Acts 5
5
Peter condemns Ananias and Sapphira
1Ananias and his wife Sapphira also sold a piece of property. 2But they agreed to cheat and keep some of the money for themselves.
So when Ananias took the rest of the money to the apostles, 3Peter said, “Why has Satan made you keep back some of the money from the sale of the property? Why have you lied to the Holy Spirit? 4The property was yours before you sold it, and even after you sold it, the money was still yours. What made you do such a thing? You didn't lie to people. You lied to God!”
5As soon as Ananias heard this, he dropped dead, and everyone who heard about it was frightened. 6Some young men came in and wrapped up his body. Then they took it out and buried it.
7Three hours later Sapphira came in, but she did not know what had happened to her husband. 8Peter asked her, “Tell me, did you sell the property for this amount?”
“Yes,” she answered, “that's the amount.”
9Then Peter said, “Why did the two of you agree to test the Lord's Spirit? The men who buried Ananias are by the door, and they will carry you out!” 10At once she fell at Peter's feet and died.
When the young men came back in, they found Sapphira lying there dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11The church members were afraid, and so was everyone else who heard what had happened.
Peter's unusual power
12The apostles performed many miracles and wonders among the people. All the Lord's followers often met in the part of the temple known as Solomon's Porch.#5.12 Solomon's Porch: See the note at 3.11. 13No one outside their group dared join them, even though everyone liked them very much.
14Many men and women started having faith in the Lord. 15Then sick people were brought out to the road and placed on stretchers and mats. It was hoped that Peter would walk by, and his shadow would fall on them and heal them. 16A lot of people living in the towns near Jerusalem brought those who were sick or troubled by evil spirits, and they were all healed.
Trouble for the apostles
17The high priest and all the other Sadducees who were with him became jealous. 18They arrested the apostles and put them in the city jail. 19But that night an angel from the Lord opened the doors of the jail and led the apostles out. The angel said, 20“Go to the temple and tell the people everything about this new life.” 21So they went into the temple before sunrise and started teaching.
The high priest and his men called together their council, which included all Israel's leaders. Then they ordered the apostles to be brought to them from the jail. 22The temple police who were sent to the jail did not find the apostles. They returned and said, 23“We found the jail locked tight and the guards standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors and went in, we didn't find anyone there.” 24The captain of the temple police and the chief priests listened to their report, but they did not know what to think about it.
25Just then someone came in and said, “Now those men you put in jail are in the temple, teaching the people!” 26The captain went with some of the temple police and brought the apostles back. But they did not use force. They were afraid that the people might start throwing stones at them.
27When the apostles were brought before the council, the high priest said to them, 28“We told you plainly not to teach in the name of Jesus. But look what you have done! You have been teaching all over Jerusalem, and you are trying to blame us for his death.”#Mt 27.25.
29Peter and the apostles replied:
We don't obey people. We obey God. 30You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But the God our ancestors worshipped raised him to life 31and made him our Leader and Saviour. Then God gave him a place at his right side,#5.31 right side: See the note at 2.33. so that the people of Israel would turn back to him and be forgiven. 32We are here to tell you about all this, and so is the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to everyone who obeys God.
33When the council members heard this, they became so angry that they wanted to kill the apostles. 34But one of the members was the Pharisee Gamaliel, a highly respected teacher. He ordered the apostles to be taken out of the room for a little while. 35Then he said to the council:
People of Israel, be careful what you do with these men. 36Not long ago Theudas claimed to be someone important, and about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed. All his followers were scattered, and that was the end of that.
37Later, when the people of our nation were being counted, Judas from Galilee appeared. A lot of people followed him, but he was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
38So I advise you to stay away from these men. Leave them alone. If what they are planning is something of their own doing, it will fail. 39But if God is behind it, you cannot stop it anyway, unless you want to fight against God.
The council members agreed with what he said, 40and they called the apostles back in. They had them beaten with a whip and warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go.
41The apostles left the council and were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus. 42Every day they spent time in the temple and in one home after another. They never stopped teaching and telling the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
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Acts 5: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
The Acts 5
5
1But a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2and put aside for himself part of the price, his wife also being privy to it; and having brought a certain part, laid it at the feet of the apostles. 3But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lie to the Holy Spirit, and put aside for thyself a part of the price of the estate? 4While it remained did it not remain to thee? and sold, was it not in thine own power? Why is it that thou hast purposed this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God. 5And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard it. 6And the young men, rising up, swathed him up for burial, and having carried him out, buried him. 7And it came to pass about three hours afterwards, that his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. 8And Peter answered her, Tell me if ye gave the estate for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. 9And Peter said to her, Why is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Lo, the feet of those that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out. 10And she fell down immediately at his feet and expired. And when the young men came in they found her dead; and, having carried her out, they buried her by her husband. 11And great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things.
12And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch, 13but of the rest durst no man join them, but the people magnified them; 14and believers were more than ever added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women;) 15so that they brought out the sick into the streets and put them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter, when he came, might overshadow some one of them. 16And the multitude also of the cities round about came together to Jerusalem, bringing sick persons and persons beset by unclean spirits, who were all healed.
17And the high priest rising up, and all they that were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees, were filled with wrath, 18and laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19But an angel of the Lord during the night opened the doors of the prison, and leading them out, said, 20Go ye and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21And when they heard it, they entered very early into the temple and taught. And when the high priest was come, and they that were with him, they called together the council and all the elderhood of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22And when the officers were come, they did not find them in the prison; and returned and reported 23saying, We found the prison shut with all security, and the keepers standing at the doors; but when we had opened them, within we found no one. 24And when they heard these words, both the priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests were in perplexity as to them, what this would come to. 25And some one coming reported to them, Lo, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.
26Then the captain, having gone with the officers, brought them, not with violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27And they bring them and set them in the council. And the high priest asked them, 28saying, We strictly enjoined you not to teach in this name: and lo, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and purpose to bring upon us the blood of this man. 29But Peter answering, and the apostles, said, God must be obeyed rather than men. 30The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom ye have slain, having hanged on a cross. 31Him has God exalted by his right hand as leader and saviour, to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins. 32And we are his witnesses of these things, and the Holy Spirit also, which God has given to those that obey him. 33But they, when they heard these things, were cut to the heart, and took counsel to kill them. 34But a certain man, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, held in honour of all the people, rose up in the council, and commanded to put the men out for a short while, 35and said to them, Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as regards these men what ye are going to do; 36for before these days Theudas rose up, alleging himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, were joined; who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed and came to nothing. 37After him rose Judas the Galilean in the days of the census, and drew away a number of people after him; and he perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. 38And now I say to you, Withdraw from these men and let them alone, for if this counsel or this work have its origin from men, it will be destroyed; 39but if it be from God, ye will not be able to put them down, lest ye be found also fighters against God. 40And they listened to his advice; and having called the apostles, they beat them, and enjoined them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. 41They therefore went their way from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonoured for the name. 42And every day, in the temple and in the houses, they ceased not teaching and announcing the glad tidings that Jesus was the Christ.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.