When the chief priests met with the elders, they came up with a plan. They gave the soldiers a large amount of money.

祭司长和长老聚集商议，就拿许多银钱给兵丁，说：

祭司长和长老聚集商议，就拿许多银钱给士兵，

祭司长和长老聚集商议，就拿许多银钱给士兵，

祭司长和长老聚集商议，决定用重金买通守墓的卫兵，又吩咐他们：

祭司长就和长老聚集在一起商量，然后拿许多钱给士兵，

祭司长们就与长老们一起聚集商议，给了士兵们许多银钱，

祭司長和長老聚集商議，就拿許多銀錢給兵丁，說：

祭司長和長老聚集商議，就拿許多銀錢給士兵，

祭司長和長老聚集商議，就拿許多銀錢給士兵，

祭司長和長老聚集商議，決定用重金買通守墓的衛兵，又吩咐他們：

祭司長就和長老聚集在一起商量，然後拿許多錢給士兵，

祭司長同長老就聚集來商議，將好些銀子給士兵

祭司長們就與長老們一起聚集商議，給了士兵們許多銀錢，

遂與長老集議、予卒多金、

彼同長老集議、以多金予兵、曰、

祭司諸長及長老集議、給兵多金、曰、

司祭長與耆老集議、賂卒多金曰：

When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,

And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers

A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe.

After the priests had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money

And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave much money unto the soldiers,

After the priests had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money

And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

After they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,

Then the chief priests met with the elders of the people. They met in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest.They made plans to arrest Jesus secretly. They wanted to kill him.

The next day was the day after Preparation Day. The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.“ Sir,” they said,“ we remember something that liar said while he was still alive. He claimed,‘ After three days I will rise again.’So give the order to make the tomb secure until the third day. If you don’t, his disciples might come and steal the body. Then they will tell the people that Jesus has been raised from the dead. This last lie will be worse than the first.”

The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and other people in the high priest’s family.They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them.“ By what power did you do this?” they asked.“ And through whose name?”Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them,“ Rulers and elders of the people!Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a man who couldn’t walk? Are you asking how he was healed?Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus’ name that this man stands healed in front of you.Scripture says that Jesus is“‘ the stone you builders did not accept. But it has become the most important stone of all.’( Psalm 118:22)You can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other name under heaven that will save them.”The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were. They also realized that Peter and John were ordinary men with no training. This surprised the leaders. They realized that these men had been with Jesus.The leaders could see the man who had been healed. He was standing there with them. So there was nothing they could say.They ordered Peter and John to leave the Sanhedrin. Then they talked things over.“ What can we do with these men?” they asked.“ Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed an unusual miracle. We can’t say it didn’t happen.We have to stop this thing. It must not spread any further among the people. We have to warn these men. They must never speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus’ name.But Peter and John replied,“ Which is right from God’s point of view? Should we listen to you? Or should we listen to God? You be the judges!There’s nothing else we can do. We have to speak about the things we’ve seen and heard.”The leaders warned them again. Then they let them go. They couldn’t decide how to punish Peter and John. They knew that all the people were praising God for what had happened.The man who had been healed by the miracle was over 40 years old.

It was early in the morning. All the chief priests and the elders of the people planned how to put Jesus to death.So they tied him up and led him away. Then they handed him over to Pilate, who was the governor.

Why do the nations plan evil together? Why do they make useless plans?The kings of the earth rise up against the Lord. The rulers of the earth join together against his anointed king.“ Let us break free from their chains,” they say.“ Let us throw off their ropes.”The God who sits on his throne in heaven laughs. The Lord makes fun of those rulers and their plans.When he is angry, he warns them. When his anger blazes out, he terrifies them.He says to them,“ I have placed my king on my holy mountain of Zion.”I will announce what the Lord has promised. He said to me,“ You are my son. Today I have become your father.

When the leaders heard this, they became very angry. They wanted to put the apostles to death.But a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the Sanhedrin. He was a teacher of the law. He was honored by all the people. He ordered the apostles to be taken outside for a little while.

Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.“ What can we do?” they asked.“ This man is performing many signs.

His speech won the leaders over. They called the apostles in and had them whipped. The leaders ordered them not to speak in Jesus’ name. Then they let the apostles go.

So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too.Because of Lazarus, many of the Jews were starting to follow Jesus. They were believing in him.