Acts 5
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
There was, however, a man named Ananias, who, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property,
2 With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
and, with her connivance, kept back some of the proceeds. He brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?
“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 Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”
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!”
5 On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.
As Ananias heard these words, he fell down and expired; and everyone who heard of it was appalled.
6 Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
The young men got up, and, winding the body in a sheet, carried it out and buried it.
7 About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened.
After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 “Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
“Is it true,” Peter asked, addressing her, “that you sold your land for such a sum?” “Yes,” she answered, “we did.”
9 “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
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 At that instant she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
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.
11 And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.
The whole church and all who heard of these events were appalled.
12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
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;
13 Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.
but of the rest no one ventured to join them. On the other hand, the people were full of their praise,
14 Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.
and still larger numbers, both of men and women, as they became believers in the Lord, were added to their number.
15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
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 Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
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.
17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out
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,
18 and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
arrested the apostles, and had them placed in custody.
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
An angel of the Lord, however, opened the prison doors at night and led them out.
20 “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
“Go,” he said, “and stand in the Temple Courts, and tell the people the whole message of this new life.”
21 At daybreak the apostles entered the temple courts as they had been told and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles.
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.
22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report:
But, when the officers got there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported that,
23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
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.
24 When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
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.
25 Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”
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 At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
Then, the officer went with his men and fetched the apostles – without using violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people –
27 They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.
and then brought them before the Council. The high priest demanded an explanation from them.
28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”
“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.”
29 But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
To this Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross.
31 God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
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.
32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit – the gift of God to those who obey him.”
33 When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.
The members of the Council became frantic with rage on hearing this, and were for putting the apostles to death.
34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a short time.
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 “Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.
He then said, “People of Israel, take care as to what you intend to do with these men.
36 Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
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 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.
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 So in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone. Let them go! For if their purpose or endeavor is of human origin, it will fail.
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 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
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 At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
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.
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
But the apostles left the Council, rejoicing that they had been thought worthy to suffer disgrace for that name;
42 Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
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.
