Acts 5
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2 and kept back part of the price, his wife also having knowledge of it; and brought a certain part, and laid it at the feet of the apostles.
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.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why did Satan fill thy heart that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Spirit, and keep back part of the price of the land?
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?
4 While it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why didst thou conceive this thing in thy heart? Thou didst not lie to men, but to God.
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!”
5 And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down, and expired. And great fear came on all that heard of it.
On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.
6 And the young men arose, and wrapt him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened.
8 Peter said to her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yes, for so much.
“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
9 And Peter said to her, Why is it that ye agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? Lo! the feet of those who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out.
“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.”
10 And she fell down immediately at his feet, and expired; and the young men, when they came in, found her dead, and carried her out, and buried her by her husband.
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.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon all that heard of these things.
And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.
12 And many signs and wonders were wrought among the people by the hands of the apostles; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
13 But of the rest no one dared to join himself to them. But the people highly honored them;
Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.
14 and more and more were believers added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women;
Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.
15 so that in the streets they brought out the sick, and laid them on beds and couches, in order that at least the shadow of Peter, as he passed, might overshadow some of them.
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.
16 The multitude also belonging to the cities around came together to Jerusalem bringing the sick, and those plagued by unclean spirits; and they were all healed.
Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
17 But the high-priest and all that were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees, rose up and were filled with indignation,
Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out
18 and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in the public prison.
and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
19 But an angel of the Lord in the night opened the prison-doors, and brought them forth and said,
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
“Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
21 And hearing this, they went into the temple at daybreak and taught. But the high-priest and they that were with him came and called together the council, and all the elders of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
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.
22 But the officers that came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and brought word,
But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report:
23 saying, The prison we found shut in all security and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we opened them, we found no one within.
“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
24 And when the priest, and the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were at a loss concerning them, to what this would come.
When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
25 But one came and brought them word, Lo! the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.
Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”
26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence, that they might not be stoned; for they feared the people.
At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
27 And having brought them, they set them before the council. And the high-priest questioned them,
They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.
28 saying, We strictly commanded you not to teach in this name, and lo! ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and mean to bring this man's blood upon us.
“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.”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew by hanging him on a cross;
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.
31 him hath God exalted by his right hand, as a Leader and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
32 And we are his witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit which God hath given to those who obey him.
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
33 But when they heard this, they were filled with rage, and were resolving to kill them.
When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.
34 But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, in high esteem with all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while,
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.
35 and said to them [[of the council]], Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as to what ye are about to do in respect to these men.
“Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.
36 For before these days arose Theudas, 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 came to nought.
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.
37 After this man arose Judas the Galilaean, in the days of the registering, and drew people away after him; he also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
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.
38 And now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this design or this work be of men, it will come to nought;
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.
39 but if it be of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found also fighting against God.
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
40 And they were persuaded by him; and having called the apostles, they beat them, and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
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.
41 They therefore went away from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame in behalf of that name;
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
42 and every day, in the temple, and in houses, they ceased not to teach, and to publish the glad tidings concerning Jesus the Christ.
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.
