1A man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, also sold some land.2He kept part of the money for himself. Sapphira knew he had kept it. He brought the rest of it and put it down at the apostles’ feet.3Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You have kept some of the money you received for the land.4Didn’t the land belong to you before it was sold? After it was sold, you could have used the money as you wished. What made you think of doing such a thing? You haven’t lied just to people. You’ve also lied to God.’5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. All who heard what had happened were filled with fear.6Some young men came and wrapped up his body. They carried him out and buried him.7About three hours later, the wife of Ananias came in. She didn’t know what had happened.8Peter asked her, ‘Tell me. Is this the price you and Ananias sold the land for?’ ‘Yes’, she said. ‘That’s the price.’9Peter asked her, ‘How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! You can hear the steps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out also.’10At that moment she fell down at Peter’s feet and died. Then the young men came in. They saw that Sapphira was dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.11The whole church and all who heard about these things were filled with fear.
The apostles heal many people
12The apostles did many signs and wonders among the people. All the believers used to meet together at Solomon’s Porch.13No outsider dared to join them. But the people thought highly of them.14More and more men and women believed in the Lord. They joined the other believers.15So people brought those who were ill into the streets. They placed them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he walked by.16Crowds even gathered from the towns around Jerusalem. They brought their ill people. They also brought those who were suffering because of evil spirits. All of them were healed.
The apostles are treated badly
17The high priest and all his companions were Sadducees. They were very jealous of the apostles.18So they arrested them and put them in the public jail.19But during the night an angel of the Lord came. He opened the doors of the jail and brought the apostles out.20‘Go! Stand in the temple courtyard,’ the angel said. ‘Tell the people all about this new life.’21Early the next day they did as they had been told. They entered the temple courtyard. There they began to teach the people. The high priest and his companions arrived. They called the Sanhedrin together. The Sanhedrin was a gathering of all the elders of Israel. They sent for the apostles who were in jail.22The officers arrived at the jail. But they didn’t find the apostles there. So they went back and reported it.23‘We found the jail locked up tight,’ they said. ‘The guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors, we didn’t find anyone inside.’24When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were bewildered. They wondered what would happen next.25Then someone came and said, ‘Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courtyard. They are teaching the people.’26So the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles back. But they didn’t use force. They were afraid the people would kill them by throwing stones at them.27They brought the apostles to the Sanhedrin. The high priest questioned them.28‘We gave you clear orders not to teach in Jesus’ name,’ he said. ‘But you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. You want to make us guilty of this man’s death.’29Peter and the other apostles replied, ‘We must obey God instead of people!30You had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross. But the God of our people raised Jesus from the dead.31Now Jesus is Prince and Saviour. God has proved this by giving Jesus a place of honour with him. He did it to turn Israel away from their sins and forgive them.32We are telling people about these things. And so is the Holy Spirit. God has given the Spirit to those who obey him.’33When the leaders heard this, they became very angry. They wanted to put the apostles to death.34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the Sanhedrin. He was a teacher of the law. He was honoured by all the people. He ordered the apostles to be taken outside for a little while.35Then Gamaliel spoke to the Sanhedrin. ‘Men of Israel,’ he said, ‘think carefully about what you plan to do to these men.36Some time ago Theudas appeared. He claimed he was really somebody. About 400 people followed him. But he was killed. All his followers were scattered. So they accomplished nothing.37After this, Judas from Galilee came along. This was in the days when the Romans made a list of all the people. Judas led a gang of men against the Romans. He too was killed. All his followers were scattered.38So let me give you some advice. Leave these men alone! Let them go! If their plans and actions only come from people, they will fail.39But if their plans come from God, you won’t be able to stop these men. You will only find yourselves fighting against God.’40His speech won the leaders over. They called the apostles in and had them whipped. The leaders ordered them not to speak in Jesus’ name. Then they let the apostles go.41The apostles were full of joy as they left the Sanhedrin. They considered it an honour to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.42Every day they taught in the temple courtyards and from house to house. They never stopped telling people the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Acts 5
English Standard Version
Ananias and Sapphira
1But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,2and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Ac 4:35; Ac 4:37; Ac 5:3)3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? (Lu 22:3; Joh 13:2; Joh 13:27; Ac 5:2; Ac 5:4; Ac 5:9)4While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” (Ac 5:3; Ac 5:9)5When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. (Eze 11:13; Ac 5:11)6The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. (Eze 29:5; Joh 19:40; Ac 8:2)7After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.8And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you[1] sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.”9But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” (Ac 5:3; Ac 15:10; 1Co 10:9)10Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.11And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. (Ac 5:5)
Many Signs and Wonders Done
12Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. (Mr 16:20; Joh 10:23; Ac 1:14; Ac 2:43; Ac 3:11; Ac 4:30; Ac 14:3; Ac 19:11; Ro 15:19; 2Co 12:12; Heb 2:4)13None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. (Ac 2:47; Ac 4:21; Ac 5:26)14And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, (Ac 6:1)15so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. (2Ki 4:29; Mt 14:36; Mr 6:55; Ac 19:12)16The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. (Mr 16:17)
The Apostles Arrested and Freed
17But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy (Mt 22:23; Ac 7:9; Ac 13:45; Ac 17:5; Jas 3:14; Jas 3:16)18they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. (Lu 21:12)19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, (Ac 8:26; Ac 12:10; Ac 16:26)20“Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” (Joh 6:63; Joh 6:68; Ac 3:15; Ac 11:18; Ac 13:46; Ac 22:4; Ac 28:28; Php 2:16)21And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. (Joh 8:2; Ac 5:25; Ac 5:42)22But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,23“We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.”24Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. (Ac 4:1; Ac 5:26)25And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” (Ac 5:21)26Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. (Ac 4:21; Ac 5:13; Ac 5:24)27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,28saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” (Mt 27:25; Ac 2:23; Ac 2:36; Ac 3:15; Ac 4:10; Ac 4:18; Ac 7:52)29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. (Ac 4:19)30The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. (Lu 24:20; Ac 2:24; Ac 3:13; Ac 10:39; Ac 13:29; Ga 3:13; 1Pe 2:24)31God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (Lu 2:11; Lu 5:32; Lu 24:47; Ac 2:33; Ac 3:15; Ac 11:18; Ro 2:4; 2Ti 2:25)32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Lu 24:48; Joh 15:26; Ac 2:4; Ac 15:28; Heb 2:4; 1Jo 5:7)33When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. (Ac 2:37; Ac 7:54)34But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. (Lu 5:17; Ac 22:3)35And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.36For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. (Ac 8:9; Ac 21:38; Ga 2:6; Ga 6:3)37After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. (Lu 2:2)38So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; (La 3:37)39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, (2Ch 13:12; Pr 21:30; Isa 8:9; Na 1:9; Ac 11:17)40and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. (Mr 13:9; Lu 23:16; Ac 4:18; Ac 22:19)41Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. (Le 24:11; Le 24:16; Mt 5:12; Joh 15:21; Ac 9:16; Ac 21:13; Ro 1:5; Php 2:9; 1Pe 4:13; 1Pe 4:16; 3Jo 1:7)42And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. (Ac 2:46; Ac 8:35; Ac 11:20; Ac 17:18; Ac 18:5)