Acts 5

Pretenders of sharing

1 However, a man named Ananias, along with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property.2 With his wife’s knowledge, he withheld some of the proceeds from the sale. He brought the rest and placed it in the care and under the authority of the apostles.3 Peter asked, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has influenced you to lie to the Holy Spirit by withholding some of the proceeds from the sale of your land?4 Wasn’t that property yours to keep? After you sold it, wasn’t the money yours to do with whatever you wanted? What made you think of such a thing? You haven’t lied to other people but to God!"5 When Ananias heard these words, he dropped dead. Everyone who heard this conversation was terrified.

6 Some young men stood up, wrapped up his body, carried him out, and buried him.
7 About three hours later, his wife entered, but she didn’t know what had happened to her husband.

8 Peter asked her, "Tell me, did you and your husband receive this price for the field?"
She responded, "Yes, that’s the amount."
9 He replied, "How could you scheme with each other to challenge the Lord’s Spirit? Look! The feet of those who buried your husband are at the door. They will carry you out too."10 At that very moment, she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men entered and found her dead, they carried her out and buried her with her husband.

11 Trepidation and dread seized the whole church and all who heard what had happened.

Responses to the church

12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. They would come together regularly at Solomon’s Porch.13 No one from outside the church dared to join them even though the people spoke highly of them.14 Indeed, more and more believers in the Lord, large numbers of both men and women, were added to the church.15 As a result, they would even bring the sick out into the main streets and lay them on cots and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow could fall on some of them as he passed by.

16 Even large numbers of persons from towns around Jerusalem would gather, bringing the sick and those harassed by unclean spirits. Everyone was healed.

The Jerusalem Council harasses the apostles

17 The high priest, together with his allies, the Sadducees, was overcome with jealousy.18 They seized the apostles and made a public show of putting them in prison.19 An angel from the Lord opened the prison doors during the night and led them out. The angel told them,20 "Go, take your place in the temple, and tell the people everything about this new life."

21 Early in the morning, they went into the temple as they had been told and began to teach.
When the high priest and his colleagues gathered, they convened the Jerusalem Council, that is, the full assembly of Israel’s elders. They sent word to the prison to have the apostles brought before them.22 However, the guards didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,23 "We found the prison locked and well-secured, with guards standing at the doors, but when we opened the doors we found no one inside!"24 When they received this news, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were baffled and wondered what might be happening.25 Just then, someone arrived and announced, "Look! The people you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!"

26 Then the captain left with his guards and brought the apostles back. They didn’t use force because they were afraid the people would stone them.
27 The apostles were brought before the council where the high priest confronted them:

28 "In no uncertain terms, we demanded that you not teach in this name. And look at you! You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. And you are determined to hold us responsible for this man’s death."
29 Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than humans!30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.31 God has exalted Jesus to his right side as leader and savior so that he could enable Israel to change its heart and life and to find forgiveness for sins.

32 We are witnesses of such things, as is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
33 When the council members heard this, they became furious and wanted to kill the apostles.34 One council member, a Pharisee and teacher of the Law named Gamaliel, well-respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be taken outside for a few moments.35 He said, "Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you intend to do to these people.36 Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and some four hundred men joined him. After he was killed, all of his followers scattered, and nothing came of that.37 Afterward, at the time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and got some people to follow him in a revolt. He was killed too, and all his followers scattered far and wide.38 Here’s my recommendation in this case: Distance yourselves from these men. Let them go! If their plan or activity is of human origin, it will end in ruin.39 If it originates with God, you won’t be able to stop them. Instead, you would actually find yourselves fighting God!" The council was convinced by his reasoning.40 After calling the apostles back, they had them beaten. They ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, then let them go.41 The apostles left the council rejoicing because they had been regarded as worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of the name.

42 Every day they continued to teach and proclaim the good news that Jesus is the Christ, both in the temple and in houses.

Acts 5

The Judgment on Ananias and Sapphira

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property.2 Het kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he broughtt only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet.3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filleds your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale oft the land?

4 Before it was sold,t did it nott belong to you? And when it was sold, was the moneyt not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart?t You have not lied to peoplet but to God!”
5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear grippedt all who heard about it.6 So the young men came,t wrapped him up,t carried him out, and burieds him.7 After an interval of about three hours,t his wife came in, but she did not knowt what had happened.8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of yout paid this amountt for the land?” Sapphirat said, “Yes, that much.”9 Peter then told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!”10 At oncet she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

11 Greatt fear grippedt the whole churchs and all who heard about these things.

The Apostles Perform Miraculous Signs and Wonders

12 Now many miraculous signst and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. Byt common consentt they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico.ts13 None of the rest dared to join them,t but the people held them in high honor.t14 More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number,t crowds of both men and women.15 Thust they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them.

16 A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalems also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits.s Theyt were alls being healed.

Further Trouble for the Apostles

17 Now the high priest rose up, and all those with him (that is, the religious party of the Sadduceess),s and they were filled with jealousy.s18 Theyt laid hands ont the apostles and put them in a public jail.19 But during the night an angel of the Lordt openedt the doors of the prison,t led them out,ts and said,20 “Go and stand in the temple courtst and proclaimt to the people all the words of this life.”

21 When they heard this, they entered the temple courtst at daybreak and began teaching.t
Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrint – that is, the whole high councilt of the Israelitest – and sent to the jail to have the apostlest brought before them.t22 But the officerst who came for themt did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,t23 “We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them,t we found no one inside.”24 Now when the commandert of the temple guardt and the chief priests heard this report,t they were greatly puzzled concerning it,t wondering what this couldt be.25 But someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courtst and teachings the people!”

26 Then the commandert of the temple guardt went with the officerst and brought the apostlest without the use of forcet (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people).t
27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the council,t and the high priest questionedt them,28 saying, “We gaves you strict orderst not to teach in this name.s Look,t you have filled Jerusalems with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s bloods on us!”29 But Peter and the apostles replied,t “We must obeys God rather than people.t30 The God of our forefatherst raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree.t31 God exalted himt to his right hand as Leadert and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.t

32 And we are witnesses of these events,t and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obeys him.”
33 Now when they heard this, they became furiouss and wanted to execute them.s34 But a Pharisees whose name was Gamaliel,s a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood upt in the councilt and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.35 Then he said to the council,t “Men of Israel,t pay close attention tot what you are about to do to these men.36 For some time agot Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. Het was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and nothing came of it.t37 After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census,t and incited people to follow him in revolt.t He too was killed, and all who followed him were scattered.38 So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people,t it will come to nothing,t39 but ift it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be foundt fighting against God.” He convinced them,t40 and they summoned the apostles and had them beaten.s Thent they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.41 So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthys to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.s

42 And every day both in the temple courtst and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good newst that Jesus was the Christ.ts