ⲚⲒⲠⲢⲀⲜⲒⲤ 5
There was, however, a man named Ananias, who, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property,
and, with her connivance, kept back some of the proceeds. He brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 ⲅ̅ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲁⲛⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲁⲡⲥⲁⲧⲁⲛⲁⲥ ⲙⲟⲩϩ ⲙⲡⲉⲕϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲕϫⲓϭⲟⲗ ⲉⲡⲉⲡⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲅϥⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲥⲟⲩ ⲙⲡϭⲱⲙ
“Ananias,” Peter exclaimed, “how is it that Satan has so taken possession of your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit, and kept back a part of the money paid for the land?
4 ⲇ̅ ⲙⲏ ⲛⲉϥϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉⲕⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲉϥϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ϩⲁ ⲧⲉⲕⲉⲝⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲟⲩ ⲁⲕⲕⲁ ⲡⲁⲓ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲕϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲡⲟⲛⲏⲣⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲁⲕϫⲓ ϭⲟⲗ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
While it was unsold, was not it your own? And after it was sold, was not the money at your own disposal? How did you come to think of such a thing? You have lied, not to people, but to God!”
As Ananias heard these words, he fell down and expired; and everyone who heard of it was appalled.
The young men got up, and, winding the body in a sheet, carried it out and buried it.
After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
“Is it true,” Peter asked, addressing her, “that you sold your land for such a sum?” “Yes,” she answered, “we did.”
9 ⲑ̅ ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛϥⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲉⲣⲏⲩ ⲉⲡⲓⲣⲁⲍⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲡⲛⲁ ⲙⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲧⲱⲙⲥ ⲙⲡⲟⲩϩⲁⲓ ⲥⲉϩⲓⲣⲙ ⲡⲣⲟ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲥⲉⲛⲁϥⲓⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
Then Peter said, “How did you come to agree to provoke the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door; and they will carry you out too.”
10 ⲓ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲥϩⲉ ϩⲁ ⲛⲉϥⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲁⲛϩⲣϣⲓⲣⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲩϩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲥⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ ⲁⲩϥⲓⲧⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲩⲧⲟⲙⲥⲥ ϩⲁⲧⲙ ⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ
Instantly Sapphira fell down at Peter’s feet and expired. On coming in, the young men found her dead; so they carried her out and buried her by her husband’s side.
The whole church and all who heard of these events were appalled.
12 ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲇⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲛϭⲓϫ ⲛⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲩϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ϩⲉⲛⲙⲁⲉⲓⲛ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ ⲉⲛⲁϣⲱⲟⲩϩⲙ ⲡⲗⲁⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲩϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲩⲉⲣⲏⲩ ϩⲙ ⲡⲣⲡⲉ ϩⲁ ⲧⲉⲥⲧⲟⲁ ⲛⲥⲟⲗⲟⲙⲱⲛ
Many signs and wonders continued to occur among the people, through the instrumentality of the apostles, whose custom it was to meet all together in the Colonnade of Solomon;
but of the rest no one ventured to join them. On the other hand, the people were full of their praise,
and still larger numbers, both of men and women, as they became believers in the Lord, were added to their number.
15 ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ⲛⲥⲉⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲉⲧϣⲱⲛⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲡⲗⲁⲧⲓⲁ ⲛⲥⲉⲕⲁⲁⲩ ϩⲓ ϩⲉⲛϭⲗⲟϭ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲕⲟⲧⲕ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲓ ⲉϥⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲣⲉⲧⲉϥϩⲁⲓⲃⲉⲥ ⲧⲁϩⲉ ⲟⲩⲁ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ
The consequence was that people would bring out their sick even into the streets, and lay them on mattresses and mats, in the hope that, as Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on someone of them.
16 ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ ⲛⲉϣⲁⲩⲥⲱⲟⲩϩ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ⲛⲙⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲙⲡⲕⲱⲧⲉ ⲛⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲉⲩⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲧϣⲱⲛⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲕϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲛⲉⲡⲛⲁ ⲛⲁⲕⲁⲑⲁⲣⲧⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲩⲣⲡⲁϩⲣⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ
Besides this, the inhabitants of the towns around Jerusalem flocked into the city, bringing with them their sick and those who were troubled by foul spirits; and they were cured everyone.
At this the high priest was roused to action, and he and all his supporters (who formed the party of the Sadducees), moved by jealousy,
arrested the apostles, and had them placed in custody.
An angel of the Lord, however, opened the prison doors at night and led them out.
“Go,” he said, “and stand in the Temple Courts, and tell the people the whole message of this new life.”
21 ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟⲩⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲩⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲉⲣⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲛⲁⲩ ⲛϣⲱⲣⲡ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲩϯ ⲥⲃⲱ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ⲁⲩⲥⲱⲟⲩϩ ⲙⲡⲥⲩⲛϩⲉⲇⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲛϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲓⲏⲗⲏ ⲁⲩϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲡⲉϣⲧⲉⲕⲟ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲛⲧⲟⲩ
When they heard this, they went at daybreak into the Temple Courts, and began to teach. The high priest and his party, on their arrival, summoned the High Council, including all the leaders of the people among the Israelites, and sent to the jail to fetch the apostles.
But, when the officers got there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported that,
23 ⲕ̅ⲅ̅ ⲉⲩϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛϩⲉ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲉⲡⲉϣⲧⲉⲕⲟ ⲉϥϣⲟⲧⲙ ϩⲛ ⲱⲣϫ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩⲣϣⲉ ⲉⲩⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧⲟⲩ ϩⲓⲣⲛ ⲛⲣⲟ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲛⲟⲩⲱⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲛϭⲛ ⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲛ
while they had found the goal barred securely and the guards posted at the doors, yet, on opening them, they had not found anyone inside.
