And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried [him] out, and buried [him].
And {G1161} the young men {G3501} arose {G450}, wound {G4958} him {G846} up {G4958}, and {G2532} carried him out {G1627}, and buried {G2290} him.
The young men got up, wrapped his body in a shroud, carried him out and buried him.
Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
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John 19:40
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. -
Leviticus 10:4
And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. -
Leviticus 10:6
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled. -
Deuteronomy 21:23
His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged [is] accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance. -
2 Samuel 18:17
And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
Acts 5:6 details the swift handling of Ananias's body after his sudden, divinely-ordained death. This verse is a concise but impactful part of a sobering narrative in the early church, highlighting the immediate and severe consequences of hypocrisy and deceit before God.
Context of Acts 5:6
This verse immediately follows the dramatic moment when Ananias falls down dead after being confronted by Peter. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, had conspired to defraud the early Christian community by selling property and pretending to donate the full proceeds while secretly keeping back a portion. Peter's rebuke was clear: Ananias had not lied to men but to God (Acts 5:4). The "young men" mentioned here were likely able-bodied members of the nascent Christian fellowship, tasked with the practical duty of preparing and carrying out the body for burial. Their prompt action underscores the finality and immediate impact of God's judgment in this foundational event for the church.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "young men" translates the Greek word neōteroi (νεώτεροι), which refers to younger, able-bodied individuals. It does not necessarily denote a specific official group or role within the early church, but rather those capable of performing such a task. The phrase "wound him up" translates the Greek synesteilan (συνέστειλαν), meaning to wrap up or prepare for burial. This would involve wrapping the body in grave clothes, a customary practice in ancient Jewish burials, often with spices, as seen with Jesus' burial in John 19:40.
Practical Application
Acts 5:6, read within the broader context of Ananias and Sapphira, continues to offer vital lessons for believers today: