Grant Unto Thy Servants Boldness

The Story

Peter and John had healed a lame man at the temple gate in the name of Jesus, and a crowd gathered to hear them preach. The religious leaders were furious. They arrested the two apostles and kept them in jail overnight.

The next day, Peter and John stood before the same council that had condemned Jesus. “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?”

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered boldly. This man was healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead. “Neither is there salvation in any other.”

The council was amazed. These were “unlearned and ignorant men,” but they spoke with such boldness. And the healed man was standing right there. The leaders couldn’t deny the miracle. So they threatened the apostles and ordered them never to speak or teach in the name of Jesus again.

Peter and John answered, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

When they were released, they went back to the other believers and told them everything. And the believers prayed together. They didn’t ask for the threats to go away. They asked, “Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.”

When they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

Reflection