Acts 5:12-32

New King James Version

Continuing Power in the Church

¹² And ^(A)through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. ^(B)And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. ¹³ Yet ^(C)none of the rest dared join them, ^(D)but the people esteemed them highly. ¹⁴ And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, ¹⁵ so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, ^(E)that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing ^(F)sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Imprisoned Apostles Freed

^17 (G)Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with ^[a]indignation, ^18 (H)and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹ But at night ^(I)an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ²⁰ “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people ^(J)all the words of this life.”

²¹ And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. ^(K)But the high priest and those with him came and called the ^[b]council together, with all the ^[c]elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Apostles on Trial Again

²² But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, ²³ saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing ^[d]outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” ²⁴ Now when ^[e]the high priest, ^(L)the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. ²⁵ So one came and told them, ^[f]saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

²⁶ Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, ^(M)for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. ²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, ²⁸ saying, ^(N)“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, ^(O)and intend to bring this Man’s ^(P)blood on us!”

²⁹ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ^(Q)“We ought to obey God rather than men. ^30 (R)The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by ^(S)hanging on a tree. ^31 (T)Him God has exalted to His right hand to be ^(U)Prince and ^(V)Savior, ^(W)to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And ^(X)we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit ^(Y)whom God has given to those who obey Him.”