Chapter 5

¹But a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, ²and put aside for himself part of the price, [his] wife also being privy to it; and having brought a certain part, laid it at the feet of the apostles. ³But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lie to the Holy Spirit, and put aside for thyself a part of the price of the estate? ⁴While it remained did it not remain to thee? and sold, was [it not] in thine own power? Why is it that thou hast purposed this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God. ⁵And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard [it]. ⁶And the young men, rising up, swathed him up for burial, and having carried him out, buried him. ⁷And it came to pass about three hours afterwards, that his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. ⁸And Peter answered her, Tell me if ye gave the estate for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. ⁹And Peter said to her, Why [is it] that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of [the] Lord? Lo, the feet of those that have buried thy husband [are] at the door, and they shall carry thee out. ¹⁰And she fell down immediately at his feet and expired. And when the young men came in they found her dead; and, having carried her out, they buried her by her husband. ¹¹And great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things. ¹²And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon`s porch, ¹³but of the rest durst no man join them, but the people magnified them; ¹⁴and believers were more than ever added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women;) ¹⁵so that they brought out the sick into the streets and put [them] on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter, when he came, might overshadow some one of them. ¹⁶And the multitude also of the cities round about came together to Jerusalem, bringing sick persons and persons beset by unclean spirits, who were all healed. ¹⁷And the high priest rising up, and all they that were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees, were filled with wrath, ¹⁸and laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison. ¹⁹But an angel of [the] Lord during the night opened the doors of the prison, and leading them out, said, ²⁰Go ye and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. ²¹And when they heard it, they entered very early into the temple and taught. And when the high priest was come, and they that were with him, they called together the council and all the elderhood of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. ²²And when the officers were come, they did not find them in the prison; and returned and reported ²³saying, We found the prison shut with all security, and the keepers standing at the doors; but when we had opened [them], within we found no one. ²⁴And when they heard these words, both the priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests were in perplexity as to them, what this would come to. ²⁵And some one coming reported to them, Lo, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people. ²⁶Then the captain, having gone with the officers, brought them, not with violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. ²⁷And they bring them and set them in the council. And the high priest asked them, ²⁸saying, We strictly enjoined you not to teach in this name: and lo, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and purpose to bring upon us the blood of this man. ²⁹But Peter answering, and the apostles, said, God must be obeyed rather than men. ³⁰The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom ye have slain, having hanged on a cross. ³¹Him has God exalted by his right hand as leader and saviour, to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins. ³²And we are [his] witnesses of these things, and the Holy Spirit also, which God has given to those that obey him. ³³But they, when they heard [these things], were cut to the heart, and took counsel to kill them. ³⁴But a certain [man], a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, held in honour of all the people, rose up in the council, and commanded to put the men out for a short while, ³⁵and said to them, Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as regards these men what ye are going to do; ³⁶for before these days Theudas rose up, alleging himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, were joined; who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed and came to nothing. ³⁷After him rose Judas the Galilean in the days of the census, and drew away [a number of] people after him; and he perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. ³⁸And now I say to you, Withdraw from these men and let them alone, for if this counsel or this work have its origin from men, it will be destroyed; ³⁹but if it be from God, ye will not be able to put them down, lest ye be found also fighters against God. ⁴⁰And they listened to his advice; and having called the apostles, they beat them, and enjoined them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. ⁴¹They therefore went their way from [the] presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonoured for the name. ⁴²And every day, in the temple and in the houses, they ceased not teaching and announcing the glad tidings that Jesus [was] the Christ.