"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 smiled. His voice was fearless, its sound filled the whole Temple. "I shall never stop telling what I have seen with my own eyes! I shall obey God, and not man!" Pain shot through his shoulder as a guard struck him a heavy blow and shoved him roughly toward the fortress gate. Without looking back, Peter walked courageously into the Roman prison. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES PAGES CHAPTER 1 11 Matt. 3:1-6 12 Luke 3:10-16 12 Matt. 3:7-10 13 Matt. 3:13 CHAPTER 2 21, 22 Luke 10:25 22 Luke 17:20, 21 22 Matt. 5:38-48 23 Matt. 13:31-33 23 Luke 5:4-11 CHAPTER 3 32 Mark 1:23-27 CHAPTER 4 35 Matt. 11:28 37-39 Mark 10:17-31 40 Luke 18:9-14 41-43 Luke 4:16-30 CHAPTER 5 46, 47 Luke 13:10-17 49 Matt. 10:34 49 Mark 6:17 50 John 3:30 51, 52 Mark 2:1-12 CHAPTER 6 55 Matt. 7:1-5 57, 58 Luke 7:36 57 Mark 2:17 57 Luke 5:32 60 Mark 2:18-22 60 Matt. 11:16-19 60 Matt. 23:23, 24 61 Mark 2:23-28 62, 63 Mark 3:1-6