When the officer in charge at the Temple and the chief priests heard their story, they were perplexed about the apostles and as to what all this would lead to.
Presently, however, someone came and told them, that the men whom they had put in prison were actually standing in the Temple Courts, teaching the people.
26 ⲕ̅ⲋ̅ ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲉⲥⲧⲣⲁⲧⲏⲕⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛϩⲩⲡⲏⲣⲉⲧⲏⲥ ⲁⲩⲛⲧⲟⲩ ⲛϫⲛⲁϩ ⲁⲛ ⲛⲉⲩⲣ ϩⲟⲧⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ϩⲏⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲗⲁⲟⲥ ⲙⲏⲡⲱⲥ ⲛⲥⲉϩⲓⲱⲛⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ
Then, the officer went with his men and fetched the apostles – without using violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people –
and then brought them before the Council. The high priest demanded an explanation from them.
28 ⲕ̅ⲏ̅ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲙⲏ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲡⲁⲣⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲁ ⲙⲡⲛⲡⲁⲣⲁⲅⲅⲓⲗⲉ ⲛⲏⲧⲛ ⲉⲧⲙϯ ⲥⲃⲱ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙⲡⲉⲓⲣⲁⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓⲥ ϩⲏⲏⲧⲉ ⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟⲩϩ ⲛⲑⲓⲗⲏⲏⲙ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲥⲃⲱ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲉⲓⲛⲉⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲛ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲛⲟϥ ⲙⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ
“We gave you strict orders,” he said, “not to teach in this name. Yet you have actually flooded Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to make us responsible for the death of this man.”
To this Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross.
31 ⲗ̅ⲁ̅ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϫⲁⲥⲧϥ ⲛⲛⲁⲣⲭⲓⲅⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉϥⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥϯ ⲛⲟⲩⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓⲁ ⲙⲡⲓⲏⲗ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩⲕⲁ ⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ
It is this Jesus whom God has exalted to his right hand, to be a guide and a Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit – the gift of God to those who obey him.”
The members of the Council became frantic with rage on hearing this, and were for putting the apostles to death.
34 ⲗ̅ⲇ̅ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲇⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲥⲩⲛϩⲉⲇⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲟⲩⲫⲁⲣⲓⲥⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲅⲁⲙⲁⲗⲓⲏⲗ ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲙⲟⲇⲓⲇⲁⲥⲕⲟⲗⲟⲥ ⲉϥⲧⲁⲓⲏⲩ ⲛⲛⲁϩⲣⲙ ⲡⲗⲁⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲉϩ ⲥⲁϩⲛⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ ⲣⲡⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲙⲁ ⲛⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩⲓ
But Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who was a Doctor of the Law and who was held in universal respect, rose in the Council, and directed that the men should be taken out of court for a little while.
35 ⲗ̅ⲉ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲛⲁϩⲣⲛ ⲛⲁⲣⲭⲱⲛ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲥⲟⲟⲩϩ ϫⲉ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲏⲗⲏ ϯϩⲧⲏⲧⲛ ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲁⲁϥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛⲉⲓⲣⲱⲙⲉ
He then said, “People of Israel, take care as to what you intend to do with these men.
36 ⲗ̅ⲋ̅ ϩⲁⲑⲏ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛⲛⲉⲓϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲑⲉⲩⲧⲁⲥ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲟⲩⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲛⲥⲱϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲁϥⲧⲟⲩϣⲉ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲩϩⲟⲧⲃⲉϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲛⲥⲱϥⲁⲩⲃⲱⲗ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲉⲩⲗⲁⲁⲩ
For not long ago Theudas appeared, professing to be somebody, and was joined by a body of some four hundred men. But he was killed; and all his followers scattered and dwindled away.
37 ⲗ̅ⲍ̅ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲥ ⲡⲅⲁⲗⲓⲗⲁⲓⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲟⲅⲣⲁⲫⲏ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲡⲉϣⲥ ⲟⲩⲗⲁⲟⲥ ⲉⲛⲁϣⲱϥ ϩⲓⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ϩⲱⲱϥ ⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲧⲁⲕⲟϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲛⲥⲱϥ ⲁⲩϫⲱⲱⲣⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
After him, Judas the Galilean appeared at the time of the census, and induced people to follow him; yet he, too, perished and all his followers were dispersed.
38 ⲗ̅ⲏ̅ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ϭⲉ ϯϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲏⲧⲛ ϫⲉ ⲥⲁϩⲉ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲉⲓⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲕⲁⲁⲩ ϫⲉ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲡⲉⲓϣⲟϫⲛⲉ ⲏ ⲡⲉⲓϩⲱⲃ ⲟⲩⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲓⲉ ϥⲛⲁⲃⲱⲗ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
And, in this present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these men, but to leave them alone, for, if their designs and their work are merely of human origin, they will come to an end;
39 ⲗ̅ⲑ̅ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲩⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁϣ ϭⲙϭⲟⲙ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲏⲡⲱⲥ ⲛⲥⲉϭ ⲛⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛϯ ⲟⲩⲃⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲡⲓⲑⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲁϥ
but, if they are of divine origin, you will be powerless to put an end to them – or else you may find yourselves fighting against God!”
40 ⲙ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲛⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ ⲁⲩϩⲓⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩⲡⲁⲣⲁⲅⲅⲓⲗⲉ ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲧⲙϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲣⲁⲛ ⲛⲓⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩⲕⲁⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
The Council followed his advice, and, calling the apostles in, had them flogged, and then, after cautioning them not to speak in the name of Jesus, set them free.
But the apostles left the Council, rejoicing that they had been thought worthy to suffer disgrace for that name;
and never for a single day, either in the Temple Courts or in private houses, did they cease to teach, or to tell the good news of Jesus, the Christ.
