Lying to the Holy Spirit

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.(A)

“Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart(B) to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.” When he heard these words, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard.(C) The young men got up, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him.(D)

About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. “Tell me,” Peter asked her, “did you sell the land for this price?”

“Yes,” she said, “for that price.”

Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”(E)

10 Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband. 11 Then great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard these things.

Apostolic Signs and Wonders

12 Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles.(F) They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade.(G) 13 No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them.(H) 14 Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women. 15 As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow(I) might fall on some of them. 16 In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

In and out of Prison

17 Then the high priest rose up. He and all who were with him, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.(J) 18 So they arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.(K) 19 But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said,(L) 20 “Go and stand in the temple, and tell the people all about this life.”(M) 21 Hearing this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

The Apostles on Trial Again

When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full council of the Israelites—and sent orders to the jail to have them brought.(N) 22 But when the servants[a] got there, they did not find them in the jail; so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 As[b] the captain of the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, wondering what would come of this.

25 Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the commander went with the servants and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them.(O) 27 After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked, 28 “Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name?(P) Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”(Q)

29 Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people. 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus,(R) whom you had murdered by hanging him on a tree.(S) 31 God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.(T) 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit(U) whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Gamaliel’s Advice

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.(V) 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men[c] to be taken outside for a little while.(W) 35 He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re about to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and came to nothing.(X) 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. He also perished, and all his followers were scattered. 38 So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail;(Y) 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.(Z) 40 After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.(AA) 41 Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name.[d](AB) 42 Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Footnotes

  1. 5:22 Or temple police, or officers, also in v. 26
  2. 5:24 Other mss add the high priest and
  3. 5:34 Other mss read apostles
  4. 5:41 Other mss add of Jesus, or of Christ

And a certain man by the name Chananyah, with his wife Shappira, sold property

And he, with his wife in collusion as to da’as, misappropriated from the price, and having brought a certain part, laid it at the feet of the Moshiach’s Shlichim. [YEHOSHUA 7:11]

But Kefa said, "Chananyah, why has Hasatan filled your lev (heart) that you lied to the Ruach Hakodesh and misappropriated from the price of the land? [DEVARIM 23:21]

"While it remained with you, did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, were the proceeds not under your samchut (authority)? How is it that you have hatched this deed in your lev (heart)? Your sheker (lie) was not to Bnei Adam but to the Ruach Hakodesh." [DEVARIM 23:22; VAYIKRA 6:2]

And hearing these dvarim, having fallen down, Chananyah died; and there came great yirat Shomayim upon all the ones listening. [TEHILLIM 5:6]

And having got up, the bochrim threw the tachrichin shroud over him and, having carried him out, they buried him in a kever.

And there was an interval of lav davka (approximately) shloshah sha’ot and then his isha, not having da’as of what had happened, entered.

And in reply to her, Kefa said "Tell me, you sold the sadeh for such and such a price, did you?" And she said, "Ken, for such and such a price, that was the amount."

And Kefa said to her, "Why was it agreed by the two of you to put the Ruach Hakodesh of Hashem to the test? Hinei! The feet of the ones having buried your ba’al are at the petach (doorway), and they will carry you out."

10 And she fell immediately at his feet and died. And, the bochrim, having entered, found her dead; and, having carried her out, they buried her with her ba’al.

11 And there came great yirat Shomayim upon the whole Messianic kehillah and upon all the ones hearing these things.

12 Now by the hands of the Moshiach’s Shlichim were being effected many otot and moftim among the people and with a sense of achdus they were all in the Ulam Sh’lomo.

13 But none of the rest was daring to be mishtatef in a chavura (becoming involved, joining a fellowship) with them; however, the Am Yisroel held the Messianic Jews in high esteem.

14 And more and more ma’aminim hameshichiyim in Adoneinu were being added, multitudes of anashim and nashim,

15 So much so that even out into the rekhovot they would carry the cholim and put them on pallets and mats, that when Kefa came by, at least his shadow might fall upon some of them.

16 And also the multitudes from the shtetlach surrounding Yerushalayim were coming together, carrying the cholim and the ones being tormented by ruchot teme’ot (unclean spirits); and they were all receiving refu’ah shleimah.

