God's New Bible

The Acts of the Apostles

Geneva Bible 1599

- Chapter 4 -

1
And as they spake vnto the people, the Priestes and the Captaine of the Temple, and the Sadduces came vpon them,
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Taking it grieuously that they taught the people, and preached in Iesus Name the resurrection from the dead.
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And they layde handes on them, and put them in holde, vntill the next day: for it was now euentide.
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Howbeit, many of them which heard the word, beleeued, and the number of the men was about fiue thousand.
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And it came to passe on the morow, that their rulers, and Elders, and Scribes, were gathered together at Hierusalem,
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And Annas the chiefe Priest, and Caiaphas, and Iohn, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the hie Priestes.
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And whe they had set them before them, they asked, By what power, or in what Name haue ye done this?
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Then Peter ful of the holy Ghost, said vnto them, Ye rulers of the people, and Elders of Israel,
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For as much as we this day are examined of the good deede done to the impotent man, to wit, by what meanes he is made whole,
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Be it knowen vnto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye haue crucified, whome God raised againe from the dead, euen by him doth this man stand here before you, whole.
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This is the stone cast aside of you builders which is become the head of the corner.
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Neither is there saluation in any other: for among men there is giuen none other Name vnder heauen, whereby we must be saued.

The Name Forbidden

13
Now when they sawe the boldnes of Peter and Iohn, and vnderstoode that they were vnlearned men and without knowledge, they marueiled, and knew them, that they had bin with Iesus:
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And beholding also the man which was healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against it.
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Then they commanded them to goe aside out of the Council, and conferred among themselues,
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Saying, What shall we doe to these men? for surely a manifest signe is done by them, and it is openly knowen to all them that dwell in Hierusalem: and we cannot denie it.
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But that it be noysed no farther among the people, let vs threaten and charge them, that they speake hencefoorth to no man in this Name.
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So they called them, and commanded them, that in no wise they should speake or teach in the Name of Iesus.
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But Peter and Iohn answered vnto them, and said, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey you rather then God, iudge ye.
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For we cannot but speake the things which we haue seene and heard.
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So they threatened them, and let them goe, and found nothing how to punish them, because of the people: for all men praised God for that which was done.
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For the man was aboue fourtie yeeres olde, on whome this miracle of healing was shewed.

The Believers’ Prayer

(Psalm 2:1–12)
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Then assoone as they were let goe, they came to their fellowes, and shewed all that the hie Priestes and Elders had said vnto them.
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And when they heard it, they lift vp their voyces to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou art the God which hast made the heaue, and the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,
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Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast saide, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine vaine things?
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The Kings of the earth assembled, and the rulers came together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
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For doutlesse, against thine holy Sonne Iesus, whome thou haddest anoynted, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together,
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To doe whatsoeuer thine hand, and thy counsell had determined before to be done.
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And nowe, O Lord, beholde their threatnings, and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speake thy word,
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So that thou stretch forth thine hand, that healing, and signes, and wonders may be done by the Name of thine holy Sonne Iesus.
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And when as they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God boldely.

Sharing among Believers

(Acts 2:42–47)
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And the multitude of them that beleeued, were of one heart, and of one soule: neither any of them said, that any thing of that which he possessed, was his owne, but they had all thinges common.
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And with great power gaue the Apostles witnes of the resurrection of the Lord Iesus: and great grace was vpon them all.
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Neither was there any among them, that lacked: for as many as were possessours of landes or houses, solde them, and brought the price of the things that were solde,
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And layde it downe at the Apostles feete, and it was distributed vnto euery man, according as he had neede.
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Also Ioses which was called of the Apostles, Barnabas (that is by interpretation the sonne of consolation) being a Leuite, and of the countrey of Cyprus,
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Where as he had land, solde it, and brought the money, and laid it downe at the Apostles feete.