Acts 5
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
But there was one of [the believers] whose name was Ananias, and whose wife’s name was Sapphira. He [also] sold some land.
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.
He kept for himself some of the money [he had received for the land], and his wife knew that he had done that. Then he brought the rest of the money and presented it to the apostles [MTY].
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, you [(sg)] let Satan completely control you [MTY] so that you [(sg) tried to] deceive the Holy Spirit [and us(exc)]. (That was [terrible!/Why did you do such a terrible thing]?) [RHQ] [You] have kept for yourself some of the money you [(sg)] received for [selling] the land, [pretending that you(sg) were giving us all of it].
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.
Before you [(sg)] sold that land, you truly owned [RHQ] it. And after you sold it, you could [RHQ] certainly still have used the money any way you wanted [to]. So why did you [(sg) ever] think [RHQ] about doing this [wicked] thing? You were not [merely trying to] deceive us! No, [you tried to deceive] God [himself!]!”
5 And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down, and expired. And great fear came on all that heard of it.
When Ananias heard that, [immediately] he fell down dead. So all [who were there] who heard [about Ananias’ death] became terrified [PRS].
6 And the young men arose, and wrapt him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
Some young men came in, wrapped his [body in a sheet], and carried it out [and] buried it.
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 came in, [but] she did not know 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.
[As] Peter [showed her the money] that [Ananias had brought], he asked her, “Tell me, is this the amount [of money you two received for] the land you sold?” She said, “Yes, that’s [what we(exc) received].”
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.
So Peter said to her, “[You both did a terrible thing!] You two agreed [RHQ] to try to determine if you could do that without the Spirit of the Lord [God] revealing [to anyone that you two tried to deceive them!] Listen! [Do you(sg) hear the] footsteps [SYN] of the men who buried your husband? They are right outside this door, and they will carry your [corpse] out [to bury it, too]!”
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.
Immediately Sapphira fell down dead at Peter’s feet. Then the young men came in. When they saw that she was dead, they carried her [body] out and buried it beside her husband’s [body].
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon all that heard of these things.
So all the believers [in Jerusalem] became greatly frightened [PRS] [because of what God had done to Ananias and Sapphira. And] all [the others] who heard [people tell about] those things also [became greatly frightened].
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.
[God was enabling] the apostles to do many amazing miracles among the people. All the believers were meeting together regularly [in the temple courtyard] at [the place called] Solomon’s Porch.
13 But of the rest no one dared to join himself to them. But the people highly honored them;
All of the other people [who had not yet believed in Jesus] were afraid to associate with the believers, [because they knew that if they did anything evil, God would punish them, as well as revealing it to the believers]. However, those people continued to greatly respect the believers.
14 and more and more were believers added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women;
Many more men and women started believing in the Lord [Jesus], and they joined the [group of] believers.
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.
[The apostles were doing amazing miracles], so [people] were bringing those who were sick into the streets, and laying them on stretchers and mats, in order that [when] Peter came by [he would touch them, or] at least his shadow might fall upon some of them [and heal them].
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 of people were also coming [to the apostles] from the towns near Jerusalem. They were bringing their sick [relatives/friends] and those who were being tormented/troubled by evil spirits {whom evil spirits were tormenting/troubling}, and [God] healed all of them.
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 who were with him, who were members of the [local] Sadducee [sect in Jerusalem], became very jealous [of the apostles, because many people were accepting the apostles’ message].
18 and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in the public prison.
So they commanded the Temple guards to seize 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,
[The guards did that], but during the night an angel from the Lord [God] opened the jail doors and brought the apostles outside! [The guards were not aware of what the angel had done].
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Then the angel said [to the apostles], “Go to the Temple [courtyard], stand there, and tell the people all about [how God can give them eternal] 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.
So having heard this, about dawn they entered the Temple [courtyard] and began to teach the people again [about Jesus]. Acts 5:21b-24 Meanwhile, the high priest and those who were with him summoned the other Jewish Council members. Altogether they made up the entire Council of Israel. [After they all gathered together], they sent [guards] to the jail to bring in the apostles.
