Acts 5
Wycliffe Bible
5 But a man [Forsooth some man], Ananias by name, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a field,
2 and defrauded of the price of the field; and his wife was witting. And he brought a part [And he brought some part], and laid [it] before the feet of the apostles.
3 And Peter said to him, Ananias, why hath Satan tempted thine heart, that thou lie to the Holy Ghost [Forsooth Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan tempted thine heart, thee to lie to the Holy Ghost], and to defraud of the price of the field?
4 Whether it unsold was not thine; and when it was sold, it was in thy power? Why hast thou put this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God.
5 Ananias heard these words, and felled down, and was dead [Forsooth Ananias hearing these words, felled down and died]. And great dread was made on all that heard.
6 And young men rose [rised], and moved him away, and bare him out, and buried.
7 And there was made a space of three hours, and his wife knew not that thing that was done, and entered. [Forsooth there was made as the space of three hours, and the wife of him not knowing that thing that was done, entered in.]
8 And Peter answered to her, Woman, say to me, whether ye sold the field for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 And Peter said to her, What befelled to you [What soothly came together to you, or accorded], to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Lo! the feet of them that have buried thine husband be at the door, and they shall bear thee out.
10 At once [Anon] she felled down at his feet, and died. And the young men entered, and found her dead, and they bare her out, and buried [her] to her husband.
11 And great dread was made in all the church, and into all that heard these things.
12 And by the hands of the apostles signs and many wonders were made in the people. And all were of one accord in the porch of Solomon.
13 But no man of others durst join himself with them, but the people magnified them.
14 And the multitude of men and of women believing in the Lord was more increased,
15 so that they brought out sick men into streets, and laid in little beds and couches, that when Peter came, namely the shadow of him should shadow each of them, and they should be delivered from their sicknesses [that Peter coming, namely the shadow of him should shadow each of them, and they were delivered from all sicknesses].
16 And the multitude of cities nigh to Jerusalem ran, bringing sick men, and that were travailed of unclean spirits, which all were healed.
17 But the prince of priests rose up, and all that were with him, that is the heresy of Sadducees, and were filled with envy;
18 and they laid hands on the apostles, and put them in the common ward [and put them in common keeping].
19 But the angel of the Lord opened by night the gates of the prison [Forsooth the angel of the Lord by night opened the gates of the prison], and led them out, and said,
20 Go ye, and stand ye, and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
21 Whom when they had heard, they entered early into the temple, and taught. And the prince of priests came, and they that were with him, and called together the council, and all the elder men of the children of Israel; and sent to the prison, that they should be brought forth.
22 And when the ministers came, and found them not, and for the prison was opened [Soothly when the ministers came, and, the prison opened, found them not], they turned again, and told,
23 and said [saying], [Forsooth] We found the prison shut with all diligence, and the keepers standing at the gates; but we opened, and found no man therein.
24 And as the magistrates of the temple, and the princes of priests heard these words, they doubted of them, what was done [what should be done].
25 But a man came, and told to them, For lo! those men which ye have put into prison, be in the temple, and stand, and teach the people[a].
26 Then the magistrate went with the ministers, and brought them without violence; for they dreaded the people, lest they should be stoned.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them in the council; and the prince of priests asked them,
28 and said, In commandment we commanded you [saying, In commanding we commanded you], that ye should not teach in this name, and lo! ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and ye will bring on us the blood of this man.
29 And Peter answered, and the apostles, and said, It behooveth to obey to God, more than to men.
30 [The] God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging in a tree.
31 God enhanced with his right hand this prince and Saviour, that penance were given to Israel [for to give penance to Israel], and remission of sins.
32 And we be witnesses of these words, and the Holy Ghost, whom God gave to all obeying to him.
33 When they heard these things, they were tormented, and thought to slay them.
34 But a man rose in the council, a Pharisee, Gamaliel by name, a doctor of the law, an honourable man to all the people [a worshipful man to all the people], and commanded the men to be put withoutforth for a while [to a short time].
35 And he said to them, Ye men of Israel, take attention to yourselves on these men, what ye shall do.
36 For before these days Theudas, that said himself to be some man [For before these days Theudas was, saying himself to be some man], to whom a number of men consented, about four hundred; which was slain, and all that believed to him [and all whoever believed to him], were scattered, and brought to nought.
37 After this, Judas of Galilee was in the days of profession, and turned away the people after him; and all how many ever consented to him, were scattered, and he perished.
