Acts 5
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Ananias And Sapphira Sell a Property, But Deceive The Church About Their Generosity
5 But a certain man, Ananias by name, along with his wife Sapphira, sold property. 2 And he kept-back[a] some of the proceeds, his wife also having shared-the-knowledge. And having brought a certain part of it, he laid it at the feet of the apostles. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, for what reason did Satan fill your heart that you should lie-to the Holy Spirit and keep-back some of the proceeds of the land? 4 While remaining unsold, was it not remaining yours? And having been sold, was it not within your authority? Why is it that you put this thing in your heart? You did not lie to people, but to God”. 5 And Ananias, hearing these words, having fallen-down, expired. And great fear came upon all the ones hearing it. 6 And having arisen, the younger men wrapped him up. And having carried him out, they buried him. 7 Now an interval of about three hours took place, and his wife came in— not knowing the thing having happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you[b] two sold the land for so much?” And the one said, “Yes, for so much”. 9 And Peter said to her, “Why is it that it was agreed by you two to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold— the feet of the ones having buried your husband are at the door. And they will carry you out”. 10 And she fell at-once at his feet, and expired. And having come in, the young-men found her dead. And having carried her out, they buried her with her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all the ones hearing-of these things.
The Apostles Continue To Speak And Do Miracles. Multitudes Believe. Many Are Healed
12 Now many signs and wonders were taking place through the hands of the apostles among the people. And they were all with-one-accord in the portico[c] of Solomon. 13 But none of the rest[d] was daring to join[e] them, yet the people were magnifying them. 14 And more people believing in the Lord[f] were being added— multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they were even bringing-out the sick into the wide-roads and putting them on little-beds and cots, in order that while Peter was coming, if-even[g] his shadow might overshadow one of them. 16 And the multitude from the cities around Jerusalem was also coming-together, bringing sick ones and ones being troubled by unclean spirits, who all were being cured.
The Jewish Leaders Jail The Apostles Again, But an Angel Lets Them Out
17 And having arisen, the high priest and all the ones with him— the sect[h] of the Sadducees existing there— were filled with jealousy. 18 And they put their hands on the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord— having opened the doors of the prison during the night, and having led them out— said, 20 “Go! And having stood, be speaking in the temple to the people all the words of this life”. 21 And having heard, they entered into the temple at dawn[i] and were teaching.
The Apostles Are Found In The Temple, And Are Brought Before The Sanhedrin
And having arrived, the high priest and the ones with him called together the Sanhedrin— even the whole council-of-elders of the sons of Israel. And they sent-out officers to the jailhouse that they might be brought. 22 But having arrived, the officers did not find them in the prison. And having returned, they reported, 23 saying that “We found the jailhouse having been locked with all security, and the guards standing at the doors. But having opened, we found no one inside”. 24 And when both the captain of the temple [guard] and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly-perplexed about them as to what this would become. 25 But having arrived, someone reported to them that “Behold— the men whom you put in the prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people”. 26 Then the captain, having gone away with the officers, was bringing them— not with violence (for they were fearing the people, that they might be stoned).
Peter Responds: God Raised Jesus As The Savior of Israel. We Are Witnesses
27 And having brought them, they stood them in the council[j] [chamber]. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “Did we not command you with a command not to be teaching on the basis of this name? And behold— you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. And you intend[k] to bring the blood of this man upon us”. 29 But having responded, Peter and the apostles said, “It-is-necessary to obey God rather than people. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus— Whom you murdered, having hung Him on a cross. 31 God exalted this One to His right hand as Leader[l] and Savior, that He might grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses of these things. And so is the Holy Spirit, Whom God gave to the ones obeying Him”. 33 And the ones having heard it were infuriated, and were intending to kill them.
Gamaliel Advises a Wait-And-See Approach. The Apostles Are Beaten And Released
34 But having stood up, a certain Pharisee in the Sanhedrin— Gamaliel by name, a Law-teacher honored by all the people— gave-orders to make the men be outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men, Israelites, take heed to yourselves as to what you are about to do to these men. 36 For before these days, Theudas arose saying that he was somebody, with whom a number of men joined-up (about four-hundred)— who was killed. And all who were being persuaded[m] by him were dispersed, and they became nothing. 37 After this one, Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the registration[n] and drew-away a group-of-people after him. That one also perished, and all who were being persuaded by him were scattered. 38 And as to the things now, I say to you, draw-away from these men and leave them alone. Because if this plan or this work should be from humans, it will be overthrown[o]; 39 but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them— that you indeed may not perhaps be found to be fighting-against-God”. And they were persuaded by him. 40 And having summoned the apostles, having beaten them, they commanded them not to be speaking on the basis of the name of Jesus, and released them.
The Apostles Rejoice In Their Mistreatment, And Continue Proclaiming Jesus As Messiah
41 So indeed the ones were going from the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they were considered-worthy to be dishonored for the[p] Name. 42 And every day, in the temple and house by house, they were not ceasing teaching and announcing-the-good-news as to Jesus, the Christ[q].
Footnotes
- Acts 5:2 Or, removed for himself; pilfered (from the donation he had announced).
- Acts 5:8 This word is plural.
- Acts 5:12 That is, the covered colonnade in the temple where people gathered. In other words, the apostles were publicly violating the command in 4:18.
- Acts 5:13 Or, the others. That is, the rest of the people not coming for the signs and wonders; or, the other believers, who did not dare to publicly defy the Jewish leaders in this way.
- Acts 5:13 Or, associate with.
- Acts 5:14 Or, believing were being added to the Lord.
- Acts 5:15 This expresses the people’s hope of being healed.
- Acts 5:17 Or, faction, party.
- Acts 5:21 The apostles were there when the gates opened.
- Acts 5:27 Or, among the Sanhedrin.
- Acts 5:28 Or, you are determined, you want.
- Acts 5:31 Or, Prince, not in the sense of royalty, but in the sense of ‘leader’. Jesus is our leader, not you.
- Acts 5:36 Or, were obeying him.
- Acts 5:37 Or, census. This may refer to the census around a.d. 6 after Judea was put under Roman rule.
- Acts 5:38 Since Jesus has been killed, like Theudas and Judas, His followers will soon be scattered as theirs were.
- Acts 5:41 Or, His.
- Acts 5:42 Or, as to Christ Jesus; or, of Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 5
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Ananias and Sapphira
5 But a man named Anani′as with his wife Sapphi′ra sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Anani′as, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 When Anani′as heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church,[a] and upon all who heard of these things.
The Apostles Heal Many
12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
The Apostles Are Persecuted
17 But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sad′ducees, and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”[b] 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and taught.
Now the high priest came and those who were with him and called together the council and all the senate of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, and they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the sentries standing at the doors, but when we opened it we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And some one came and told them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gama′li-el,[c] a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you do with these men. 36 For before these days Theu′das arose, giving himself out to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was slain and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”
40 So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.