Acts 5
1 But there was one of [the believers] whose name was Ananias, and whose wife’s name was Sapphira. He [also] sold some land.
Now a man named Ananias, along with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property
2 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].
and kept back some of the proceeds, with his wife also being aware of it. He brought a portion of the proceeds and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 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].
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled yoʋr heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the proceeds of the plot of land?
4 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!]!”
While it remained unsold, did it not remain yoʋrs? And once it was sold, was it not under yoʋr control? How is it that yoʋ have put this thing in yoʋr heart? Yoʋ have not lied to men but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard that, [immediately] he fell down dead. So all [who were there] who heard [about Ananias’ death] became terrified [PRS].
When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last breath. And great fear came upon all who heard about it.
6 Some young men came in, wrapped his [body in a sheet], and carried it out [and] buried it.
Then the young men rose, wrapped up his body, carried him out, and buried him.
7 About three hours later, his wife came in, [but] she did not know what had happened.
About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 [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].”
Peter said to her, “Tell me if you sold the plot of land for such and such a price.” She said, “Yes, for such a price.”
9 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]!”
Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who buried yoʋr husband are at the door, and they will carry yoʋ out.”
10 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].
At once she fell down at his feet and breathed her last breath. When the young men came in, they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 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].
And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these things.
12 [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.
Now many signs and wonders were taking place among the people by the hands of the apostles, and all the believers were together with one accord in Solomon's portico.
13 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.
No one else dared to join them, but the people held them in high regard.
14 Many more men and women started believing in the Lord [Jesus], and they joined the [group of] believers.
Yet more and more people believed in the Lord and were added to their number, a multitude of both men and women.
15 [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].
As a result, people carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and mats, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on one of them.
16 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.
A multitude from the towns all around Jerusalem also gathered together, bringing the sick and those harassed by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
17 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].
Then the high priest rose up, along with all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.
18 So they commanded the Temple guards to seize the apostles and put them in the public jail.
So they arrested the apostles and put them in a public jail.
19 [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].
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, brought them out, and said,
20 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!”
“Go stand in the temple courts and tell the people everything about this new life.”
21 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.
When they heard this, they entered the temple courts at dawn and began teaching. When the high priest came, along with those who were with him, they called together the Sanhedrin—that is, the entire eldership of the people of Israel—and sent officers to the prison to have the apostles brought before them.
22 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,
But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison. So they returned and reported,
23 “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]!”
“We found the prison locked up in complete security and the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened the doors, we found no one inside.”
24 When the captain of the temple guards and the chief priests heard that, they became greatly perplexed, [wondering] what might result from all this.
When the high priest, the captain of the temple guard, and the chief priests heard this report, they were greatly perplexed by it, wondering what might come of this.
25 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]!”
Then someone came and told them, “Behold, the men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”
26 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].
So the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles without the use of force, for they were afraid the people might stone them.
27 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.
After bringing the apostles in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked them,
28 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!”
“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? Yet behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.”
29 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]!
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
30 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).
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging him on a cross.
31 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].
God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior to grant repentance to Israel and remission of sins.
32 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].”
Concerning these things we are his witnesses, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When the Council members heard those words, they became very angry [with the apostles], and they wanted to kill them.
When they heard this, they were furious and resolved to put them to death,
34 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.
but a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was held in honor by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and gave orders to put the apostles outside for a little while.
35 [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].
Then he said to the Sanhedrin, “Men of Israel, give careful consideration to what you are about to do to these men.
36 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].
For before these days Theudas rose up, declaring himself to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, responded to the call to join him. He was put to death, and all his followers were scattered and came to nothing.
37 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.
After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all his followers were scattered.
38 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]
So I say to you now, keep away from these men and leave them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will be stopped;
39 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.
but if it is of God, you cannot put a stop to it. You will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40 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.
They were persuaded by him, and after calling in the apostles, they beat them, commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
41 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.
So the apostles went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus.
42 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.
And every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
