*Acts 4:23-37
After being released with a warning, the apostles pray for boldness to preach, share their possessions, and experience a renewed sense of community.
- The Believers’ Prayer for Boldness:
- After their release, Peter and John return to their community and report everything the chief priests and elders had said.
- The believers respond by raising their voices together in prayer to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and quoting Psalm 2 to affirm that earthly powers cannot thwart His plans.
- They pray for boldness to continue speaking God’s word while asking God to stretch out His hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Jesus.
- The place where they are gathered is shaken as a sign of God’s presence, and they are all filled with the Holy Spirit, leading them to speak the word of God boldly.
- The Believers’ Unity and Generosity:
- The community of believers is described as being one in heart and mind, with no one claiming private ownership of any possessions, but sharing everything they have.
- With great power, the apostles continue to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s grace is powerfully at work in them all.
- There are no needy persons among them, as those who own land or houses sell them and bring the proceeds to the apostles’ feet, who then distribute to anyone as they have need.
- The passage introduces Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), a Levite from Cyprus, who sells a field he owns and brings the money to the apostles.
4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 4:30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
4:31 And when 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 with boldness.
4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 4:35 And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
4:36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 4:37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.