17 But there was an uprising of the Kohen Gadol and all the ones with him of the Tzedukim kat, and they were filled with kinah.

18 And they laid their hands upon the Moshiach’s Shlichim and they put them in a public beis hasohar.

19 And a malach Adonoi (an angel of Hashem) opened the doors of the beis hasohar balailah, and having led them out, said, [BERESHIS 16:7; SHEMOT 3:2; TEHILLIM 34:7]

20 "Go and stand and speak in the Beis Hamikdash to the people kol divrei HaChayyim haelleh."

21 And having heard, the Moshiach’s Shlichim entered the Beis Hamikdash at Shachrit and were saying shiurim. And when the Kohen Gadol and the ones with him had come, they called together the Sanhedrin and all the assembly of Zekenim of the Bnei Yisroel, and they sent to the beis hasohar for the prisoners to be brought to them.

22 But their mesharetim, having come, did not find them in the beis hasohar. And having returned, they reported these things

23 Saying, "We found the beis hasohar locked tight and the shomrim standing at the doors; but when we opened up, we found no one inside."

24 And when the Sar Tzeva HaHeikhal of the Beis Hamikdash and the Rashei Hakohanim heard these words, they were perplexed about them, as far as what would come of all this.

25 But someone came and reported to them, "Hinei, the men whom you put in the beis hasohar are in the Beis Hamikdash standing and saying shiurim to the people."

26 Then the Sar Tzeva HaHeikhal went along with the mesharetim and brought the Moshiach’s Shlichim back, but not with force—for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.

27 And when they had brought them, they stood the Moshiach’s Shlichim before the Sanhedrin, and the Kohen Gadol questioned them,

28 Saying, "Did we not with a strict command charge you not to say shiurim b’shem hazeh and, hinei, you have filled Yerushalayim with your torah and are determined to bring upon us the dahm of this man."

29 And in reply Kefa and the Moshiach’s Shlichim said, "It is necessary to obey Hashem rather than Bnei Adam. [SHEMOT 1:17]

30 "Elohei Avoteinu made Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua to stand up alive again, the very one whom you killed, having made him talui al haEtz (being hanged on the tree). [DEVARIM 21:23]

31 "This one Hashem exalted as Sar and Moshi’a (Oisleizer) to His right hand to grant teshuva to Yisroel and selicha (forgiveness) of chatta’im (averos, sins).

32 "And we are the eidus (witness) of these matters and so is the Ruach Hakodesh whom Hashem gave to the ones obeying Him."

33 And the ones having heard were cut to the quick and in fury were deciding to do away with them.

34 But a certain Parush got up in the Sanhedrin, a moreh of Torah by name Rabban Gamli’el, respected by kol Am Yisroel, and he gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.

35 And Rabban Gamli’el said to them, "Anshei Yisroel, pay attention to yourselves what you are about to do with these anashim.

36 "For at an earlier tekufa (era, period), there was the uprising of Theudas, who claimed to be somebody himself, with whom were associated a number of anashim lav davka (approximately) four hundred; who was done away with and as many as were obeying him were all dispersed and it came to nothing.

37 "After this there was Yehudah HaGelili in the yamim of the census; who misled the people to follow after him and that man perished and, as many as were obeying him, were all scattered.

38 "And now I say to you, stay away from these anashim, and leave them alone, because if this cheshbon (plan) or this matter is of Bnei Adam, it will be overthrown.

39 "But if it is from Hashem, you are not able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found to be fighting keneged (against, opposing) Hashem." And they were persuaded by Rabban Gamli’el. [2Ch 13:12; Prov 21:30; Isa 46:10]

40 And having called together the Moshiach’s Shluchim and having flogged them, they warned them not to speak in the shem of Yehoshua, and they released them.

41 Therefore Moshiach’s Shluchim were going rejoicing from the presence of the Sanhedrin, that they were considered worthy to suffer shame for ha-Shem (the Name).

42 And every day in the Beis Hamikdash and from bais to bais they did not stop saying shiurim and drashot about Yehoshua as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.