The Jewish Annotated New Testament (65 page)

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After they were released, they went to their friends
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and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
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When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them,
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it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant:
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‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
     and the peoples imagine vain things?
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The kings of the earth took their stand,
     and the rulers have gathered together
        against the Lord and against his
                 Messiah.’
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For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant
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Jesus, whom you anointed,
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to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
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And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants
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to speak your word with all boldness,
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while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant
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Jesus.”
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When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

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Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.
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With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
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There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold.
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They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
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There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”).
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He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

5
But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property;
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with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
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“Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?
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While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us
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but to God!”
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Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it.
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The young men came and wrapped up his body,
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then carried him out and buried him.

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After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
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Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price.” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.”
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Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
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Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
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And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

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Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.
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None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
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Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women,
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so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he came by.
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A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

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Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy,
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arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
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But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said,
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“Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life.”
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When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching.

When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
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But when the temple police went there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported,
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“We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
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Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering what might be going on.
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Then someone arrived and announced, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”
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Then the captain went with the temple police and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

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When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them,
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saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,
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yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.”
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But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.
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30
The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
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God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
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And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

GAMALIEL

Gamliel (Gamliel in Hebrew) was a well-respected, first-century sage. According to one rabbinic tradition, “When Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, the glory of the law ceased and purity and abstinence died” (
m. Sot
. 9.15). Acts’ portrait of Gamaliel is often regarded as a positive representation of a Jew. While Gamaliel does prevent his colleagues from killing the apostles, and he is identified as Paul’s teacher (22.3, an assertion not confirmed in Paul’s own writings), the real power belongs to divine providence. That a major Jewish leader plays a supporting role in the origin of Christianity further tarnishes those Jews who continue in their opposition.

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When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.
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But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.
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Then he said to them, “Fellow Israelites,
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consider carefully what you propose to do to these men.
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For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared.
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After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered.
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So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail;
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but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!”

They were convinced by him,
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and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
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As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
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And every day in the temple and at home
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they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
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6
Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.
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And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.
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3
Therefore, friends,
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select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task,
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while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.”
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What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.
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They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

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The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.