欺骗圣灵

有一个名叫阿纳尼亚的人,和他的妻子萨菲拉卖掉了财产。 但他从价款中私自留下了一部分,把一部分拿来放在使徒们的脚前;他的妻子也知道这事。

彼得就说:“阿纳尼亚,为什么撒旦充满了你的心,使你对圣灵说谎,从田产的价款中私自留下一些呢? 田产留着没卖[a]的时候,难道不属于你的吗?卖了以后,价款难道不也是由你做主吗?你心里为什么存有这种念头呢?你不是对人说谎,而是对神说谎了。” 阿纳尼亚听见这话,就仆倒断了气;所有听到这事的人都大为恐惧。 有几个年轻人站起来,把他的尸体[b]裹好,抬出去埋葬了。

隔了大约三个小时,阿纳尼亚的妻子进来,还不知道所发生的事。 彼得问她:“告诉我,你们卖田产的钱,是不是这么多?”

她说:“是的,就这么多。”

彼得就对她说:“你们为什么同心试探主的灵呢?看,埋葬你丈夫之人的脚,已经到门口了,他们也要把你抬出去。”

10 她立刻仆倒在彼得脚前,断了气。那些年轻人进来,看见她死了,也把她抬了出去,埋葬在她丈夫的旁边。 11 全教会和所有听到这些事的人都大为恐惧。

使徒们的神迹奇事

12 主藉着使徒们的手,在民间行了很多神迹和奇事。[c]信徒们[d]都同心合意地聚集[e]所罗门柱廊里。 13 虽然其他的人没有一个敢与他们交往[f],但民众都尊敬他们。 14 信主的人越发增加,连男带女成群结队。 15 人们甚至把病人抬到大街[g]上来,放在床榻上或垫子上,为要在彼得走过来的时候,至少他的影子可以落在一些人身上。 16 还有一群人带着病人和被污灵折磨的人,从耶路撒冷周围的城镇聚集而来,这些人都得了痊愈。

进出监狱

17 于是大祭司就采取行动。他和所有与他在一起的人,就是撒都该教派的人,都满腔嫉妒, 18 下手捉拿使徒们,把他们关在公众拘留所里。 19 但在夜里,主的一位天使打开了监门,领他们出来,说: 20 “你们去站在圣殿里,把这生命的话语,都讲给民众听。” 21 他们听从这话,在清晨的时候就进入圣殿教导人。

使徒们再次受审

这时,大祭司和与他在一起的人来了,他们召集了议会,就是以色列子民长老的全体议会,然后派人到监狱里,要把使徒们带来。 22 但差役们到了监狱里,却找不到他们,就回去报告, 23 说:“我们看见监狱被关得极其稳妥,卫兵都站在各个门口,可是打开那些门,里面却找不到任何人。” 24 [h]圣殿的守卫长[i]和祭司长们听到这些话的时候,就对使徒们的事感到困惑,不知道这事会如何发展。

25 这时,有人来向他们报告说:“看,你们关在监狱里的那些人,正站在圣殿里教导民众呢!” 26 于是守卫长与差役们一起去把使徒们带来,并没有用暴力,因为怕民众用石头砸他们。 27 他们把使徒们带来后,叫他们站在议会当中。大祭司质问他们, 28 说:“我们不是严厉地吩咐你们,不可奉这个人的名教导人吗?可是看哪,你们把你们的教导传遍了耶路撒冷,又想把这个人的血归到我们身上。”

29 彼得和使徒们回答说:“我们必须顺从神过于顺从人。 30 你们挂在木头上杀害的耶稣,我们祖先的神已经使他复活了。 31 神把这一位高举在自己右边做元首、做救主,为了将悔改的心赐给以色列,使罪得赦免。 32 我们就是这些事的见证人。神所赐给那些顺从他之人的圣灵也一同做见证。”

迦玛列的建议

33 议会的人听了,勃然大怒[j],就想要杀了他们。 34 但有一个名叫迦玛列法利赛人,是全体民众所尊敬的律法教师,在议会中站了起来,下令把使徒们[k]暂时带到外面去, 35 就对大家说:“各位以色列人哪,如何处置这些人,你们应当谨慎。 36 因为这些日子之前,提乌达起来说自己是某某人物,跟从他的人数约有四百。这人被杀了以后,所有信从他的人都四散了,归于无有。 37 这人以后,在户口登记期间又有个加利利犹大起来,拉拢民众[l]跟随他。他也死了,所有信从他的人也都四散了。 38 现在我告诉你们:不要管这些人,由他们去吧!因为这计划或这行为,如果是出于人,就会被拆毁; 39 但如果是出于神,你们就不能拆毁他们,恐怕你们反而被看做是与神作对了。”于是议会的人被迦玛列说服了, 40 就叫来使徒们,鞭打了以后,吩咐他们不可再奉耶稣的名讲说,然后把他们释放了。 41 这样使徒们就快快乐乐地离开了议会,因为算是配得上为这名受凌辱。 42 他们每天在圣殿和各家各户不住地教导人,传福音说耶稣是基督。

