The chief priests and rulers thought themselves competent to decide what the apostles should do and teach. As they went forth preaching Jesus everywhere, the men who were worked by the Holy Spirit did many things that the Jews did not approve. There was danger that the ideas and doctrines of the rabbis would be brought into disrepute. The apostles were creating a wonderful excitement. The people were bringing their sick folk, and those that were vexed with unclean spirits, into the streets; crowds were collecting around them, and those that had been healed were shouting the praises of God and glorifying the name of Jesus, the very One whom the Jews had condemned, scorned, spit upon, crowned with thorns, and caused to be scourged and crucified. This Jesus was extolled above the priests and rulers. The apostles were even declaring that He had risen from the dead. The Jewish rulers decided that this work must and should be stopped, for it was proving them guilty of the blood of Jesus. They saw that converts to the faith were multiplying. “Believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.” {TM 67.3}

De øverste præster og myndigheder anså sig selv for kvalificerede til at afgøre hvad disciplene skulle gøre og lære. Som de gik frem prædikede de Jesus, overalt gjorde menneskerne som arbejdede ved Helligånden (68) mange ting som jøderne ikke bifaldt. Det var farligt at rabbinernes begreber og læresætninger ville blive bragt i dårligt ry. Apostlene skabte en forunderlig spænding. Folket bragte deres syge, og dem som var plaget af urene ånder, ud på gaderne; trængsel samlede sig omkring dem, og dem som var blevet helbredte udråbte lovprisninger til Gud og forherligede Jesu navn, lige netop ham som jøderne havde fordømt, foragtet, spyttet på, kronet med torne, og ladet pisket og korsfæstet. Denne Jesus var hævet over præsterne og myndighederne. Apostlene fik endda fortalt at han var stået op fra døden. De jødiske myndigheder besluttede at dette arbejde måtte og skulle stoppes, for det beviste at de var skyldige i Kristi blod. De så at forvandlinger til troen blev mangedoblet. »Og der føjedes stadig flere til, som troede på Herren, hele skarer både af mænd og kvinder.«