Acts 5:9

Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband [are] at the door, and shall carry thee out.

Then {G1161} Peter {G4074} said {G2036} unto {G4314} her {G846}, How {G5101} is it that {G3754} ye {G5213} have agreed together {G4856} to tempt {G3985} the Spirit {G4151} of the Lord {G2962}? behold {G2400}, the feet {G4228} of them which have buried {G2290} thy {G4675} husband {G435} are at {G1909} the door {G2374}, and {G2532} shall carry {G1627} thee {G4571} out {G1627}.

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!”

“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.

Context

This verse immediately follows the dramatic death of Ananias, Sapphira's husband, who had also lied to the apostles and the Holy Spirit about the proceeds from selling a property (Acts 5:1-8). Peter confronts Sapphira, giving her an opportunity to confess, but she perpetuates the same lie. The early church was characterized by a profound sense of unity and communal sharing, where believers laid their possessions at the apostles' feet (Acts 4:34-35). This act of deception by Ananias and Sapphira was not merely financial fraud but a profound betrayal of trust and a direct affront to the Holy Spirit operating powerfully within the nascent Christian community.

Key Themes

  • The Gravity of Sin Against the Holy Spirit: Peter's question, "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" underscores the immense seriousness of their sin. It wasn't just lying to men, but to God himself, specifically the Holy Spirit, who was actively present and unifying the early believers. This act was a direct challenge to God's authority and omniscience, a deliberate testing of His patience and power.
  • Divine Judgment and Church Purity: The swift and fatal judgment on Ananias and Sapphira served as a stark warning to the early church, emphasizing God's holiness and His demand for integrity among His people. This event established a powerful precedent for purity and reverence within the community, ensuring that the church's foundation was built on truth and genuine commitment, not hypocrisy.
  • Shared Culpability: The phrase "ye have agreed together" highlights that Sapphira was a willing and active participant in the deception, not an innocent bystander or coerced party. Both husband and wife conspired to defraud the community and, more importantly, to test the patience and power of God, leading to shared severe consequences.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "tempt" (peirazō) used here implies testing, trying, or putting to the proof. In this context, it means to challenge God's patience or knowledge, to see if He would know or act upon their deception. It's a dangerous presumption, akin to putting God to the test, as seen in various instances in the Old Testament where Israel 'tempted' the Lord (Exodus 17:7). This act was not a moment of weakness but a deliberate, agreed-upon scheme to deceive the Holy Spirit.

Practical Application

Acts 5:9 serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of honesty and integrity before God and within the Christian community. While immediate physical death is not the typical consequence of lying today, the principle remains: God takes sin seriously, especially deception and hypocrisy within His church. This passage underscores the truth that God sees beyond outward appearances and knows the intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:13). Believers are called to live lives of transparency and truthfulness, honoring the Holy Spirit who dwells within them (1 Corinthians 6:19). This passage encourages genuine commitment and warns against any form of pretense or spiritual compromise in our walk with God and fellow believers.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:9

    Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

  • Acts 5:3

    But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land?

  • Acts 5:4

    Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

  • Psalms 95:8

    Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, [and] as [in] the day of temptation in the wilderness:

  • Psalms 95:11

    Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

  • Psalms 78:56

    Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

  • Psalms 78:40

    ¶ How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, [and] grieve him in the desert!

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