Acts 5
5
1But a man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, 2and with his wife's knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
7After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things.
12Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. 14And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, 15so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
17But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy 18they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, 20“Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and taught.
Now the high priest came and those who were with him and called together the council and all the senate of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, and they returned and reported, 23“We found the prison securely locked and the sentries standing at the doors, but when we opened it we found no one inside.” 24Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25And some one came and told them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30#Deut 21.22-23. The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34But a Pharisee in the council named Gamali-el, a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a while. 35And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you do with these men. 36For before these days Theudas arose, giving himself out to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was slain and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; 39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”
40So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Acts 5
5
Ananias and Sapphira
1Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. 2#Ac 4:37He kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet.
3#Jn 13:2; 13:27Then Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to deceive the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4#Ac 5:3While it remained unsold, was it not your own? And when it was sold, was it not under your authority? Why have you conceived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to men, but to God.”
5#Ac 5:10–11; 2:43On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came on all those who heard these things. 6#Jn 19:40The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for this amount?”
She said, “Yes, for that much.”
9#Ac 5:3–4; 1Co 10:9Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
10At once she fell down at his feet and died. Upon entering, the young men found her dead and carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11#Ac 5:5; 19:17Great fear came on the entire church and on all those who heard these things.
Signs and Wonders
12#Ac 3:11; Jn 10:23Many signs and wonders were performed among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Porch. 13#Ac 2:47; 4:21No one else dared join them, but the people respected them. 14#Ac 2:47Believers were increasingly added to the Lord, crowds of both men and women, 15#Mt 14:36so that they even brought the sick out into the streets and placed them on beds and mats, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might touch some of them. 16#Mk 16:17–18Crowds also came out of the cities surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were afflicted by evil spirits, and they were all healed.
Persecution of the Apostles
17#Ac 7:9; 13:45Then the high priest and all those who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees) rose up and were filled with jealousy. 18#Ac 4:3; Lk 21:12They seized the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19#Ac 8:26; 16:26But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out, and said, 20#Jn 6:63; 6:68“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
21#Jn 8:2Having heard this, they entered the temple at dawn and taught.
But the high priest and those who were with him came and called together the Sanhedrin and the senate of all the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought out. 22But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, 23“We found the prison securely shut and the guards standing outside before the doors. But when we opened it, we found no one inside.” 24#Ac 4:1; 5:26Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they were in doubt of what might become of this.
25Then one came and told them, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26#Ac 5:13; 4:21Then the captain with his escorts went and brought them, without force lest they should be stoned, for they feared the people.
27When they had brought them, they stood them before the Sanhedrin. And the high priest questioned them, 28#Mt 27:25; Ac 7:52saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? Yet now you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring on us this Man’s blood.”
29#Ac 4:19Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30#Ac 10:39; Gal 3:13The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging on a tree. 31#Lk 24:47; 2:11; Ac 2:33God exalted this Man to His right hand to be a Ruler and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32#Jn 15:26–27; Ac 2:4We are His witnesses to these words, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
33#Ac 2:37; 7:54When they heard this, they were cut to the heart and took counsel to kill them. 34#Ac 22:3; Lk 2:46But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law honored by all the people, stood and ordered the apostles to be put outside for a little while. 35Then he said to them, “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do concerning these men. 36#Ac 8:9; 21:38For in previous days Theudas rose up, boasting to be somebody, to whom a number of about four hundred men joined themselves. He was killed, and all who obeyed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37#Lk 2:1–2After Theudas, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him. This man also perished, and all who obeyed him were scattered. 38#La 3:37; Mt 15:13Now I tell you, keep away from these men and leave them alone, because if this intention or this activity is of men, it will come to nothing. 39#Pr 21:30; Ac 7:51But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them, lest perhaps you be found even fighting against God.”
40#Mt 10:17; Mk 13:9They agreed with him. When they had called in the apostles, they beat them, and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
41#Jn 15:21Then they departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42#Ac 2:46; 8:35Daily, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
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Military Bible Association