Annas

1This happened in the fifteenth year that Tiberius Caesar ruled Rome. Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judaea, the ruler for Rome. Herod ruled part of the land called Galilee. His brother Philip ruled Ituraea and Trachonitis. Lysanias ruled Abilene.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

NoteCaesar was the ruler of Rome, a huge empire far away. Rome had taken over the land where these people lived. Pilate, Herod, Philip, and Lysanias each ran a piece of that land for Rome. The King James word for their job is "tetrarch." It means a ruler over one part of a country.

2Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests, the top leaders at the temple. At that time God spoke his word to John, the son of Zacharias. John was out in the desert.

Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

NoteA priest was a man who worked at the temple, God's house. The high priests were the ones in charge of all the others. This John is John the Baptist. He is not the John who later followed Jesus. "Zacharias" is another way to spell the name Zechariah.

12Then the soldiers, their leader, and the Jewish guards took hold of Jesus and tied him up.

Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

13They led him first to Annas. Annas was the father of Caiaphas's wife. Caiaphas was the high priest that year.

And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

NoteAnnas had been high priest before this. People still treated him as very important. Caiaphas, his daughter's husband, held the job now.

14Caiaphas was the one who had told the Jewish leaders this: it was better for one man to die for the people.

Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

NoteCaiaphas had said this at an earlier meeting of the leaders. He thought one death would keep the whole nation out of trouble.

15Simon Peter followed Jesus. Another follower came along too. That follower was known to the high priest. So he went with Jesus into the yard of the high priest's house.

And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.

NoteA high priest's house was built around an open yard. Servants and guards could stand in that yard.

16But Peter stayed outside at the door. The other follower, who was known to the high priest, went out. He spoke to the girl watching the door and brought Peter inside.

But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

17The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's followers too?" Peter said, "I am not."

Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.

NotePeter was saying he did not know Jesus at all. He was afraid of being taken away too.

18It was cold. The servants and guards had made a fire and stood around it to get warm. Peter stood with them and warmed himself too.

And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.

NoteThe fire was made of glowing coals, not big logs. Spring nights in Jerusalem were cold.

19Then the high priest asked Jesus about his followers and about what he taught.

The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

NoteThe high priest was asking questions like a judge. This was the start of a trial.

20Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to everyone. I always taught in the synagogues, the places where Jews meet, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.

Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

NoteA synagogue was a building in a town. Jews met there to pray and to read God's words.

21Why ask me? Ask the people who heard me speak. They know what I said."

Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

22When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there slapped him. He said, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"

And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

NoteHitting a man who had not yet been judged guilty was against their own law.

23Jesus answered, "If I said something wrong, tell me what was wrong. But if I spoke rightly, why did you hit me?"

Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

NoteIn a trial, people had to say out loud what a man had done wrong. Jesus was asking them to do that.

24Then Annas sent Jesus, still tied up, to Caiaphas the high priest.

Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

5The next day the leaders met together in Jerusalem. The older leaders came. So did the scribes.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

NoteJerusalem was the biggest city for the Jewish people. The temple was there, so the leaders met there too. The scribes were men who copied and taught God's laws.

6Annas the high priest was there. Caiaphas, John, and Alexander were there too. So were many others from the high priest's family.

And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

NoteThe high priest was the top leader at the temple.

7They made Peter and John stand in the middle. Then they asked them a question. "Whose power did you use? Whose name did you use to do this?"

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

NoteUsing someone's name meant acting with that person's power. The leaders wanted to know who had sent Peter and John.

8Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said, "Rulers and older leaders of the people,

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

NoteThe Holy Spirit is God with people, helping them. Here he helped Peter know what to say.

9you are asking us about a kind thing we did. A sick man was made well. You want to know how it happened.

If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

10Here is what all of you should know. All the people of Israel should know it too. This man is standing here well again. It happened by the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You put Jesus on a cross to die. But God raised him back to life.

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

NoteNazareth was the small town where Jesus grew up. A cross was a wooden beam. Soldiers nailed people to it to kill them. Israel was the name for the whole Jewish family of people.

11Jesus is the stone that was thrown away. You leaders are the builders who threw it away. Now that stone holds up the whole building.

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

NotePeter is saying words from an old song in the Bible. Builders used a big corner stone to hold a building up straight. It was the most important stone of all.

12No one else can save us. God has given people no other name that saves us."

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

NoteSaved here means rescued by God from sin and death.

13The leaders saw how brave Peter and John were. They knew these were plain men without special schooling. That surprised them. They also realized these men had been with Jesus.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

NoteThe old words say Peter and John were "unlearned and ignorant men." That did not mean they were silly. It meant they had not gone to special schools.

14The healed man was standing right there with them. So the leaders had nothing to say.

And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15They told Peter and John to step outside the meeting room. Then the leaders talked it over.

But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

NoteThis meeting was like a court. The leaders sat together and decided if someone had done wrong.

16They said, "What should we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem knows about the amazing thing they did. We cannot say it did not happen.

Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

NoteA miracle is something amazing that only God can do.

17But we must stop this news from spreading. Let us warn them strongly. They must not speak to anyone in this name again."

But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

18So they called them back in. They ordered them never to speak or teach in Jesus' name.

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19But Peter and John answered them. "You decide what is right in God's eyes. Should we obey you instead of God?

But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20We saw these things and heard them. We simply cannot stop talking about them."

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21The leaders warned them some more and then let them go. They could not find a way to punish them. All the people were thanking God for what had happened.

So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

22The man who was healed was more than forty years old.

For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

NoteThis is the same man from chapter 3. He had never been able to walk in all those years.