16. Crowds came from all the towns around Jerusalem. They brought their sick and those who were bothered by evil spirits. All of them were healed.
17. The high priest and all his friends (a group called the Sadducees) became very jealous.
18. They took the apostles and put them in jail.
19. But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail. He led the apostles outside and said,
20. “Go and stand in the Temple. Tell the people everything about this new life.”
21. When the apostles heard this, they obeyed and went into the Temple. It was early in the morning, and they began to teach.The high priest and his friends arrived. They called a meeting of the Jewish leaders and all the important older men of the Jews. They sent some men to the jail to bring the apostles to them.
22. When the men went to the jail, they could not find the apostles. So they went back and told the Jewish leaders about this.
23. They said, “The jail was closed and locked. The guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors, the jail was empty!”
24. Hearing this, the captain of the Temple guards and the leading priests were confused. They wondered, “What will happen because of this?”
25. Then someone came and told them, “Listen! The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple. They are teaching the people!”
26. Then the captain and his men went out and brought the apostles back. But the soldiers did not use force, because they were afraid that the people would kill them with stones.
27. The soldiers brought the apostles to the meeting and made them stand before the Jewish leaders. The high priest questioned them.
28. He said, “We gave you strict orders not to go on teaching in that name. But look what you have done! You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. You are trying to make us responsible for this man’s death.”
29. Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God, not men!
30. You killed Jesus. You hung him on a cross. But God, the same God our ancestors had, raised Jesus up from death!
31. Jesus is the One whom God raised to be on his right side. God made Jesus our Leader and Savior. God did this so that the people of Israel could change their hearts and lives and have their sins forgiven.
32. We saw all these things happen. The Holy Spirit also proves that these things are true. God has given the Spirit to all who obey him.”
33. When the Jewish leaders heard this, they became very angry and wanted to kill them.
34. A Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the meeting. He was a teacher of the law, and all the people respected him. He ordered the apostles to leave the meeting for a little while.