“We cannot stop speaking”

[ABOVE: Gebhard Fugel, Pentecost Sermon, c. 1900—Public domain, Wikimedia]

Acts 3–4 recounts one story of the apostles’ boldness after Pentecost. After Peter healed a crippled beggar at the temple, he preached the gospel to bystanders, framing the miracle as only possible through faith in the resurrected Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Sadducees, a Jewish religious and political group who denied the resurrection of the dead, arrested Peter and John for this reason. The two apostles were brought before Jewish leaders, including the high priest, to explain.

Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, saying, “What are we to do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let’s warn them not to speak any longer to any person in this name.”

And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your own judgment; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; for the man on whom this miracle of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

THROUGH THE NAME OF JESUS

When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported everything that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, “Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

Why were the nations insolent,

And the peoples plotting in vain?

The kings of the earth took their stand,

And the rulers were gathered together

Against the Lord and against His Christ.

For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and purpose predestined to occur. And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant it to Your bond-servants to speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. —Acts 4:13–31 (Legacy Standard Bible translation)