Acts 5
Worldwide English (New Testament)
1-2 man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold a field. He brought some of the money to the apostles. But he kept the rest of it. His wife knew what he had done.
3 Peter said, `Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? Why do you lie to the Holy Spirit? You have kept some of the money which you got for the field.
4 As long as you had the field, it belonged to you. When you had the money, you could do what you wanted to do with it. Why then did you plan to do a thing like this? You have not lied to men, but to God.'
5 As Ananias heard Peter's words, he fell down and died. All who heard these things were very much afraid.
6 The young men came and wrapped him up. They carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later, his wife came in. She did not know what had happened.
8 Peter asked her, `Tell me, did you sell the field for so much money?' and she answered, `Yes, that is how much it was.'
9 Then Peter said to her, `Why did you two agree together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen, I hear the footsteps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out too.'
10 And she fell down at Peter's feet and died. The young men came in and saw that she was dead. They carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 Then all the church people, and all the people who heard about this were very much afraid.
12 The apostles did many signs and wonderful things for the people who met together in the place called Solomon's porch.
13 Other people feared to join them, but they spoke well of them.
14 Many more men and women believed and came to the Lord.
15 They brought sick people out into the streets and laid them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter's shadow would touch them as he passed by.
16 Many people also came from the cities around Jerusalem. They brought others who were sick and those who were controlled by bad spirits. Every one of them was healed.
17 Some Sadducees were with the high priest. They all became very jealous.
18 They caught the apostles and put them in prison.
19 But that night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out.
20 `Go,' said the angel. `Stand in the temple and tell the people all about this new life.'
21 When the apostles heard that, they went into the temple early in the morning and taught the people there. The high priest and his men came. They called a meeting of the court and all the leaders of the Jews. Then they sent men to the prison to bring the apostles out.
22 When the men came to the prison, they did not find the apostles there. Then they went back and told the high priest and those with him.
23 They said, `The prison was locked very well. And the police were guarding the doors. But when we opened the doors, no one was inside.'
24 When the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard this, they did not know what to think. `We wonder what will come from all this,' they thought.
25 Just then someone came and told them, `The men you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching the people.'
26 Then the captain went with the men and brought the apostles quietly. They did not bring them by force because they were afraid the people would kill them with stones.
27-28 o they brought them in and put them before the court. The high priest asked them, `Did we not tell you that you must never teach again in this name? But here you are, teaching people all over Jerusalem in this name. You are trying to put on us the blame for this man's death.'
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered them, `We must obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, the one you killed by hanging on a dead tree.
31 God has made him great at his right side. He has made him leader and Saviour. He has done this so that the people of Israel may stop doing wrong things and be forgiven.
32 We know these things are true. So does the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.'
33 When the judges heard this, they were very, very angry and wanted to kill them.
34 Then a lawyer named Gamaliel stood up in the court. He was a Pharisee and all the people respected him. He asked that the apostles be taken out for a while.
35 Then he said, `Men of Israel, you had better take care what you plan to do to these men.
36 Before this time, there was a man named Theudas. He tried to make people believe that he was a great man. He had about four hundred followers. He was killed, and all of his followers were scattered, and the whole thing ended.
37 Then after that, at tax time, another man named Judas from Galilee made trouble. Many people followed him. He also was killed and all of his followers were scattered. 38,
38-39 o now, I say, do nothing to these men. Leave them alone. If this is the teaching or work of men, it will come to an end. But if it is of God, you cannot stop these men. You might even be fighting against God!'
40 They agreed to do what he said. They called in the apostles and had them beaten. They told them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go.
41 The apostles left the court. They were very glad to think that God let them be punished for the name of Jesus.
42 Every day, in the temple and in homes, they kept on teaching and talking about Jesus Christ.
Acts 5
New International Reader's Version
Ananias and Sapphira
5 A man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, also sold some land. 2 He 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.
3 Then 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. 4 Didn’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.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. All who heard what had happened were filled with fear. 6 Some young men came and wrapped up his body. They carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later, the wife of Ananias came in. She didn’t know what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me. Is this the price you and Ananias sold the land for?”
“Yes,” she said. “That’s the price.”
9 Peter 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.”
10 At 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. 11 The whole church and all who heard about these things were filled with fear.
The Apostles Heal Many People
12 The apostles did many signs and wonders among the people. All the believers used to meet together at Solomon’s Porch. 13 No outsider dared to join them. But the people thought highly of them. 14 More and more men and women believed in the Lord. They joined the other believers. 15 So people brought those who were sick 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. 16 Crowds even gathered from the towns around Jerusalem. They brought their sick people. They also brought those who were suffering because of evil spirits. All of them were healed.
The Apostles Are Treated Badly
17 The high priest and all his companions were Sadducees. They were very jealous of the apostles. 18 So they arrested them and put them in the public jail. 19 But 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.”
21 Early 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. 22 The 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.” 24 When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were bewildered. They wondered what would happen next.
25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courtyard. They are teaching the people.” 26 So 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.
27 They 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.”
29 Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God instead of people! 30 You had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross. But the God of our people raised Jesus from the dead. 31 Now Jesus is Prince and Savior. God has proved this by giving Jesus a place of honor with him. He did it to turn Israel away from their sins and forgive them. 32 We are telling people about these things. And so is the Holy Spirit. God has given the Spirit to those who obey him.”
33 When the leaders heard this, they became very angry. They wanted to put the apostles to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the Sanhedrin. He was a teacher of the law. He was honored by all the people. He ordered the apostles to be taken outside for a little while. 35 Then Gamaliel spoke to the Sanhedrin. “Men of Israel,” he said, “think carefully about what you plan to do to these men. 36 Some 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. 37 After 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. 38 So 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. 39 But if their plans come from God, you won’t be able to stop these men. You will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40 His 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.
41 The apostles were full of joy as they left the Sanhedrin. They considered it an honor to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. 42 Every 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.
© 1969, 1971, 1996, 1998 by SOON Educational Publications
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
