The Early Church

For doutlesse, against thine holy Sonne Iesus, whome thou haddest anoynted, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together,

To doe whatsoeuer thine hand, and thy counsell had determined before to be done.

And nowe, O Lord, beholde their threatnings, and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speake thy word,

So that thou stretch forth thine hand, that healing, and signes, and wonders may be done by the Name of thine holy Sonne Iesus.

And when as they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God boldely.

And the multitude of them that beleeued, were of one heart, and of one soule: neither any of them said, that any thing of that which he possessed, was his owne, but they had all thinges common.

And with great power gaue the Apostles witnes of the resurrection of the Lord Iesus: and great grace was vpon them all.

Neither was there any among them, that lacked: for as many as were possessours of landes or houses, solde them, and brought the price of the things that were solde,

And layde it downe at the Apostles feete, and it was distributed vnto euery man, according as he had neede.

Also Ioses which was called of the Apostles, Barnabas (that is by interpretation the sonne of consolation) being a Leuite, and of the countrey of Cyprus,

Where as he had land, solde it, and brought the money, and laid it downe at the Apostles feete.

But a certaine man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, solde a possession,

And kept away part of the price, his wife also being of counsell, and brought a certaine part, and layde it downe at the Apostles feete.

Then saide Peter, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy Ghost, and keepe away part of the price of this possession?

Whiles it remained, appertained it not vnto thee? and after it was solde, was it not in thine owne power? howe is it that thou hast conceiued this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lyed vnto men, but vnto God.

Now when Ananias heard these wordes, he fell downe, and gaue vp the ghost. Then great feare came on all them that heard these things.

And the yong men rose vp, and tooke him vp, and caried him out, and buried him.

And it came to passe about the space of three houres after, that his wife came in, ignorant of that which was done.

And Peter sayd vnto her, Tell me, solde ye the land for so much? And she sayd, Yea, for so much.

Then Peter sayde vnto her, Why haue ye agreed together, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? beholde, the feete of them which haue buried thine husband, are at the doore, and shall carie thee out.

Then she fell downe straightway at his feete, and yeelded vp the ghost: and the yong men came in, and found her dead, and caried her out, and buried her by her husband.

And great feare came on all the Church, and on as many as heard these things.

Thus by the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders shewed among the people (and they were all with one accorde in Salomons porche.

And of the other durst no man ioyne him selfe to them: neuerthelesse the people magnified them.

Also the number of them that beleeued in the Lord, both of men and women, grewe more and more)