22 But the officers that came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and brought word,
But when the guards arrived at the jail, they discovered that the apostles were not there. So they returned to the Council, and [one of] them reported,
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 [(exc)] saw that the jail [doors] were very securely locked, and the guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened [the doors and went in to get those men], none [of them was] inside [the jail]!”
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 guards and the chief priests heard that, they became greatly perplexed, [wondering] what might result from all this.
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 [from the Temple courtyard] and [excitedly] reported to them, “Listen [to this! Right now] the men whom you put in jail are standing in the Temple [courtyard] and they are teaching the people [about Jesus]!”
26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence, that they might not be stoned; for they feared the people.
So the captain [of the Temple guards] went [to the Temple courtyard] with the officers, and they brought the apostles [back to the Council room. But they] did not treat them roughly, because they were afraid that the people would [kill them by] throwing stones at them [if they hurt the apostles].
27 And having brought them, they set them before the council. And the high-priest questioned them,
After [the captain and his officers] had brought [the apostles to the Council room], they commanded them to stand in front of the Council members, and the high priest questioned 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.
He said to them [accusingly], “We [(exc)] strongly commanded you not to teach people about that man [MTY] [Jesus] But [you have disobeyed us, and] you have taught people all over Jerusalem [about him]! Furthermore, you are trying to make it seem that we [(exc)] are the ones who are guilty [MTY] for that man’s death!”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
But Peter, [speaking for himself] and the other apostles, replied, “We [(exc)] have to obey [what] God [commands us to do], not what [you] people [tell us to do]!
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew by hanging him on a cross;
God considers that you are the ones who killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross! But God, whom our ancestors [worshipped], (caused Jesus to become alive again after he died/raised Jesus from the dead).
31 him hath God exalted by his right hand, as a Leader and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
God has greatly honored Jesus. [He has taken him up to heaven! He has authorized him] to be the one who will save us and to rule [over our lives! God did this] so that he might enable [us] Israelites [MTY] to turn away from [our] sinful behavior and [that he might] forgive [us for our sins].
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 [(exc)] tell people about these things [that we know happened to Jesus], and the Holy Spirit, whom God has sent to [us] who obey him, is also confirming [that these things are true].”
33 But when they heard this, they were filled with rage, and were resolving to kill them.
When the Council members heard those words, they became very angry [with the apostles], and they wanted to kill them.
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 [there was a Council member] named Gamaliel. He was a Pharisee, and one who taught people the [Jewish] laws, and all the [Jewish] people respected him. He stood up in the Council and told [guards] to take the apostles out [of the room] 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.
[After the guards had taken the apostles out], he said to the other Council members, “Fellow Israelites, you need to think carefully about what you are about to do to these men, [and I will tell you why].
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 years ago [a man named] Theudas rebelled [against the Roman government]. He told people that he was an important person, and about 400 men joined [him. But he was killed] {[soldiers] killed him} and all those who had been accompanying him were scattered. [So they] were not able to do anything [that they had planned].
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 that, during the time when they were (writing down names of the people/taking the census) [in order to tax people, a man named] Judas from Galilee [province] rebelled [against the Roman government]. He persuaded some people to accompany him. But [soldiers] killed him, too, and all those who had accompanied him went off in different directions.
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 now I say [this] to you: Do not harm these men! Release them! I say this because if [this is just something] that humans have planned, they will not be able to do it. They will fail, [like Theudas and Judas did]
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 God [has commanded them to do it], you will not be able to prevent them [from doing it, because] you will find out that you are opposing God!” The other members of the Council accepted what Gamaliel said.
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.
They told the [temple guards to bring the apostles and flog them. So the guards] brought them [into the Council room] and flogged them. Then the Council members commanded them not to speak to people about [MTY] Jesus, and they released the apostles.
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;
So the apostles left the Council. They were rejoicing, because [they knew God] had honored them [by letting people] disgrace them because they were followers [MTY] of Jesus.
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.
And every day [the apostles went to] the temple [area] and to various [people’s] houses, [and] they continued [LIT] teaching [people] and telling [them] that Jesus is the Messiah.
