< 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.
And a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
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 did keep back of the price — his wife also knowing — and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid [it].
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].
And Peter said, 'Ananias, wherefore did the Adversary fill thy heart, for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back of the price of the place?
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, did it not remain thine? and having been sold, in thy authority was it not? why [is] it that thou didst put in thy heart this thing? thou didst not lie 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].
and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things,
6 Some young men came in, wrapped his [body in a sheet], and carried it out [and] buried it.
and having risen, the younger men wound him up, and having carried forth, they buried [him].
7 About three hours later, his wife came in, [but] she did not know what had happened.
And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife, not knowing what hath happened, came in,
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].”
and Peter answered her, 'Tell me if for so much ye sold the place;' and she said, 'Yes, for so much.'
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]!”
And Peter said unto her, 'How was it agreed by you, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? lo, the feet of those who did bury thy husband [are] at the door, and they shall carry thee forth;'
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].
and she fell down presently at his feet, and expired, and the young men having come in, found her dead, and having carried forth, they buried [her] by 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 all the assembly, 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.
And through the hands of the apostles came many signs and wonders among the people, and they were with one accord all in the porch of Solomon;
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.
and of the rest no one was daring to join himself to them, but the people were magnifying them,
14 Many more men and women started believing in the Lord [Jesus], and they joined the [group of] believers.
(and the more were believers added to the Lord, multitudes both of 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].
so as into the broad places to bring forth the ailing, and to lay [them] upon couches and mats, that at the coming of Peter, even [his] shadow might overshadow some 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.
and there were coming together also the people of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bearing ailing persons, and those harassed by unclean spirits — who 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].
And having risen, the chief priest, and all those with him — being the sect of the Sadducees — were filled with zeal,
18 So they commanded the Temple guards to seize the apostles and put them in the public jail.
and laid their hands upon the apostles, and did put them in a public prison;
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].
and a messenger of the Lord through the night opened the doors of the prison, having also brought them forth, he 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 on, and standing, speak in the temple to the people all the sayings of this 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.
and having heard, they did enter at the dawn into the temple, and were teaching. And the chief priest having come, and those with him, they called together the sanhedrim and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and they sent to the prison to have them brought,
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,
and the officers having come, did not find them in the prison, and having turned back, they told,
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]!”
saying — 'The prison indeed we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors, and having opened — within we found no one.'
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.
And as the priest, and the magistrate of the temple, and the chief priests, heard these words, they were doubting concerning them to what this would come;
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]!”
and coming near, a certain one told them, saying — 'Lo, the men whom ye did put in the prison are in the temple standing and 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].
then the magistrate having gone away with officers, brought them without violence, for they were fearing the people, lest they should be stoned;
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.
and having brought them, they set [them] in the sanhedrim, and the chief priest questioned 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!”
saying, 'Did not we strictly command you not to teach in this name? and lo, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and ye intend to bring upon us the blood of this man.'
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]!
And Peter and the apostles answering, said, 'To obey God it behoveth, 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).
and the God of our fathers did raise up Jesus, whom ye slew, having hanged upon a tree;
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].
this one God, a Prince and a Saviour, hath exalted with His right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness 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].”
and we are His witnesses of these sayings, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.'
33 When the Council members heard those words, they became very angry [with the apostles], and they wanted to kill them.
And they having heard, were cut [to the heart], and were taking counsel to slay them,
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 certain one, having risen up in the sanhedrim — a Pharisee, by name Gamaliel, a teacher of law honoured by all the people — commanded to put the apostles forth a little,
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].
and said unto them, 'Men, Israelites, take heed to yourselves about these men, what ye are about to do,
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 rose up Theudas, saying, that himself was some one, to whom a number of men did join themselves, as it were four hundred, who was slain, and all, as many as were obeying him, were scattered, and came to nought.
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 one rose up, Judas the Galilean, in the days of the enrolment, and drew away much people after him, and that one perished, and all, as many as were obeying him, 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]
and now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone, because if this counsel or this work may be of men, it will be overthrown,
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.
and if it be of God, ye are not able to overthrow it, lest perhaps also ye be found 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.
And to him they agreed, and having called near the apostles, having beaten [them], they commanded [them] not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go;
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.
they, indeed, then, departed from the presence of the sanhedrim, rejoicing that for his name they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour,
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.
every day also in the temple, and in every house, they were not ceasing teaching and proclaiming good news — Jesus the Christ.