Acts 5

¹But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

²and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

³But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

⁴While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

⁵And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.

⁶And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.

⁷And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

⁸And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.

⁹But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.

¹⁰And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

¹¹And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.

¹²And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people: and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

¹³But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them;

¹⁴and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women:

¹⁵insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them.

¹⁶And there also came together the multitude from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

¹⁷But the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,

¹⁸and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward.

¹⁹But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said,

²⁰Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life.

²¹And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.

²²But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told,

²³saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

²⁴Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow.

²⁵And there came one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people.

²⁶Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.

²⁷And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,

²⁸saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.

³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree.

³¹Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.

³²And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

³³But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were minded to slay them.

³⁴But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while.

³⁵And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.

³⁶For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out 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 dispersed, and came to nought.

³⁷After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

³⁸And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown:

³⁹but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.

⁴⁰And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

⁴¹They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.

⁴²And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.

Acts 5

¹Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.

²With 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.

³Then 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?

⁴Did 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!”

⁵On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.

⁶Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

⁷About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened.

⁸“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”

⁹“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.”

¹⁰At 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.

¹¹And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.

¹²The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

¹³Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.

¹⁴Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.

¹⁵As 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.

¹⁶Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

¹⁷Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out

¹⁸and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

¹⁹But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,

²⁰“Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”

²¹At 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.

²²But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report:

²³“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”

²⁴When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.

²⁵Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”

²⁶At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.

²⁷They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.

²⁸“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.”

²⁹But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.

³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.

³¹God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

³²We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

³³When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.

³⁴But 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“Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.

³⁶Some 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.

³⁷After 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.

³⁸So 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.

³⁹But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”

⁴⁰At 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.

⁴¹The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

⁴²Every 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.