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.
使徒行传 5
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
亚拿尼亚和撒非喇欺哄圣灵而死
5 有一个人名叫亚拿尼亚，同他的妻子撒非喇卖了田产， 2 把价银私自留下几份，他的妻子也知道，其余的几份拿来放在使徒脚前。 3 彼得说：“亚拿尼亚，为什么撒旦充满了你的心，叫你欺哄圣灵，把田地的价银私自留下几份呢？ 4 田地还没有卖，不是你自己的吗？既卖了，价银不是你做主吗？你怎么心里起这意念呢？你不是欺哄人，是欺哄神了！” 5 亚拿尼亚听见这话，就仆倒，断了气。听见的人都甚惧怕。 6 有些少年人起来，把他包裹，抬出去埋葬了。
7 约过了三小时，他的妻子进来，还不知道这事。 8 彼得对她说：“你告诉我，你们卖田地的价银就是这些吗？”她说：“就是这些。” 9 彼得说：“你们为什么同心试探主的灵呢？埋葬你丈夫之人的脚已到门口，他们也要把你抬出去。” 10 妇人立刻仆倒在彼得脚前，断了气。那些少年人进来，见她已经死了，就抬出去，埋在她丈夫旁边。 11 全教会和听见这事的人都甚惧怕。
信者越发增添
12 主借使徒的手在民间行了许多神迹奇事。他们[a]都同心合意地在所罗门的廊下。 13 其余的人没有一个敢贴近他们，百姓却尊重他们。 14 信而归主的人越发增添，连男带女很多。 15 甚至有人将病人抬到街上，放在床上或褥子上，指望彼得过来的时候，或者得他的影儿照在什么人身上。 16 还有许多人带着病人和被污鬼缠磨的，从耶路撒冷四围的城邑来，全都得了医治。
使徒二次被囚
17 大祭司和他的一切同人，就是撒都该教门的人，都起来，满心忌恨， 18 就下手拿住使徒，收在外监。
使徒出监仍然讲道
19 但主的使者夜间开了监门，领他们出来， 20 说：“你们去站在殿里，把这生命的道都讲给百姓听。” 21 使徒听了这话，天将亮的时候就进殿里去教训人。大祭司和他的同人来了，叫齐公会的人和以色列族的众长老，就差人到监里去，要把使徒提出来。 22 但差役到了，不见他们在监里，就回来禀报说： 23 “我们看见监牢关得极妥当，看守的人也站在门外，及至开了门，里面一个人都不见。” 24 守殿官和祭司长听见这话，心里犯难，不知这事将来如何。 25 有一个人来禀报说：“你们收在监里的人，现在站在殿里教训百姓！” 26 于是守殿官和差役去带使徒来，并没有用强暴，因为怕百姓用石头打他们。
再到公会前被审
27 带到了，便叫使徒站在公会前。大祭司问他们说： 28 “我们不是严严地禁止你们，不可奉这名教训人吗？你们倒把你们的道理充满了耶路撒冷，想要叫这人的血归到我们身上！”
彼得向官长分诉
29 彼得和众使徒回答说：“顺从神不顺从人，是应当的。 30 你们挂在木头上杀害的耶稣，我们祖宗的神已经叫他复活。 31 神且用右手将他高举[b]，叫他做君王、做救主，将悔改的心和赦罪的恩赐给以色列人。 32 我们为这事作见证，神赐给顺从之人的圣灵也为这事作见证。”
迦玛列的劝诫
33 公会的人听见就极其恼怒，想要杀他们。 34 但有一个法利赛人名叫迦玛列，是众百姓所敬重的教法师，在公会中站起来，吩咐人把使徒暂且带到外面去， 35 就对众人说：“以色列人哪，论到这些人，你们应当小心怎样办理。 36 从前丢大起来，自夸为大，附从他的人约有四百。他被杀后，附从他的全都散了，归于无有。 37 此后，报名上册的时候，又有加利利的犹大起来，引诱些百姓跟从他。他也灭亡，附从他的人也都四散了。 38 现在我劝你们不要管这些人，任凭他们吧！他们所谋的、所行的，若是出于人，必要败坏； 39 若是出于神，你们就不能败坏他们，恐怕你们倒是攻击神了！” 40 公会的人听从了他，便叫使徒来，把他们打了，又吩咐他们不可奉耶稣的名讲道，就把他们释放了。
欢喜配受辱
41 他们离开公会，心里欢喜，因被算是配为这名受辱。 42 他们就每日在殿里、在家里不住地教训人，传耶稣是基督。
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative