The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 5 -

Now there was one of the believers whose name was Ananias, and whose wife’s name was Sapphira. He also sold some land.

He kept for himself some of the money he had received for the land, and his wife knew that he had done that. Then he brought the rest of the money and presented it to the apostles.

Then Peter said, “Ananias, you let Satan completely control you so that you tried to deceive the Holy Spirit. Why did you do such a terrible thing? You have kept for yourself some of the money you received for selling the land. You did not give us all of it.

Before you sold that land, you truly owned it. And after you sold it, the money was still yours. So why did you ever think about doing this wicked thing? You were not trying to deceive only us! No, you tried to deceive God himself!”

When Ananias heard these words, immediately he fell down dead. And all who heard about Ananias’ death became terrified.

Some young men came forward, wrapped his body in a sheet, and carried it out and buried it.

About three hours later, his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened.

Then Peter showed her the money that Ananias had brought and asked her, “Tell me, is this the amount of money you two received for the land you sold?” She said, “Yes, that is what we received.”

So Peter said to her, “You both did a terrible thing! You two agreed to try to deceive the Spirit of the Lord! Listen! Do you hear the footsteps of the men who buried your husband? They are right outside this door, and they will carry you out, too!”

Immediately Sapphira fell down dead at Peter’s feet. Then the young men came in. When they saw that she was dead too, they carried her body out and buried it beside her husband’s body.

All the believers in Jerusalem became greatly frightened because of what God had done to Ananias and Sapphira. And everyone else who heard about these things also became greatly frightened.

The Apostles Heal Many

God was enabling the apostles to do many amazing miracles that showed the truth of what they were preaching among the people. All the believers were meeting together regularly in the temple courtyard at the place called Solomon’s Porch.

All of the other people who had not believed in Jesus were afraid to be with the believers. However, those people continued to greatly respect the believers.

Many more men and women started believing in the Lord Jesus, and they joined the group of believers.

As a result, people were bringing those who were sick into the streets and laying them on stretchers and mats, in order that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them and heal them.

Large crowds of people were also coming to the apostles from the towns near Jerusalem. They were bringing the sick and those who were being tormented by evil spirits, and God healed all of them.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

Then the high priest and all who were with him, they were all members of the Sadducee group, became very jealous of the apostles.

So they commanded the temple guards to arrest the apostles and to put them in the public jail.

But during the night an angel from Lord God opened the jail doors and brought the apostles outside. Then the angel said

to the apostles, “Go to the temple courtyard, stand there, and tell the people all this message of eternal life.”

After hearing this, the apostles entered the temple courtyard about dawn and began to teach the people again about Jesus. Meanwhile, the high priest and those who were with him summoned the other Jewish council members. Together they were all the leaders of Israel. After they had gathered together, they sent guards to the jail to bring in the apostles.

But when the guards arrived at the jail, they discovered that the apostles were not there. So they returned to the council and reported,

“We saw that the jail doors were very securely locked, and the guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors and went in to get those men, none of them was inside the jail.”

The Apostles before the Sanhedrin

When the captain of the temple guards and the chief priests heard that, they became greatly confused, and they wondered where all these events would lead.

Then someone came and reported to them, “Listen to this! Right now the men whom you put in jail are standing in the temple courtyard, and they are teaching the people!”

So the captain of the temple guards went to the temple courtyard with the officers, and they brought the apostles back to the council room. But they did not treat them roughly, because they were afraid that the people would kill them by throwing stones at them.

After the captain and his officers had brought the apostles to the council room, they commanded them to stand in front of the council members, and the high priest questioned them.

He said to them, “We commanded you not to teach people about that man Jesus! But you have disobeyed us, and you have taught people all over Jerusalem about him! Furthermore, you are trying to make it seem that we are the ones who are guilty for that man’s death!”

But Peter, speaking for himself and the other apostles, replied, “We have to obey what God commands us to do, not what you people tell us to do!

You are the ones who killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross! But God, whom our ancestors worshiped, caused Jesus to become alive again after he died.

God has honored Jesus more than anyone. He has made him the one to save us and rule over us. He has allowed us Israelites to stop sinning, so that he might forgive us for our sins.

We tell people about these things that we know happened to Jesus. The Holy Spirit, whom God has sent to us who obey him, is also confirming that these things are true.”

Gamaliel’s Advice

When the council members heard this, they became very angry with the apostles, and they wanted to kill them.

But there was a council member named Gamaliel. He was a member of the Pharisee group. He taught people the Jewish laws, and all the Jewish people respected him. He stood up in the council and told the guards to take the apostles out of the room for a short time.

After the guards had taken the apostles out, he said to the other council members, “Fellow Israelites, you must think carefully about what you want to do to these men.

Some years ago a man named Theudas rebelled against the government. He told people that he was an important person, and about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed, and all those who had been accompanying him were scattered. So they were not able to do anything that they had planned.

After that, during the time when they were writing down names of the people in order to tax them, a man named Judas from the region of Galilee rebelled and persuaded some people to follow him. But he was killed, too, and all those who had accompanied him went off in different directions.

So now I say this to you: Do not harm these men! Release them! I say this because if the things that are happening now are just something that humans have planned, someone will stop them. They will fail.

But if God has commanded them to do these things, you will not be able to stop them, because you will find out that you are working against God!” The other members of the council accepted what Gamaliel said.

They told the temple guards to bring the apostles and beat them. So the guards brought them into the council room and beat them. Then the council members commanded them not to speak to people about Jesus any more, and they released the apostles.

So the apostles went out from the council. They were rejoicing because they knew God had honored them by letting people disgrace them because they were following Jesus.

Every day after that, the apostles went to the temple area and to various people’s houses, and they continued teaching people and telling them that Jesus is the Christ.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land?

While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”

Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.

The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.

About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.”

But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.

The Apostles Heal Many

By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

None of the rest dared to join them; however, the people honored them.

More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

They even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at least his shadow might overshadow some of them.

The multitude also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits; and they were all healed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy

and laid hands on the apostles, then put them in public custody.

But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out and said,

“Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and taught. But the high priest and those who were with him came and called the council together, with all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

But the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,

“We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”

The Apostles before the Sanhedrin

Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.

One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.”

Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.

When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,

saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.

God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.

We are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Gamaliel’s Advice

But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.

But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while.

He said to them, “You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.

For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves. He was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed and came to nothing.

After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

Now I tell you, withdraw from these men and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.

But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”

They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name.

Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ.