Immerse: Messiah - Flipbook - Page 81
5:22-42
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When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high
council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the
apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. But when the Temple guards
went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and
reported, “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside,
but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”
When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard
this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in
the Temple, teaching the people!”
The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but
without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. Then
they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest
confronted them. “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this
man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your
teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”
But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any
human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead
after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the
place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the
people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to
those who obey him.”
When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill
them. But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in
religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the
men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. Then he said to his
colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these
men! Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be
someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his
followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing.
After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people
to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.
“So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning
and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown.
But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even
find yourselves fighting against God!”
The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had
them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name
of Jesus, and they let them go.
The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them
worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the
