Acts 5:41

“The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.” (NLT)

Peter and other apostles’ teachings offended the high council of the Jewish leaders who told them to stop preaching about Jesus. They refused, claiming that they must follow God’s orders, not “human authority.” The Jewish leaders would have killed the apostles for this had it not been for Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who advised the Jewish leaders to let the apostles go based on prior incidents with rogue preachers.

The leaders chose to let the apostles live as Gamaliel advised, bu not until they had them flogged. This is the rejoicing after suffering for the name of Jesus that is mentioned in verse 41. Oh, that we in this century, may also be so faithful to preaching, teaching, and witnessing as these apostles were!