Acts 5
The Voice
This portrait of the early church as an unselfish community is captivating and inspiring. It presents a challenge for many followers of the Anointed One who want to show sacrificially their love to Him and His church. Many today wonder how to translate this into a modern culture so shaped by consumerism and self-interest, but no translation is necessary. These problems weren’t foreign to the early community. In contrast to the generosity and sincerity of some like Barnabas, Luke now explains that others gave not out of love, but out of a desire to be honored by the community.
5 Once a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira fully cooperating, committed fraud. He sold some property 2 and kept some of the proceeds, but he pretended to make a full donation to the Lord’s emissaries.[a]
Peter: 3 Ananias, have you allowed Satan to influence your lies to the Holy Spirit and hold back some of the money? 4 Look, it was your property before you sold it, and the money was all yours after you sold it. Why have you concocted this scheme in your heart? You weren’t just lying to us; you were lying to God.
5 Ananias heard these words and immediately dropped to the ground, dead; fear overcame all those who heard of the incident. 6 Some young men came, wrapped the body, and buried it immediately. 7 About three hours had passed when Sapphira arrived. She had no idea what had happened.
Peter: 8 Did you sell the land for such-and-such a price?
Sapphira: Yes, that was the price.
Peter: 9 Why did the two of you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Do you hear those footsteps outside? Those are the young men who just buried your husband, and now they will carry you out as well.
10 She—like her husband—immediately fell dead at Peter’s feet. The young men came in and carried her corpse outside and buried it beside her husband. 11 The whole church was terrified by this story, as were others who heard it.
In these formative days, God sends some strong messages about His work in the church: the power to heal, the beauty of life in the Spirit, and His hatred for arrogant religion. If God does not rebuke the married couple who chooses to make a show of their supposed generosity, then Christianity might drift in the wrong direction. While the Jewish leaders are using religion as a means to gain power and increase their reputations, the teachings of Jesus lead down a path toward the kingdom of God rather than toward human advancement. God chooses to expose these bad motives quickly, so that the church can give out of pure motives rather than out of a desire to appear righteous.
12 Those were amazing days—with many signs and wonders being performed through the apostles among the people. The church would gather as a unified group in Solomon’s Porch, 13 enjoying great respect by the people of the city—though most people wouldn’t risk publicly affiliating with them. 14 Even so, record numbers of believers—both men and women—were added to the Lord. 15 The church’s renown was so great that when Peter walked down the street, people would carry out their sick relatives hoping his shadow would fall on some of them as he passed. 16 Even people from towns surrounding Jerusalem would come, bringing others who were sick or tormented by unclean spirits, all of whom were cured.
17 Of course, this popularity elicited a response: the high priest and his affiliates in the Sadducean party were jealous, 18 so they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But that night, a messenger of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and led them to freedom.
Messenger of the Lord: 20 Go to the temple, and stand up to tell the people the whole message about this way of life from Jesus.
21 At dawn they did as they were told; they returned to their teaching in the temple.
Meanwhile the council of Jewish elders was gathering—convened by the high priest and his colleagues. They sent the temple police to the prison to have the Lord’s emissaries[b] brought for further examination; 22 but of course, the temple police soon realized they weren’t there. They returned and reported,
Temple Police: 23 The prison was secure and locked, and the guards were standing in front of the doors; but when we unlocked the doors, the cell was empty.
24 The captain of the temple police and the senior priests were completely mystified when they heard this. They had no idea what had happened. 25 Just then, someone arrived with this news:
Temple Messenger: You know those men you put in prison last night? Well, they’re free. At this moment, they’re at it again, teaching our people in the temple!
26 The temple police—this time, accompanied by their captain—rushed over to the temple and brought the emissaries[c] of the Lord to the council. They were careful not to use violence, because the people were so supportive of them that the police feared being stoned by the crowd if they were too rough. 27 Once again the men stood before the council. The high priest began the questioning.
High Priest: 28 Didn’t we give you strict orders to stop teaching in this name? But here you are, spreading your teaching throughout Jerusalem. And you are determined to blame us for this man’s death.
Peter and the Apostles: 29 If we have to choose between obedience to God and obedience to any human authority, then we must obey God. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from death. You killed Jesus by hanging Him on a tree, 31 but God has lifted Him high, to God’s own right hand, as the Prince, as the Liberator. God intends to bring Israel to a radical rethinking of our lives and to a complete forgiveness of our sins. 32 We are witnesses to these things. There is another witness, too—the Holy Spirit—whom God has given to all who choose to obey Him.
