach the Good News about Jesus the Messiah.