Acts 5
Legacy Standard Bible
Ananias and Sapphira
5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and (A)kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s [a]full knowledge. And bringing a portion of it, he (B)laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has (C)Satan filled your heart to lie (D)to the Holy Spirit and to (E)keep back some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not [b]under your authority? Why is it that you laid this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but (F)to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias (G)fell down and breathed his last; and (H)great fear came over all who heard. 6 And the young men rose up and (I)wrapped him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there was an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you were paid (J)this much for the land?” And she said, “Yes, that much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to (K)put (L)the Spirit of the [c]Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she (M)fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And (N)great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard these things.
12 Now [d]at the hands of the apostles many (O)signs and wonders were happening among the people, and they were all with one accord in (P)Solomon’s Portico. 13 But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, (Q)the people were holding them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever (R)believers in the Lord were (S)added to their number, multitudes of men and women, 15 to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that when Peter came by (T)at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. 16 Also the multitude from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick [e]or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.
The Apostles Jailed and Freed
17 But the high priest rose up and those with him (that is (U)the sect of (V)the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. 18 And they laid hands on the apostles and (W)put them in a public jail. 19 But during the night (X)an angel of the [f]Lord opened the doors of the prison, and taking them out, he said, 20 “Go, stand and [g]speak to the people in the temple [h](Y)the whole message of this Life.” 21 Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple (Z)about daybreak and began to teach.
Now when (AA)the high priest and those with him came, they called (AB)the Sanhedrin together, even all the Council of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the jailhouse for them to be brought. 22 But (AC)the officers who came did not find them in the prison, and they returned and reported back, 23 saying, “We found the jailhouse locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors, but we opened it and found no one inside.” 24 Now when (AD)the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what [i]would come of this. 25 But someone came and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” 26 Then (AE)the captain went along with (AF)the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for (AG)they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).
27 And when they had brought them, they stood them [j]before (AH)the Sanhedrin. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We (AI)strictly commanded you not to continue teaching in this name, and [k]yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and (AJ)intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered and said, “(AK)We must obey God rather than men. 30 (AL)The God of our fathers (AM)raised up Jesus, [l]whom you (AN)put to death by hanging Him on a tree. 31 (AO)This One God exalted [m]to His right hand as [n]a (AP)Leader and a (AQ)Savior, to grant (AR)repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are (AS)witnesses [o]of these things, and (AT)so is the Holy Spirit, whom God gave to those who obey Him.”
Gamaliel’s Counsel
33 But when they heard this, they became (AU)furious and intended to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee named (AV)Gamaliel, a (AW)teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in (AX)the Sanhedrin and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, (AY)claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. [p]But he was killed, and all who [q]were following him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of (AZ)the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all those who [r]were following him were scattered. 38 So in the present case, I also say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or [s]action (BA)is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or you may even be found (BB)fighting against God.”
40 So they [t]followed his advice. And after calling the apostles in and (BC)beating them, they commanded them not to [u]speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from the presence of the (BD)Sanhedrin, (BE)rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame (BF)for the Name. 42 (BG)And every day, in the temple and [v]from house to house, they did not cease teaching and (BH)proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the [w]Christ.
Footnotes
- Acts 5:2 Or collusion
- Acts 5:4 Or in
- Acts 5:9 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Judg 3:10
- Acts 5:12 Lit through
- Acts 5:16 Lit and
- Acts 5:19 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 2 Kin 1:3
- Acts 5:20 Or continue to speak
- Acts 5:20 Lit all the words
- Acts 5:24 Lit this would become
- Acts 5:27 Lit in
- Acts 5:28 Lit behold
- Acts 5:30 Or on whom you had laid violent hands
- Acts 5:31 Or by
- Acts 5:31 Or an Author
- Acts 5:32 One early ms adds in Him
- Acts 5:36 Lit Who was killed
- Acts 5:36 Lit were obeying
- Acts 5:37 Lit were obeying
- Acts 5:38 Or work
- Acts 5:40 Lit were persuaded by him
- Acts 5:40 Lit be speaking
- Acts 5:42 Lit according to home
- Acts 5:42 Messiah
Acts 5
Living Bible
5 But there was a man named Ananias (with his wife Sapphira) who sold some property 2 and brought only part of the money, claiming it was the full price. (His wife had agreed to this deception.)
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, Satan has filled your heart. When you claimed this was the full price, you were lying to the Holy Spirit. 4 The property was yours to sell or not, as you wished. And after selling it, it was yours to decide how much to give. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us, but to God.”
5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor, dead! Everyone was terrified, 6 and the younger men covered him with a sheet and took him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Did you people sell your land for such and such a price?”
“Yes,” she replied, “we did.”
9 And Peter said, “How could you and your husband even think of doing a thing like this—conspiring together to test the Spirit of God’s ability to know what is going on?[a] Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out too.”
10 Instantly she fell to the floor, dead, and the young men came in and, seeing that she was dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Terror gripped the entire church and all others who heard what had happened.
12 Meanwhile, the apostles were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Hall, and they did many remarkable miracles among the people. 13 The other believers didn’t dare join them, though, but all had the highest regard for them. 14 And more and more believers were added to the Lord, crowds both of men and women. 15 Sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow would fall across some of them as he went by! 16 And crowds came in from the Jerusalem suburbs, bringing their sick folk and those possessed by demons; and every one of them was healed.
17 The High Priest and his relatives and friends among the Sadducees reacted with violent jealousy 18 and arrested the apostles, and put them in the public jail.
19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go over to the Temple and preach about this Life!”
21 They arrived at the Temple about daybreak and immediately began preaching! Later that morning[b] the High Priest and his courtiers arrived at the Temple, and, convening the Jewish Council and the entire Senate, they sent for the apostles to be brought for trial. 22 But when the police arrived at the jail, the men weren’t there, so they returned to the Council and reported, 23 “The jail doors were locked, and the guards were standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”
24 When the police captain[c] and the chief priests heard this, they were frantic, wondering what would happen next and where all this would end! 25 Then someone arrived with the news that the men they had jailed were out in the Temple, preaching to the people!
26-27 The police captain went with his officers and arrested them (without violence, for they were afraid the people would kill them if they roughed up the disciples) and brought them in before the Council.
28 “Didn’t we tell you never again to preach about this Jesus?” the High Priest demanded. “And instead you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring the blame for this man’s death on us!”
29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our ancestors brought Jesus back to life again after you had killed him by hanging him on a cross. 31 Then, with mighty power, God exalted him to be a Prince and Savior, so that the people of Israel would have an opportunity for repentance, and for their sins to be forgiven. 32 And we are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to all who obey him.”
33 At this, the Council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one of their members, a Pharisee named Gamaliel (an expert on religious law and very popular with the people), stood up and requested that the apostles be sent outside the Council chamber while he talked.
35 Then he addressed his colleagues as follows:
“Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About four hundred others joined him, but he was killed, and his followers were harmlessly dispersed.
37 “After him, at the time of the taxation, there was Judas of Galilee. He drew away some people as disciples, but he also died, and his followers scattered.
38 “And so my advice is, leave these men alone. If what they teach and do is merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them, lest you find yourselves fighting even against God.”
40 The Council accepted his advice, called in the apostles, had them beaten, and then told them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and finally let them go. 41 They left the Council chamber rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonor for his name. 42 And every day, in the Temple and in their home Bible classes, they continued to teach and preach that Jesus is the Messiah.
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