Acts 5
Easy-to-Read Version
Ananias and Sapphira
5 There was a man named Ananias. His wife’s name was Sapphira. Ananias sold some land he had, 2 but he gave only part of the money to the apostles. He secretly kept some of the money for himself. His wife knew this, and she agreed with it.
3 Peter said, “Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your mind with such an idea? You kept part of the money for yourself and lied about it to the Holy Spirit! 4 Before you sold the field, it belonged to you, right? And even after you sold it, you could have used the money any way you wanted. How could you even think of doing such a thing? You lied to God, not to us!”
5-6 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. Some young men came and wrapped his body. They carried it out and buried it. And everyone who heard about this was filled with fear.
7 About three hours later his wife came in. Sapphira did not know about what had happened to her husband. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me how much money you got for your field. Was it this much?”
Sapphira answered, “Yes, that was all we got for the field.”
9 Peter said to her, “Why did you and your husband agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! Do you hear those footsteps? The men who buried your husband are at the door. They will carry you out in the same way.” 10 At that moment Sapphira fell down by his 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 The whole church and all the other people who heard about this were filled with fear.
Proofs From God
12 The apostles were given the power to do many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. They were together in Solomon’s Porch, and they all had the same purpose. 13 None of the other people dared to stand with the apostles, but everyone was saying wonderful things about them. 14 More and more people believed in the Lord, and many men and women were added to the group of believers. 15 So the people brought those who were sick into the streets and put them on little beds and mats. They were hoping that Peter’s shadow might fall on them as he walked by. 16 People came from all the towns around Jerusalem. They brought those who were sick or troubled by evil spirits. All of them were healed.
The Apostles Are Arrested
17 The high priest and all his friends, a group called the Sadducees, became very jealous. 18 They grabbed the apostles and put them in jail. 19 But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail. The angel led the apostles outside and said, 20 “Go and stand in the Temple area. Tell the people everything about this new life.” 21 When the apostles heard this, they did what they were told. They went into the Temple area about sunrise and began to teach the people.
The high priest and his friends came together and called a meeting of the high council and all the older Jewish leaders. They sent some men to the jail to bring the apostles to them. 22 When the men went to the jail, they could not find the apostles there. So they went back and told the Jewish leaders about this. 23 They said, “The jail was closed and locked. The guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors, the jail was empty!” 24 The captain of the Temple guards and the leading priests heard this. They were confused and wondered what it all meant.
25 Then another man came and told them, “Listen! The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple area teaching the people.” 26 The captain and his men went out and brought the apostles back. But the soldiers did not use force, because they were afraid of the people. They were afraid the people would stone them to death.
27 The soldiers brought the apostles in and made them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them. 28 He said, “We told you never again to teach using that name.[a] But look at what you have done! You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. And you are trying to blame us for his death.”
29 Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God, not you! 30 You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But God, the same God our fathers had, raised Jesus up from death. 31 Jesus is the one God honored by giving him a place at his right side. He made him our Leader and Savior. God did this to give all the people of Israel the opportunity to change and turn to God to have their sins forgiven. 32 We saw all these things happen, and we can say that they are true. The Holy Spirit also shows that these things are true. God has given this Spirit to all those who obey him.”
33 When the council members heard this, they became very angry. They began to plan a way to kill the apostles. 34 But one member of the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, stood up. He was a teacher of the law, and all the people respected him. He told the men to make the apostles leave the meeting for a few minutes. 35 Then he said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful of what you are planning to do to these men. 36 Remember when Theudas appeared? He said he was an important man, and about 400 men joined him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were scattered and ran away. They were not able to do anything. 37 Later, during the time of the census, a man named Judas came from Galilee. Many people joined his group, but he was also killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 And so now I tell you, stay away from these men. Leave them alone. If their plan is something they thought up, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You might even be fighting against God himself!”
The Jewish leaders agreed with what Gamaliel said. 40 They called the apostles in again. They beat them and told them not to speak anymore using the name of Jesus. Then they let them go free. 41 The apostles left the council meeting. They were happy because they were given the honor of suffering dishonor for Jesus. 42 The apostles did not stop teaching the people. They continued to tell the Good News—that Jesus is the Messiah. They did this every day in the Temple area and in people’s homes.