33 The council was furious and would have killed them; 34 but Gamaliel, a Pharisee in the council respected as a teacher of the Hebrew Scriptures, stood up and ordered the men to be sent out so the council could confer privately.
Gamaliel: 35 Fellow Jews, you need to act with great care in your treatment of these fellows. 36 Remember when a man named Theudas rose to notoriety? He claimed to be somebody important, and he attracted about 400 followers. But when he was killed, his entire movement disintegrated and nothing came of it. 37 After him came Judas, that Galilean fellow, at the time of the census. He also attracted a following; but when he died, his entire movement fell apart. 38 So here’s my advice: in this case, just let these men go. Ignore them. If this is just another movement arising from human enthusiasm, it will die out soon enough. 39 But then again, if God is in this, you won’t be able to stop it—unless, of course, you’re ready to fight against God!
40 The council was convinced, so they brought the apostles back in. They were flogged, again told not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released. 41 As they left the council, they weren’t discouraged at all. In fact, they were filled with joy over being considered worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of His name. 42 And constantly, whether in public, in the temple, or in their homes, they kept teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Anointed One, the Liberating King.
Ebikolwa by’Abatume 5
Endagaano Enkadde nʼEndagaano Empya
Ananiya ne Safira
5 Waaliwo omusajja erinnya lye Ananiya ne mukyala we Safira, n’atunda ebibye 2 (A)ne yeeterekerako ku muwendo, mukazi we naye ng’amanyi, n’aleetako kitundu butundu n’akiteeka ku bigere by’abatume.
3 (B)Naye Peetero n’agamba Ananiya nti, “Ananiya, lwaki Setaani ajjudde mu mutima gwo, n’okulimba n’olimba Mwoyo Mutukuvu ne weeterekerako ku muwendo gw’ennimiro? 4 Teyali yiyo? Era bwe yamala okutundibwa, teyali mu buyinza bwo? Lwaki ekikolwa ekyo kikujjidde mu mutima gwo? Tolimbye bantu wabula olimbye Katonda.”
5 (C)Ananiya olwawulira ebigambo ebyo n’agwa eri n’afiirawo! Bonna abaawulira ebyo ne bakwatibwa entiisa ya maanyi. 6 (D)Abavubuka ne bayimuka ne bamuzinga, ne bamutwala ne bamuziika.
7 Bwe waali wayiseewo essaawa nga ssatu, mukyala we naye n’ayingira, kyokka nga tategedde bibaddewo. 8 (E)Peetero n’amubuuza nti, “Mbuulira, omuwendo guno gwe gwo gwe mwaggya mu nnimiro gye mwatunda?” Omukyala n’addamu nti, “Yee, gwe guugwo.”
9 (F)Awo Peetero n’amugamba nti, “Lwaki mwateesezza okukema Omwoyo wa Mukama? Laba, ebigere by’abo abaziise balo biri ku mulyango naawe bagenda kukutwala.”
10 (G)Amangwago n’agwa wansi ku bigere bya Peetero n’afiirawo. Abavubuka bwe baayingira ne bamusanga ng’afudde ne bamutwala ne bamuziika okuliraana bba. 11 (H)(I)Entiisa ey’amaanyi n’ebuna Ekkanisa yonna na buli muntu eyawulira ebigambo ebyo.
Abatume Bawonya Abantu Bangi
12 (J)Abatume ne baba n’omwoyo gumu ne bakuŋŋaananga mu kisasi kya Sulemaani, ne bakola ebyamagero bingi mu bantu. 13 (K)So ne wataba n’omu ku balala eyayaŋŋanga okubeegattako, newaakubadde ng’abantu bonna baabasiima nnyo. 14 Abakkiriza bangi abasajja n’abakazi ne beeyongeranga okwegatta ku Mukama waffe. 15 (L)Abantu ne baleeta abalwadde baabwe ku nguudo z’omu kibuga, ne babagalamizanga ku butanda ne ku bikeeka, ekisiikirize kya Peetero kibatuukeko ng’azze. 16 (M)Ebibiina ne biva mu bibuga ebiriraanye Yerusaalemi, ne baleeta abalwadde n’abaaliko baddayimooni, bonna ne bawonyezebwa.
