out so all could
hear: "Men of Israel, why are you so surprised at this? Why are you
staring at us as though we had healed this man by our own strength? We
did not do it at all!" Astonished at his words, the people became very
quiet. Peter saw the high priest, but his voice did not waver.

"My friends, this man was not healed by any power of ours. He was healed
in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, God's Chosen Servant. The God of
Israel sent him to tell you the gospel of life, but you refused to
listen to him. You handed him over to Pilate to be killed! Even when the
governor wanted to release him, you demanded that this holy and just One
from God should be crucified!" The high priest turned and spoke to the
guards, but Peter did not hesitate a moment.

"We declare to you that God raised Jesus from the dead--we have seen him
ourselves! His power healed this man! I know that you killed the Lord of
Life without realizing what you were doing. But the Prophets knew this
would happen to the Christ; they said he would suffer! God has chosen
this way of saving you!" There was a disturbance at the edge of the
crowd. Guards were thrusting the people roughly aside in their haste to
get to him. "Repent now!" cried Peter boldly. "Ask God to forgive you
for the terrible thing you have done, in order that your sin may be
blotted out. God sent Jesus to be your Saviour!"

The guards burst through the crowd and seized Peter. Quickly his wrists
were tied with rope. A cry of protest rose. Two men stepped in front of
the guards as they shoved Peter toward the gate of the Roman fort next
to the Temple, but they were quickly beaten off by curses and the
threat of the clubs.

"What must we do?" cried a man in the crowd, cut to the heart by Peter's
words.

In spite of the guards Peter bravely called out: "Repent and give your
whole life to God! Believe in the name of Jesus Christ, the Saviour!"

"Silence!" The chief guard struck Peter with his club. When they came to
the priests, the guards stopped. The high priest and the fisherman from
Galilee stood face to face. Peter's clothes were torn, and his hands
were bound behind him. The anger of the high priest had turned to
scornful triumph. For a moment he stood sneering at Peter; then he
stepped toward him and slapped him heavily across the face. "You liar!
You will find out that you can't blaspheme the Law of God!"

Peter's face showed red marks. His eyes shone with a strange joy, and he
s