Footnotes
- Acts 5:28 that name That is, Jesus’ name. The Jewish leaders avoided saying his name. See Acts 4:17, 18.
Acts 5
Amplified Bible
Fate of Ananias and Sapphira
5 Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s full knowledge [and complicity] he kept back some of the proceeds, bringing only a [a]portion of it, and set it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and [secretly] keep back for yourself some of the proceeds [from the sale] of the land? 4 As long as it remained [unsold], did it not remain your own [to do with as you pleased]? And after it was sold, was the money not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this act [of hypocrisy and deceit] in your heart? You have not [simply] lied to people, but to God.” 5 And hearing these words, Ananias fell down suddenly and died; and great fear and awe gripped those who heard of it. 6 And the young men [in the congregation] got up and wrapped up the body, and carried it out and buried it.
7 Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me whether you sold your land for so much?” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “How could you two have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 And at once she fell down at his feet and died; and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear and awe gripped the whole church, and all who heard about these things.
12 At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders (attesting miracles) were continually taking place among the people. And by common consent they all met together [at the temple] in [the covered porch called] Solomon’s portico. 13 But none of the rest [of the people, the non-believers] dared to associate with them; however, the people were holding them in high esteem and were speaking highly of them. 14 More and more believers in the Lord, crowds of men and women, were constantly being added to their number, 15 to such an extent that they even carried their sick out into the streets and put them on cots and sleeping pads, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on one of them [with healing power]. 16 And the people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.
Imprisonment and Release
17 But the [b]high priest stood up, along with all his associates (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy and resentment. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in a public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, and leading them out, he said, 20 “Go, stand and continue to tell the people in the temple [courtyards] the whole message of this Life [the eternal life revealed by Christ and found through faith in Him].” 21 When they heard this, they went into the temple [courtyards] about daybreak and began teaching.
Now when the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), even all the council of elders of the sons of Israel, and sent word to the prison for the apostles to be brought [before them]. 22 But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison; and they came back and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened [the doors], we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these things, they were greatly perplexed, wondering what would come of this. 25 But someone came and told them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing [right here] in the temple [area], teaching the people!” 26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them back, without hurting them (because they were afraid of the people, worried that they might be stoned).
27 So they brought them and presented them before the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court). The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this [c]Man’s blood on us [by accusing us as His murderers].” 29 Then Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men [we have no other choice]. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a [d]cross [and you are responsible].(A) 31 God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior and Deliverer, in order to grant repentance to Israel, and [to grant] forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has bestowed on those who obey Him.”
Gamaliel’s Counsel
33 Now when they heard this, they were infuriated and they intended to kill the apostles. 34 But a Pharisee named [e]Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law [of Moses], highly esteemed by all the people, stood up in the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) and ordered that the men be taken outside for a little while. 35 Then he said to the Council, “Men of Israel, be careful in regard to what you propose to do to these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody [of importance], and a group of about four hundred men allied themselves with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up, [and led an uprising] during the time of the census, and drew people after him; he was also killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men [merely human in origin], it will fail and be destroyed; 39 but if it is of God [and it appears that it is], you will not be able to stop them; or else you may even be found fighting against God!”
40 The Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) took his advice; and after summoning the apostles, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them. 41 So they left the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy [dignified by indignity] to suffer shame for [the sake of] His name. 42 And every single day, in the temple [area] and in homes, they did not stop teaching and telling the good news of Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).
Footnotes
- Acts 5:2 Ananias wanted everyone to think that he had turned over all the money from the sale, so secretly holding some back was essentially embezzling. If he had been honest and told Peter that he had kept some of the money, he would have done nothing wrong.
- Acts 5:17 This may refer to either Caiaphas (the official high priest) or his father-in-law, Annas (the de facto high priest). See note 4:6.
- Acts 5:28 The reason the Council members refused to refer to Jesus by name is unclear, but may indicate contempt, guilt, or perhaps fear.
- Acts 5:30 Lit wood.
- Acts 5:34 Saul of Tarsus, later known as the apostle Paul, was among Gamaliel’s students. See 22:3.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
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