Abatume Bayigganyizibwa
17 (N)Awo Kabona Asinga Obukulu, n’abo abaali naye ab’omu kibiina ky’Abasaddukaayo ne bajjula obuggya. 18 (O)Ne bakwata abatume ne babateeka mu kkomera ly’abantu bonna. 19 (P)Naye mu kiro, malayika wa Mukama n’ajja n’aggulawo enzigi z’ekkomera n’abafulumya, 20 (Q)n’abagamba nti, “Mugende muyimirire mu Yeekaalu mutegeeze abantu bonna ebigambo eby’obulamu buno.”
21 (R)Bwe baawulira ebyo ne bayingira mu Yeekaalu mu matulutulu, ne bayigiriza.
Kabona Asinga Obukulu ne be yali nabo ne bajja ne batuuza Olukiiko Olukulu olw’abakulu b’abaana ba Isirayiri, ne balyoka batuma mu kkomera okuleeta abasibe babawozese. 22 Naye abaweereza bwe baatuuka mu kkomera tebaabasangamu. Ne bakomawo ne bategeeza Olukiiko Olukulu 23 nga bagamba nti, “Tusanze enzigi z’ekkomera nga nsibe n’abakuumi bonna n’abaserikale nga bayimiridde ku nzigi; naye bwe tuziggudde, tetusanzeemu muntu n’omu.” 24 (S)Awo omukulu w’abaserikale ba Yeekaalu awamu ne bakabona abakulu bwe baawulira ebyo ne basamaalirira nga beewuunya ebintu ebyo gye binaakoma.
25 Omuntu omu n’ajja n’abategeeza nti, “Abasajja be mwasibye mu kkomera bali eri mu Yeekaalu bayigiriza bantu.” 26 (T)Awo omukulu w’abaserikale ba Yeekaalu, n’agenda n’abaserikale ne babaleeta, si lwa maanyi, nga batya abantu okwegugunga n’okukuba abaserikale amayinja. 27 (U)Awo abatume bwe baaleetebwa, ne bayimirira mu maaso g’Olukiiko Olukulu, Kabona Asinga Obukulu n’ababuuza 28 (V)ng’agamba nti, “Tetwabalagira obutayigirizanga mu linnya eryo; naye laba mujjuzizza Yerusaalemi okuyigiriza kwammwe, era mumaliridde okutuleetako omusaayi gw’omuntu oyo.”
29 (W)Naye Peetero n’abatume ne baddamu nti, “Kitugwanira okugondera Katonda okusinga okugondera abantu. 30 (X)Katonda wa bajjajjaffe yazuukiza Yesu, gwe mwatta nga mumuwanise ku muti. 31 (Y)Oyo Katonda n’amugulumiza okubeera Omulangira era Omulokozi, abeerenga ku mukono gwe ogwa ddyo, okuwa Isirayiri omukisa ogw’okwenenya n’okusonyiyibwa ebibi. 32 (Z)Ffe ne Mwoyo Mutukuvu Katonda gw’awa abo abamugondera tuli bajulira ba bigambo ebyo.”
33 (AA)Awo ab’Olukiiko bwe baawulira ebigambo ebyo ne bajjula obusungu bungi n’okwagala ne baagala okubatta. 34 (AB)Naye omu ku abo abaali mu Lukiiko Olukulu, Omufalisaayo erinnya lye Gamalyeri, eyali omunnyonnyozi w’amateeka era nga n’abantu bamussaamu nnyo ekitiibwa, n’alagira abatume bagira bafulumizibwa ebweru. 35 N’alyoka agamba banne ab’omu Lukiiko nti: “Abasajja Abayisirayiri, mwegendereze nnyo abasajja abo ne kye mugenda okubakolako. 36 Emabegako waaliwo omusajja erinnya lye Syuda, yasituka era n’alowoozesa abantu nti muntu mukulu, era abantu ng’ebikumi bina ne bamugoberera; naye yattibwa abaali bamugoberera ne basaasaana ne bikoma awo. 37 (AC)Oyo bwe yavaawo ne wasituka Yuda Omugaliraaya mu biseera eby’okubala abantu. Abantu bangi ne bamugoberera, kyokka bwe yattibwa, abagoberezi be ne basaasaana ne bataddayo kuwulikikako. 38 (AD)Noolwekyo kye ŋŋamba kye kino nti, Abasajja bano mubaleke bagende! Kubanga, obanga enteekateeka eno y’abantu ejja kukoma. 39 (AE)Naye obanga biva eri Katonda, temuyinza kubaziyiza, kubanga mujja kuba nga mulwanyisa Katonda.” Ne bamuwulira.
