24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to ^udefy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches ^vand will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away ^wthe reproach from Israel? For who is this ^xuncircumcised Philistine, that he should ^udefy the armies of ^ythe living God?” 27 And the people answered him in the same way, ^z“So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”

28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” 29 And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke ^bin the same way, and the people answered him again as before.

31 When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul, ^c“Let no man’s heart fail because of him. ^dYour servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, ^efor he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, ^f“The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, ^gand the Lord be with you!”

38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, ^hwith his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ⁱruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I ^ja dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh ^kto the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with ^la javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, ^ewhom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. ^mAnd I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day ⁿto the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, ^othat all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that ^pthe Lord saves not with sword and spear. ^qFor the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine ^rand took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, ^sthey fled. 52 And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath¹ and the gates of ^tEkron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from ^uShaaraim as far as ^vGath and Ekron. 53 And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54 And David took ^wthe head of the Philistine ^xand brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

55 As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, ^ythe commander of the army, “Abner, ^zwhose son is this youth?” And Abner said, ^a“As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” 56 And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.” 57 And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul ^bwith the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, ^c“I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

Peter and John Before the Council

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and ^lthe captain of the temple and ^mthe Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming ⁿin Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and ^oput them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and ^pthe number of the men came to about five thousand.

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with ^qAnnas the high priest and ^rCaiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, ^s“By what power or ^tby what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, ^ufilled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today ^vconcerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that ^wby the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, ^xwhom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 ^yThis Jesus¹ is the stone that was ^zrejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.² 12 And there is ^asalvation ^bin no one else, for ^cthere is no other ^dname under heaven given among men³ by which we must be saved.”

13 ^eNow when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed ^fstanding beside them, ^gthey had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, ^h“What shall we do with these men? For that ⁱa notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them ^jto speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, ^k“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for ^lwe cannot but speak of what ^mwe have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, ⁿbecause of the people, for all were praising God ^ofor what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices ^ptogether to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, ^qwho made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,⁴ said by the Holy Spirit,

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your ^uholy servant Jesus, ^vwhom you anointed, both ^wHerod and ^xPontius Pilate, along ^ywith the Gentiles and ^zthe peoples of Israel, 28 ^ato do whatever your hand and ^byour plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, ^clook upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all ^dboldness, 30 while ^eyou stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed ^fthrough the name of your ^gholy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, ^hthe place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and ⁱthey were all filled with the Holy Spirit and ^jcontinued to speak the word of God with boldness.

They Had Everything in Common

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of ^kone heart and ^lsoul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but ^mthey had everything in common. 33 And with great ⁿpower the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and ^ogreat grace was upon them all. 34 ^pThere was not a needy person among them, for ^qas many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and ^rlaid it at the apostles’ feet, and ^sit was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means ^tson of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and ^ulaid it at the apostles’ feet.

Ananias and Sapphira

1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge ^vhe kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and ^wlaid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has ^xSatan filled your heart to lie ^yto the Holy Spirit and ^zto keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but ^ato God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he ^bfell down and breathed his last. And ^cgreat fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and ^dwrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you⁶ sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together ^eto test ^fthe Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And ^ggreat fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Many Signs and Wonders Done

12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people ^hby the hands of the apostles. And they were all ⁱtogether in ^jSolomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but ^kthe people held them in high esteem. 14 And ^lmore than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 ^mso that they even ⁿcarried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by ^oat least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, ^pbringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of ^qthe Sadducees), and filled with ^rjealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and ^sput them in the public prison. 19 But during the night ^tan angel of the Lord ^uopened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all ^vthe words of ^wthis ^xLife.” 21 And when they heard this, ^ythey entered the temple ^zat daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when ^athe captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison ^bare standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then ^cthe captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for ^dthey were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, ^e“We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you ^fintend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, ^g“We must obey God rather than men. 30 ^hThe God of our fathers ⁱraised Jesus, ^jwhom you killed by hanging him on ^ka tree. 31 God exalted ^lhim at his right hand as ^mLeader and ⁿSavior, ^oto give ^prepentance to Israel and ^oforgiveness of sins. 32 And ^qwe are witnesses to these things, and ^rso is the Holy Spirit, ^swhom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they ^twere enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named ^uGamaliel, ^va teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For ^wbefore these days Theudas rose up, ^xclaiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of ^ythe census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for ^zif this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but ^aif it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You ^bmight even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and ^cwhen they had called in the apostles, ^dthey beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, ^erejoicing that they were counted worthy ^fto suffer dishonor for ^gthe name. 42 And every day, ^hin the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and ⁱpreaching ^jthat the Christ is Jesus.