Petro Na Yohana Wakamatwa

Walipokuwa bado wanasema na watu, makuhani, mkuu wa walinzi wa Hekalu na Masadukayo waliwajia wakiwa wamekasirika kwa sababu Petro na Yohana walikuwa wakiwafundisha watu kwamba kufu fuka kwa Yesu kunadhihirisha kwamba wafu watafufuka. Wakawaka mata wakawaweka jela mpaka kesho yake kwa maana ilikuwa jioni. Lakini wengi wa wale waliosikia mahubiri yao waliamini; idadi ya wanaume walioamini ilikuwa kama elfu tano.

Siku ya pili yake viongozi wa Kiyahudi, wazee na waandishi wa sheria walikusanyika Yerusalemu. Walikuwepo Kuhani Mkuu Anasi, Kayafa , Yohana, Aleksanda na ndugu zake Kuhani Mkuu. Wakawaleta wale mitume wawili katikati yao wakawauliza, “Ni kwa uwezo gani au mmetumia jina la nani kufanya jambo hili?” Petro, akiwa amejawa na Roho Mtakatifu akajibu, “Waheshimiwa viongozi na wazee wa watu, kama mnatuhoji kuhusu mambo mema aliyotendewa kilema, na jinsi alivyoponywa, tungependa ninyi na watu wote wa 10 Israeli mfahamu kwamba, ni kwa jina la Yesu Kristo wa Nazareti, ambaye ninyi mlimsulubisha lakini Mungu akam fufua kutoka kwa wafu, kwa uwezo wa Yesu, huyu mtu anasimama mbele yenu akiwa mzima kabisa. 11 Huyu Yesu ndiye ‘lile jiwe ambalo ninyi wajenzi mlilikataa, ambalo limekuwa jiwe kuu la pembeni.’ 12 Wokovu unapatikana kwake tu; kwa maana hakuna jina jingine duniani ambalo wamepewa wanadamu kuwaokoa ila jina la Yesu, na ni kwa jina hilo peke yake tunaweza kuokolewa!”

Ujasiri Wa Petro Na Yohana Washangaza Watu

13 Wale viongozi na wazee walipoona ujasiri wa Petro na Yohana na kufahamu ya kuwa walikuwa watu wa kawaida wasio na elimu walishangaa sana. Wakatambua kwamba hawa watu walikuwa na Yesu. 14 Lakini kwa kuwa walimwona yule kilema aliyeponywa ame simama nao hawakuweza kusema lo lote kupinga maneno yao. 15 Wakawaamuru watoke nje ya ule ukumbi. 16 Kisha wakaanza kuulizana, “Tuwafanye nini watu hawa? Hatuwezi kukanusha muujiza huu mkubwa walioufanya ambao ni dhahiri kwa kila mtu Yerusalemu. 17 Lakini tunaweza kuzuia jambo hili lisiendelee kuenezwa kwa watu kama tukiwakanya wasiseme tena na mtu ye yote kwa jina la Yesu.” 18 Kwa hiyo wakawaita tena ndani wakawaamuru wasiseme au kufundisha watu tena kwa jina la Yesu.

Bora Kumtii Mungu Kuliko Wanadamu

19 Ndipo Petro na Yohana wakawajibu, “Ninyi amueni wenyewe lililo bora kutenda mbele za Mungu: kuwatii ninyi au kumtii Mungu. 20 Lakini sisi hatuwezi kuacha kusema yale tuliyoyaona na kuyasikia.”

21 Wale viongozi wakawaonya tena kwa vitisho, kisha waka waacha waende. Hawakuona njia ya kuwaadhibu kwa kuwa waliwaogopa wale watu ambao walishuhudia ule muujiza uliotendeka, nao wali kuwa wakimsifu Mungu. 22 Na yule mtu aliyeponywa alikuwa na umri wa zaidi ya miaka arobaini.

23 Mara Petro na Yohana walipoachiliwa, walirudi kwa waamini wenzao wakawaeleza waliyoambiwa na makuhani wakuu na wazee. 24 Waamini wote waliposikia maneno yao walimwomba Mungu kwa pamoja wakasema, “Wewe Bwana Mtukufu, uliyeumba mbingu na nchi na bahari na kila kiumbe kilichopo, 25 wewe ulitamka kwa njia ya Roho wako mtakatifu kupitia kwa baba yetu Daudi mtumishi wako, aliposema, ‘Mbona mataifa wanaghadhabika, na watu wanawaza mambo yasiyo na maana? 26 Wafalme wa dunia wamejiandaa na watawala wamekusanyika wampinge Bwana na Masihi wake.’ 27 Ndiyo sababu katika mji huu Herode na Pontio Pilato walikutana na Waisraeli wote na watu wa mataifa juu ya mtumishi wako mtakatifu Yesu, 28 wakaamua kumfanyia yale yote ambayo wewe ulikuwa umekusudia tangu awali na kupanga kwa uweza wako yatendeke.

29 “Sasa Bwana, sikia vitisho vyao na utuwezeshe sisi wat umishi wako kuhubiri neno lako kwa ujasiri mkuu; 30 na unyooshe mkono wako ili tuweze kuponya wagonjwa na kutenda ishara na miu jiza kwa jina la mtumishi wako mtakatifu Yesu.” 31 Walipokwisha kusali, nyumba waliyokuwa wamekutania ikatikisika na wote wakaja zwa na Roho Mtakatifu, wakahubiri neno la Mungu kwa ujasiri. 32 Waamini wote walikuwa na nia moja na moyo mmoja, wala hakuna aliyeona mali aliyokuwa nayo kuwa yake, bali walishirikiana vitu vyote kwa pamoja. 33 Na kwa uwezo mkubwa mitume wakashuhudia kwa ujasiri habari za kufufuka kwa Bwana Yesu. Mungu akawapa wote neema kuu. 34 Wala hakuwepo mtu ye yote miongoni mwa waamini aliyepungukiwa na kitu kwa sababu wale waliokuwa na mashamba na nyumba waliuza vyote wakaleta fedha waliyopata 35 kwa wale mitume; kila mtu akagawiwa kadiri ya mahitaji yake.

36 Ndivyo ilivyokuwa kwamba Yusufu ambaye mitume walimwita Barnaba, maana yake Mwana wa Faraja, wa ukoo wa Lawi kutoka kisiwa cha Kipro 37 aliuza shamba alilokuwa nalo akaleta fedha alizopata kwa wale mitume.

Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

The priests and the captain of the temple guard(A) and the Sadducees(B) came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.(C) They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail(D) until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew(E) to about five thousand.

The next day the rulers,(F) the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas,(G) John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,(H) said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!(I) If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame(J) and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,(K) whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead,(L) that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’[a](M)

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”(N)

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John(O) and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,(P) they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.(Q) 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin(R) and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?”(S) they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign,(T) and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.(U) 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?(V) You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking(W) about what we have seen and heard.”(X)

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people(Y) were praising God(Z) for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

The Believers Pray

23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.(AA) “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.(AB) 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:(AC)

“‘Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.[b][c](AD)

27 Indeed Herod(AE) and Pontius Pilate(AF) met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus,(AG) whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.(AH) 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.(AI) 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders(AJ) through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”(AK)

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.(AL) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit(AM) and spoke the word of God(AN) boldly.(AO)

The Believers Share Their Possessions

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.(AP) 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify(AQ) to the resurrection(AR) of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace(AS) was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them,(AT) brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet,(AU) and it was distributed to anyone who had need.(AV)

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas(AW) (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 4:11 Psalm 118:22
  2. Acts 4:26 That is, Messiah or Christ
  3. Acts 4:26 Psalm 2:1,2