Footnotes

  1. 使徒行传 5:4 没卖——辅助词语。
  2. 使徒行传 5:6 的尸体——辅助词语。
  3. 使徒行传 5:12 主藉着使徒们的手,在民间行了很多神迹和奇事。——原文直译“有许多神迹和奇事,藉着使徒们的手,发生在人民中间。”
  4. 使徒行传 5:12 信徒们——原文直译“他们”。
  5. 使徒行传 5:12 聚集——辅助词语。
  6. 使徒行传 5:13 与他们交往——或译作“加入他们”。
  7. 使徒行传 5:15 大街——或译作“广场”。
  8. 使徒行传 5:24 有古抄本附“祭司、”。
  9. 使徒行传 5:24 守卫长——原文直译“指挥官”或“司令官”或“将军”。
  10. 使徒行传 5:33 勃然大怒——或译作“心如被刀割”。
  11. 使徒行传 5:34 使徒们——有古抄本作“这些人”。
  12. 使徒行传 5:37 民众——有古抄本作“许多民众”。

Ananias and Sapphira

A man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold some property. They agreed to hold back some of the money ⌞they had pledged⌟ and turned only part of it over to the apostles.

Peter asked, “Ananias, why did you let Satan fill you with the idea that you could deceive the Holy Spirit? You’ve held back some of the money you received for the land. While you had the land, it was your own. After it was sold, you could have done as you pleased with the money. So how could you do a thing like this? You didn’t lie to people but to God!”

When Ananias heard Peter say this, he dropped dead. Everyone who heard about his death was terrified. Some young men got up, wrapped his body in a sheet, carried him outside, and buried him.

About three hours later Ananias’ wife arrived. She didn’t know what had happened. So Peter asked her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for that price?”

She answered, “Yes, that was the price.”

Then Peter said to her, “How could you and your husband agree to test the Lord’s Spirit? Those who buried your husband are standing at the door, and they will carry you outside for burial.”

10 Immediately, she dropped dead in front of Peter. When the young men came back, they found Sapphira dead. So they carried her outside and buried her next to her husband. 11 The whole church and everyone else who heard about what had happened were terrified.

The Apostles Perform Many Miracles

12 The people saw the apostles perform many miracles and do amazing things. The believers had a common faith in Jesus as they met on Solomon’s Porch. 13 None of the other people dared to join them, although everyone spoke highly of them. 14 More men and women than ever began to believe in the Lord. 15 As a result, people carried their sick into the streets. They placed them on stretchers and cots so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some sick people as he went by. 16 Crowds from the cities around Jerusalem would gather. They would bring their sick and those who were troubled by evil spirits, and each person was cured.

The Apostles’ Trial in Front of the Jewish Council

17 The chief priest and the whole party of the Sadducees who were with him were extremely jealous. So they took action 18 by arresting the apostles and putting them in the city jail. 19 But at night an angel from the Lord opened the doors to their cell and led them out of the prison. 20 The angel told them, “Stand in the temple courtyard, and tell the people everything about life ⌞in Christ⌟.”

21 Early in the morning, after they had listened to the angel, the apostles went into the temple courtyard and began to teach.

The chief priest and those who were with him called together the Jewish council, that is, all the leaders of Israel. They also sent men to the prison to get the apostles. 22 When the temple guards arrived at the prison, they didn’t find the apostles. The guards came back and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors. However, when we opened the doors, we found no one inside.” 24 When the officer of the temple guards and the chief priests heard this, they were puzzled about what could have happened.

25 Then someone told them, “The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courtyard. They’re teaching the people.”

26 Then the officer of the temple guards went with some of his men to bring back the apostles without using force. After all, the officer and his guards were afraid that the people would stone them to death for using force. 27 When they brought back the apostles, they made them stand in front of the council. The chief priest questioned them. 28 He said, “We gave you strict orders not to mention Jesus’ name when you teach. Yet, you’ve filled Jerusalem with your teachings. You want to take revenge on us for putting that man to death.”

29 Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than people. 30 You murdered Jesus by hanging him on a cross. But the God of our ancestors brought him back to life. 31 God used his power to give Jesus the honored position—the one next to him on the heavenly throne as leader and savior. He did this to lead the people of Israel to him, to change the way they think and act, and to forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When the men on the council heard this, they became furious and wanted to execute the apostles. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up. He was a highly respected expert in Moses’ Teachings. He ordered that the apostles should be taken outside for a little while.

35 Then he said to the council, “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you do with these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared. He claimed that he was important, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were scattered. The whole movement was a failure.

37 “After that man, at the time of the census, Judas from Galilee appeared and led people in a revolt. He, too, died, and all his followers were scattered.

38 “We should keep away from these men for now. We should leave them alone. I can guarantee that if the plan they put into action is of human origin, it will fail. 39 However, if it’s from God, you won’t be able to stop them. You may even discover that you’re fighting against God.”

40 The council took his advice. They called the apostles, beat them, ordered them not to speak about the one named Jesus, and let them go.

41 The apostles left the council room. They were happy to have been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for speaking about Jesus. 42 Every day in the temple courtyard and from house to house, they refused to stop teaching and telling the Good News that Jesus is the Messiah.