Acts 5
5
1Now a man called Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property. 2He kept back some of the money he received for himself, and brought the rest to present to the apostles. His wife knew what he was doing.
3Then Peter asked him, “Ananias, why did you let Satan convince you to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the money from the land you sold? 4While you had the land, didn't it belong to you? And after you sold it, didn't you still have control over what you did with the money? Why did you decide to do this? You haven't lied to human beings, but to God!”
5Hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. Everyone who heard what happened was terrified. 6Some of the young men got up and wrapped him in a shroud. Then they carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later his wife arrived, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for this price?”
“Yes, that was the price,” she replied.
9Then Peter told her, “How could you agree together to swindle#5:9. Literally, “tempt.” the Spirit of the Lord? Look, those who buried your husband are just returning, and they'll carry you out too!”
10Immediately she fell down dead at his feet. The young men came back in and found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11Great fear spread through the whole church, as well as among everyone who heard what had happened.
12Many miraculous signs were performed among the people by the apostles. All the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Porch.#5:12. See footnote for 3:11. 13Nobody else dared to join them even though they were greatly respected. 14However, many men and women came to believe in the Lord. 15As a result, people brought those who were sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that as Peter passed by his shadow might fall on them.#5:15. With the thought that even the touch of Peter's shadow could heal. 16Crowds from the towns around Jerusalem brought their sick and those afflicted by evil spirits. They were all healed.
17However, the high priest and those with him (who were Sadducees) became very jealous and decided to intervene. 18They arrested the apostles and threw them in the public jail. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out. 20“Go to the Temple and tell the people everything about this new way of life!” he told them. 21They did as they were told and went into the Temple at around dawn and began teaching.
Then the high priest and his followers called a council meeting with all the leaders of Israel. He sent for the apostles to be brought from prison. 22But when the officials went to the prison they couldn't find the apostles so they went back and told the council, 23“We found the prison all locked up, with guards at the doors. But when we had them open up, we couldn't find anyone inside.”
24Now when the captain of the Temple guards and the chief priests heard this they were totally baffled, and wondered what was going on. 25Then someone came in and said, “Look, the men you put in prison are right there in the Temple teaching people!”
26So the captain went with his guards and brought them in, but did not use force because they were afraid that the people would stone them. 27The apostles were brought in and made to stand in front of the council.
28“Didn't we order you not to teach in this name?” the high priest demanded to know. “Now look—you've filled the whole of Jerusalem with your teaching, and you're trying to blame us for his death!”
29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We have to obey God rather than men. 30The God of our forefathers raised Jesus from the dead—the one you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31God exalted him to a position of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior, as a way to bring repentance to Israel, and for the forgiveness of sins. 32We are witnesses of what happened, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33When the council heard this they were furious and wanted to kill them. 34But then one of the council members stood up to speak. He was Gamaliel, a Pharisee and a doctor of law who was respected by everyone. He ordered the apostles sent out for a short while.
35Gamaliel addressed the council: “Leaders of Israel, be careful what you plan to do to these men. 36Some time ago Theudas tried to make a name for himself, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed and all who followed him were scattered and it came to nothing. 37Then after him Judas of Galilee came along at the time of the census, and he attracted some followers. He also died, and those who listened to him were dispersed. 38So in the current case I recommend that you leave these men alone, and just let them go. If what they are planning or what they are doing comes from their own human thinking, then it will be defeated. 39But if it comes from God, you won't be able to defeat them. You could even find yourselves fighting against God!”
40They were convinced by what he said. So they called the apostles back in, had them whipped, and ordered them not to say anything in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go. 41The apostles left the council, happy to be considered worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. 42Every day they continued to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, in the Temple and from house to house.
Currently Selected:
Acts 5: FBV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Acts 5
5
Ananias and Sapphira
1But a certain man named Anani´as, with Sapphi´ra his wife, sold a possession, 2and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3But Peter said, Anani´as, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5And Anani´as hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Many Signs and Wonders Performed
12And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. 14And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women;) 15insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. 16There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
The Apostles Persecuted
17Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.
But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 23saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 25Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. 26Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28#Matt 27.25. saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 29Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32And we are his#5.32 his not found in best early manuscripts. witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
33When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. 34Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gama´li-el, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36For before these days rose up Theu´das, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.