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Acts 5

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Ananias and Sapphira Lie to the Holy Spirit 1–11

1
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, ​
2
and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? ​
4
While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. ​
5
And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it. ​
6
And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
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And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.
9
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. ​
10
And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
11
And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things. ​

Apostolic Signs and Church Growth 12–16

12
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people: and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. ​
13
But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them; ​
14
and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women:
15
insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them. ​
16
And there also came together the multitude from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Apostles Arrested and Miraculously Freed 17–28

17
But the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, ​
18
and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward.
19
But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said, ​
20
Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life. ​
21
And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.
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But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told,
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saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
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Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow.
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And there came one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people.
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Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.
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And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,
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saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. ​

Obedience to God, Not Men 29–42

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But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men. ​
30
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. ​
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Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. ​
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And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
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But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were minded to slay them.
34
But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while. ​
35
And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.
36
For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nought. ​
37
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
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And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown:
39
but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God. ​
40
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41
They therefore departed from 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 ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 5

Verse 1

Ananias, with Sapphira his wife — The account follows Barnabas, who, 'Having land, sold it, and brought the money' to the apostles (4:37). The couple do the same outwardly: they 'sold a possession' (ktema, property) and laid part of the money at the apostles' feet (v.2). What differs is told in vv.3–4: part of the price was kept back, and a lie was told.

Verse 3

why hath Satan filled thine heart — 'Keep back' is nosphizomai, to set aside for oneself; elsewhere only in v.2 and Titus 2:10, 'Not purloining'. 'Lie to the Holy Ghost' is put in v.4 as 'not lied unto men, but unto God', so the Holy Ghost is named as God. Compare John 13:27, 'Satan entered into him'.

Verse 4

in thine own power — Exousia, authority: before and after the sale the property and the money were Ananias's to command, and nothing compelled the gift. 'Conceived' is tithemi, to set or place: 'why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?' Peter judges the pretence, 'thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God'.

Verse 5

gave up the ghost — Ekpsycho, to breathe out; it occurs only here, at v.10, and in Acts 12:23 of Herod. 'Great fear' came on all who heard. The sentence at the opening of the church's common life recalls Lev 10:1–3, when fire from the LORD fell on Nadab and Abihu: 'I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me.'

Verse 9

tempt the Spirit of the Lord — 'Agreed together' is symphoneo, to be of one voice: both were party to it. 'Tempt' is peirazo, to put to the test. Israel 'tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?' at Massah (Ex 17:7), and the command is 'Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God' (Deut 6:16). 'The Spirit of the Lord' is the 'Holy Ghost' of v.3.

Verse 11

great fear came upon all the church — Ekklesia, an assembly, from ek, out of, and kaleo, to call; Stephen uses it of Israel gathered at Sinai, 'the church in the wilderness' (Acts 7:38). The fear of v.5 now falls on the whole assembly 'and upon as many as heard these things'.

Verse 12

Solomon's porch — Stoa, a roofed colonnade in the temple precinct. The healed man held Peter and John 'in the porch that is called Solomon's' (Acts 3:11), and Jesus 'walked in the temple in Solomon's porch' (John 10:23). 'Signs and wonders' (semeia, terata) are God's witness to the apostles (Heb 2:4).

Verse 13

durst no man join himself to them — Kollao, to glue to; tolmao, to dare. The fear of vv.5 and 11 held back the rest, though 'the people magnified them' (megalyno, to make great, as 'the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified', Acts 19:17). Verse 14 adds 'believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women'.

Verse 15

the shadow of Peter … might overshadow — Episkiazo, to overshadow: the verb of Luke 1:35, 'the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee', and of the cloud at the transfiguration (Luke 9:34). The text gives the hope ('that at the least … might overshadow some of them') and the result in v.16: 'they were healed every one'.

Verse 17

the sect of the Sadducees — Hairesis, a party; the word is used of 'the sect of the Pharisees' (Acts 15:5) and 'the sect of the Nazarenes' (Acts 24:5). 'Indignation' is zelos, zeal, 'envy' at Acts 13:45. The Sadducees had been 'grieved that they … preached through Jesus the resurrection' (4:2), and 'say that there is no resurrection' (Acts 23:8).

Verse 19

the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors — The apostles had been put 'in the common prison' (v.18). 'Opened' is anoigo; a second deliverance is told in Acts 12:7–11, where Peter says 'the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me'. Compare Ps 34:7, 'The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.'

Verse 20

all the words of this life — 'Words' is rhema, spoken things; 'life' is zoe. Peter had said to Christ, 'thou hast the words of eternal life' (John 6:68). The angel sends them back to 'the temple' (hieron, the whole sacred precinct), the place of the council's opposition, to 'stand and speak … to the people'.

Verse 28

ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine — The prohibition came in 4:18, 'not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus'; here 'straitly command' doubles the root (parangello, parangelia). The council says 'this name' and 'this man's blood', echoing Matt 27:25, 'His blood be on us, and on our children'.

Verse 29

We ought to obey God rather than men — Peitharcheo, to obey one in authority, the verb of Acts 5:32 and Acts 27:21; Titus 3:1 uses it of rulers, 'to obey magistrates'. The apostles had put the same question in 4:19: 'Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.' 'Ought' is dei, it is necessary.

Verse 30

hanged on a tree — Xylon, wood, a tree. The law said 'he that is hanged is accursed of God' (Deut 21:23); Paul applies it, 'Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us' (Gal 3:13), and Peter writes of Christ's own body 'on the tree' (1 Pet 2:24). 'Slew' is diacheirizomai, to lay hands on, found only here and in Acts 26:21.

Verse 31

a Prince and a Saviour — Archegos, leader or founder, found only four times: here, 'the Prince of life' (Acts 3:15), 'the captain of their salvation' (Heb 2:10) and 'the author … of our faith' (Heb 12:2). Repentance is a gift he gives (didomi), as in Acts 11:18, 'granted repentance unto life'. He was exalted 'with his right hand' (cf. Acts 2:33).

Verse 34

Gamaliel, a doctor of the law — Nomodidaskalos, a teacher of the law, a word found only here, in Luke 5:17 and in 1 Tim 1:7. 'Had in reputation' is timios, honoured. Paul later says he was 'brought up … at the feet of Gamaliel' (Acts 22:3). The apostles are sent out 'a little space' while the council, the synedrion, deliberates.

Verse 36

Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody — Theudas is named only here in Scripture. 'Joined themselves' is proskollao, to glue to, the verb of a man cleaving to his wife (Matt 19:5), from the family of the 'join himself' of v.13. The movement ended: slain, 'scattered' (dialyo, dissolved), 'brought to nought'. Judas of Galilee follows in v.37.

Verse 39

fight against God — One Greek word, theomachos, found only here. 'Overthrow' is katalyo, to loosen down. The council 'agreed' (v.40), though they beat the apostles first. 'There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD' (Prov 21:30); Stephen tells the council, 'ye do always resist the Holy Ghost' (Acts 7:51).

Verse 41

counted worthy to suffer shame for his name — Kataxioo, to deem worthy, with atimazo, to dishonour: counted worthy to be dishonoured. The word of Luke 6:22–23 comes true: 'Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy.' They had just been beaten (v.40) and 'rejoicing' (chairo) is their response; 'his name' is the name they were forbidden to teach.

Verse 42

in every house — Kat' oikon, house by house, the phrase of 'breaking bread from house to house' (Acts 2:46) and Paul's 'publickly, and from house to house' (Acts 20:20). Their work has two parts: 'teach' (didasko) and 'preach' (euangelizo), as Philip 'preached unto him Jesus' (Acts 8:35). The temple remains the daily public place.