38 And now therefore I say to you, depart ye from these men, and suffer ye them; for if this counsel either work [or work] is of men, it shall be undone;
39 but if it is of God, ye be not able to undo them, lest peradventure ye be found to repugn against God. [forsooth if it is of God, ye be not able to undo them, lest peradventure and ye be found for to repugn God.]
40 And they consented to him; and they called together the apostles, and commanded to them [and announced to them], that were beaten, that they should no more speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go [and they left them].
41 And they went joying from the sight of the council, that they were had worthy to suffer despising for the name of Jesus.
42 But each day they ceased not in the temple, and about houses, to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Footnotes
- Acts 5:25 For lo! the men whom ye have put in prison, be in the temple, standing, and teaching the people
Acts 5
Amplified Bible
Fate of Ananias and Sapphira
5 Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s full knowledge [and complicity] he kept back some of the proceeds, bringing only a [a]portion of it, and set it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and [secretly] keep back for yourself some of the proceeds [from the sale] of the land? 4 As long as it remained [unsold], did it not remain your own [to do with as you pleased]? And after it was sold, was the money not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this act [of hypocrisy and deceit] in your heart? You have not [simply] lied to people, but to God.” 5 And hearing these words, Ananias fell down suddenly and died; and great fear and awe gripped those who heard of it. 6 And the young men [in the congregation] got up and wrapped up the body, and carried it out and buried it.
7 Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me whether you sold your land for so much?” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “How could you two have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 And at once she fell down at his feet and died; and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear and awe gripped the whole church, and all who heard about these things.
12 At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders (attesting miracles) were continually taking place among the people. And by common consent they all met together [at the temple] in [the covered porch called] Solomon’s portico. 13 But none of the rest [of the people, the non-believers] dared to associate with them; however, the people were holding them in high esteem and were speaking highly of them. 14 More and more believers in the Lord, crowds of men and women, were constantly being added to their number, 15 to such an extent that they even carried their sick out into the streets and put them on cots and sleeping pads, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on one of them [with healing power]. 16 And the people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.
Imprisonment and Release
17 But the [b]high priest stood up, along with all his associates (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy and resentment. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in a public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, and leading them out, he said, 20 “Go, stand and continue to tell the people in the temple [courtyards] the whole message of this Life [the eternal life revealed by Christ and found through faith in Him].” 21 When they heard this, they went into the temple [courtyards] about daybreak and began teaching.
Now when the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), even all the council of elders of the sons of Israel, and sent word to the prison for the apostles to be brought [before them]. 22 But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison; and they came back and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened [the doors], we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these things, they were greatly perplexed, wondering what would come of this. 25 But someone came and told them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing [right here] in the temple [area], teaching the people!” 26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them back, without hurting them (because they were afraid of the people, worried that they might be stoned).
27 So they brought them and presented them before the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court). The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this [c]Man’s blood on us [by accusing us as His murderers].” 29 Then Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men [we have no other choice]. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a [d]cross [and you are responsible].(A) 31 God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior and Deliverer, in order to grant repentance to Israel, and [to grant] forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has bestowed on those who obey Him.”
Gamaliel’s Counsel
33 Now when they heard this, they were infuriated and they intended to kill the apostles. 34 But a Pharisee named [e]Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law [of Moses], highly esteemed by all the people, stood up in the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) and ordered that the men be taken outside for a little while. 35 Then he said to the Council, “Men of Israel, be careful in regard to what you propose to do to these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody [of importance], and a group of about four hundred men allied themselves with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up, [and led an uprising] during the time of the census, and drew people after him; he was also killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men [merely human in origin], it will fail and be destroyed; 39 but if it is of God [and it appears that it is], you will not be able to stop them; or else you may even be found fighting against God!”
40 The Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) took his advice; and after summoning the apostles, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them. 41 So they left the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy [dignified by indignity] to suffer shame for [the sake of] His name. 42 And every single day, in the temple [area] and in homes, they did not stop teaching and telling the good news of Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).
Footnotes
- Acts 5:2 Ananias wanted everyone to think that he had turned over all the money from the sale, so secretly holding some back was essentially embezzling. If he had been honest and told Peter that he had kept some of the money, he would have done nothing wrong.
- Acts 5:17 This may refer to either Caiaphas (the official high priest) or his father-in-law, Annas (the de facto high priest). See note 4:6.
- Acts 5:28 The reason the Council members refused to refer to Jesus by name is unclear, but may indicate contempt, guilt, or perhaps fear.
- Acts 5:30 Lit wood.
- Acts 5:34 Saul of Tarsus, later known as the apostle Paul, was among Gamaliel’s students. See 22:3.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
