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
Complete Jewish Bible
5 But there was a man named Hananyah who, with his wife Shappirah, sold some property 2 and, with his wife’s knowledge, withheld some of the proceeds for himself; although he did bring the rest to the emissaries. 3 Then Kefa said, “Why has the Adversary so filled your heart that you lie to the Ruach HaKodesh and keep back some of the money you received for the land? 4 Before you sold it, the property was yours; and after you sold it, the money was yours to use as you pleased. So what made you decide to do such a thing? You have lied not to human beings but to God!”
5 On hearing these words, Hananyah fell down dead; and everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 The young men got up, wrapped his body in a shroud, carried him out and buried him.
7 Some three hours later, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. 8 Kefa challenged her: “Tell me, is it true that you sold the land for such-and-such a price?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is what we were paid for it.” 9 But Kefa came back at her, “Then why did you people plot to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The men who buried your husband are at the door. They will carry you out too!” 10 Instantly she collapsed at his feet and died. The young men entered, found her there dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 As a result of this, great fear came over the whole Messianic community, and indeed over everyone who heard about it.
12 Meanwhile, through the emissaries many signs and miracles continued to be done among the people. United in mind and purpose, the believers met in Shlomo’s Colonnade; 13 and no one else dared to join them. Nevertheless, the people continued to regard them highly; 14 and throngs of believers were added to the Lord, both men and women. 15 They went so far as to bring the sick into the streets and lay them on mattresses and stretchers, so that at least Kefa’s shadow might fall on them as he passed by. 16 Crowds also gathered from the towns around Yerushalayim, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits; and every one of them was healed.
17 But the cohen hagadol and his associates, who were members of the party of the Tz’dukim, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the emissaries and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night, an angel of Adonai opened the doors of the prison, led them out and said, 20 “Go, stand in the Temple court and keep telling the people all about this new life!” 21 After hearing that, they entered the Temple area about dawn and began to teach.
Now the cohen hagadol and his associates came and called a meeting of the Sanhedrin (that is, of Isra’el’s whole assembly of elders) and sent to the jail to have them brought. 22 But the officers who went did not find them in the prison. So they returned and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened it, we found no one inside!” 24 When the captain of the Temple police and the head cohanim heard these things, they were puzzled and wondered what would happen next.
25 Then someone came and reported to them, “Listen! The men you ordered put in prison are standing in the Temple court, teaching the people!” 26 The captain and his officers went and brought them, but not with force; because they were afraid of being stoned by the people. 27 They conducted them to the Sanhedrin, where the cohen hagadol demanded of them, 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name! Look here! you have filled Yerushalayim with your teaching; moreover, you are determined to make us responsible for this man’s death!”
29 Kefa and the other emissaries answered, “We must obey God, not men. 30 The God of our fathers[a] raised up Yeshua, whereas you men killed him by having him hanged on a stake.[b] 31 God has exalted this man at his right hand[c] as Ruler and Savior, in order to enable Isra’el to do t’shuvah and have her sins forgiven. 32 We are witnesses to these things; so is the Ruach HaKodesh, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were infuriated and wanted to put the emissaries to death. 34 But one of the members of the Sanhedrin rose to his feet, a Parush named Gamli’el, a teacher of the Torah highly respected by all the people. He ordered the men put outside for a little while 35 and then addressed the court: “Men of Isra’el, take care what you do to these people. 36 Some time ago, there was a rebellion under Todah, who claimed to be somebody special; and a number of men, maybe four hundred, rallied behind him. But upon his being put to death, his whole following was broken up and came to nothing. 37 After this, Y’hudah HaG’lili led another uprising, back at the time of the enrollment for the Roman tax; and he got some people to defect to him. But he was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 So in the present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these people, but to leave them alone. For if this idea or this movement has a human origin, it will collapse. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them; you might even find yourselves fighting God!”
They heeded his advice. 40 After summoning the emissaries and flogging them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Yeshua, and let them go. 41 The emissaries left the Sanhedrin overjoyed at having been considered worthy of suffering disgrace on account of him. 42 And not for a single day, either in the Temple court or in private homes, did they stop teaching and proclaiming the Good News that Yeshua is the Messiah.
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Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.