40 (AF)Abatume ne bayitibwa, bwe baamala okukubibwa ne balabulwa obutaddayo kwogera mu linnya lya Yesu, ne babata.
41 (AG)Abatume ne bava mu Lukiiko nga basanyuka kubanga baasaanyizibwa okukwatibwa ensonyi n’okubonaabona olw’Erinnya. 42 (AH)Awo ne bayigirizanga mu Yeekaalu buli lunaku ne mu maka g’abantu, nga babuulira Yesu.
Acts 5
International Standard Version
Ananias and Sapphira are Punished
5 But then a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold some property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the money for himself and brought the remainder and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Peter asked, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you should lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the money you got for the land? 4 As long as it remained unsold, wasn’t it your own? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? So how could you have thought of doing what you did? You didn’t lie only[a] to men, but also[b] to God!”
5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized everyone who heard about it. 6 The young men got up, wrapped him up, carried him outside, and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours, Ananias’[c] wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 So Peter asked her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for that price?”
She answered, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 “How could you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter asked her. “Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and these men[d] will carry you outside as well.” 10 She instantly fell down at Peter’s[e] feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her next to her husband. 11 And great fear seized the whole church and everyone else who heard about this.
The Apostles Perform Many Miracles
12 Now many signs and wonders were being performed by the apostles among the people, who were gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 None of the others dared join them, although the rest of the people continued to hold them in high regard. 14 Nevertheless, believers were being added to the Lord in increasing numbers—both men and women. 15 As a result, people[f] kept carrying their sick into the streets and placing them on stretchers and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds continued coming in—even from the towns around Jerusalem—bringing their sick and those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
The Apostles are Tried before the Jewish Council
17 Then the high priest and all those from the sect of the Sadducees who were with him were filled with jealousy. So they went out, 18 arrested the apostles, and put them in the city jail. 19 But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out. The angel[g] told them, 20 “Go, stand in the Temple, and keep on telling the people the whole message about this life they can have.”[h]
21 After the apostles[i] heard this, they went into the Temple at daybreak and began to teach. The high priest and those who were with him arrived, called the Council[j] and all the elders of Israel together, and sent word[k] to the prison to have the men brought in. 22 When the Temple police got there, they did not find them in the prison. They came back 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.” 24 When the commander of the Temple guards and the high priests heard these words, they were utterly at a loss as to what could have happened to them.
25 Then someone came and told them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the people!” 26 So the commander of the Temple guards went with his men to bring them back without force, because they were afraid of being stoned to death by the people. 27 When they brought them back, they made them stand before the Council,[l] and the high priest began to question them. 28 He said, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name, didn’t we? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man’s blood on us!”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus to life after you killed him by hanging him on a tree. 31 God has exalted to his right hand this very man as our Leader and Savior in order to extend repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who keep on obeying him.”
33 When the Council[m] heard this, they became furious and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Council[n] and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while. 35 Then he told them, “Fellow Israelis, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. 36 For in the recent past Theudas appeared, claiming that he was important, and about 400 men joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and disappeared. 37 After that man, at the time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and got people to follow him. He, too, died, and all his followers were scattered.
38 “I’m telling you to keep away from these men for now. Leave them alone, because if this plan or movement is of human origin, it will fail. 39 However, if it’s from God, you won’t be able to stop them, and you may even discover that you are fighting against God!”
So they were convinced by him. 40 After calling in the apostles and beating them, they again[o] ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus and let them go. 41 They left the Council,[p] rejoicing to have been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the Name. 42 Every day in the Temple and from house to house they kept teaching and proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah.[q]
Footnotes
- Acts 5:4 The Gk. lacks only
- Acts 5:4 The Gk. lacks also
- Acts 5:7 Lit. his
- Acts 5:9 Lit. and they
- Acts 5:10 Lit. his
- Acts 5:15 Lit. they
- Acts 5:19 Lit. He
- Acts 5:20 The Gk. lacks they can have
- Acts 5:21 Lit. this, they
- Acts 5:21 Or Sanhedrin
- Acts 5:21 The Gk. lacks word
- Acts 5:27 Or Sanhedrin
- Acts 5:33 Lit. When they
- Acts 5:34 Or Sanhedrin
- Acts 5:40 The Gk. lacks again
- Acts 5:41 Or Sanhedrin
- Acts 5:42 Or Christ
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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