Ananias
And Sapphira
Now
a man named Ananias,
Together
with his wife Sapphira,
Also
sold a piece of Property.
2
With his wife's Full Knowledge
He
kept back part of the money for himself,
But
brought the rest
And
put it at the Apostles' feet.
3
Then Peter said, 'Ananias,
HOW
IS IT THAT SATAN HAS SO FILLED YOUR HEART
THAT
YOU HAVE LIED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
AND
HAVE KEPT FOR YOUR SELF
SOME
OF THE MONEY YOU RECEIVED FOR THE LAND?
4
DIDN'T IT BELONG TO YOU BEFORE IT WAS SOLD?
AND
AFTER IT WAS SOLD,
WASN'T
THE MONEY AT YOUR DISPOSAL?
WHAT
MAD YOU THINK OF DOING SUCH A THING?
YOU
HAVE NOT LIED TO MEN BUT TO GOD.'
5
When Ananias heard this,
He
Fell Down and Died.
AND
GREAT FEAR SEIZED
ALL
WHO HEARD WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
6
Then the young men came forward,
Wrapped
up his body,
And
carried him out and buried him.
7
About three hours late his wife came in,
Not
knowing what had happened.
8
Peter asked her,
'TELL
ME, IS THIS THE PRICE
YOU
AND ANANIAS GOT FOR THE LAND?'
'YES,'
she said, 'THAT IS THE PRICE.'
9
Peter said to her,
'HOW
COULD YOU AGREE TO TEST THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD?
LOOK!
THE FEET OF THE MEN
WHO
BURIED YOUR HUSBAND
ARE
AT THE DOOR.
AND
THEY WILL CARRY YOU OUT ALSO.'
10
AT THAT MOMENT
SHE
FELL DOWN AT HIS FEET AND DIED.
Then
the young men came in and,
Finding
her Dead,
Carried
her out and buried her beside her husband.
11
GREAT FEAR SEIZED THE WHOLE CHURCH
AND
ALL WHO HEARD ABOUT THESE EVENTS.
The
Apostles Heal Many
12
The Apostles Performed
Many
Miraculous Signs and Wonders
Among
the people.
And
All the Believers used to meet together
In
Solomon's Colonnade.
13
NO ONE ELSE DARED JOIN THEM,
EVEN
THOUGH
THEY
WERE HIGHLY REGARDED BY HE PEOPLE.
14
NEVERTHELESS,
MORE
AND MORE MEN AND WOMEN
BELEIVED
IN THE LORD
AND
WERE ADDED TO THEIR NIMBER.
15
As a Result,
PEOPLE
BROUGHT THE SICK INTO THE STREETS
AND
LAID THEM ON BEDS AND MATS
SO
THAT AT LEAST PETER'S SHADOW
MIGHT
FALL ON SOME OF THEM AS HE PASSED BY.
16
CROWDS GATHERED ALSO
FROM
THE TOWNS AROUND JERUSALEM,
BRINGING
THEIR SICK
AND
THOSE TORMENTED BY EVIL SPIRITS,
AND
ALL OF THEM WERE HEALED.
The
Apostles Persecuted
17
Then the High Priest and all his Associates,
Who
were members of the Party of the Sadducees,
WERE
FILLED WITH JEALOUSY.
18
They Arrested the Apostles
And
put them in the Public Jail.
19
BUT DURING THE NIGHT AN ANGEL OF THE LORD
OPENED
THE DOORS OF THE JAIL
AND
BROUGHT THEM OUT.
20
'GO, STAND IN THE TEMPLE COURTS,' he said,
'AND
TELL THE PEOPLE THE FULL MESSAGE
OF
THIS NEW LIFE.'
21
At daybreak they entered the Temple Courts,
As
they had been told,
And
began to Teach the people.
When
the High Priest and his Associates arrived,
They
called together the Sanhedrin--
The
Full Assembly of the Elders of Israel--
And
sent to the Jail for the Apostles.
22
But arriving at the Jail,
The
Officers did not find them there.
So
they went back and reported,
23 'WE
FOUND THE JAIL SECURELY LOCKED,
WITH
GUARDS STANDING AT THE DOORS;
BUT
WHEN WE OPENED THEM,
WE
FOUND NO ONE INSIDE.'
24
On hearing this report,
The
Captain of the Temple Guard
And
the Chief Priests were Puzzled,
Wondering
what would come of this.
25
Then someone came and said,
'LOOK!
THE MEN YOU PUT IN JAIL
ARE
STANDING IN THE TEMPLE COURTS
TEACHING
THE PEOPLE.'
26
At that,
The
Captain went with his Officers and brought the Apostles.
They
did not use Force,
BECAUSE
THEY FEARD THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD STONE THEM.
27
Having brought the Apostles,
They
made them appear before the Sanhedrin
To
be Questioned by the High Priest.
28
'WE GAVE YOU STRICT ORDERS
NOT
TO TEACH IN THIS NAME,' he said.
'YET
YOU HAVE FILLED JERUSALEM
WITH
YOUR TEACHING
AND
ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE US GUILTY
OF
THIS MAN'S BLOOD.'
29
Peter and the other apostles replied:
'WE
MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN!
30
THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS
RAISED
JESUS FROM THE DEAD--
WHOM
YOU HAD KILLED
BY
HANGING HIM ON A TREE.
31
GOD EXALTED HIM TO HIS OWN RIGHT HAND
AS
PRINCE AND SAVIOR
THAT
HE MIGHT GIVE REPENTANCE
AND
FORGIVENESS OF SINS TO ISRAEL.
32
WE ARE WINTESSES OF THESE THINGS,
AND
SO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT,
WHOM
GOD HAS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO OBEY HIM.'
33
When they heard this,
They
were Furious
AND
WANTED TO PUT THEM TO DEATH.
34
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel,
A
Teacher of the Law,
Who
was Honored by all the people,
Stood
up in the Sanhedrin
And
ordered that the men be put outside
For
a little while.
35
Then he addressed them:
'MEN
OF ISRAEL, CONSIDER CAREFULLY
WHAT
YOU INTEND TO DO TO THESE MEN.
36
Some time ago Theudas appeared,
Claiming
to be somebody,
And
about four hundred men Rallied to him.
He
was Killed,
And
all his followers were dispersed,
And
it all came to Nothing.
37
After him,
Judas
the Galilean appeared in the days of the Census
And
led a band of people in Revolt.
He
too was Killed,
And
all his followers were Scattered.
38
Therefore, in the Present Case
I
ADVISE YOU: LEAVE THESE MEN ALONE!
LET
THEM GO!
FOR
IF THEIR PURPOSE OR ACTIVITY
IS
OF HUMAN ORIGIN, IT WILL FAIL.
39
BUT IF IT IS FROM GOD,
YOU
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THESE MEN;
YOU
WILL ONLY FIND YOURSELVES
FIGHTING
AGAINST GOD.'
40
His speech Persuaded them.
They
called the Apostles in
And
had them Flogged.
THEN
THEY ORDERED THEM NOT TO SPEAK
IN
THE NAME OF JESUS,
AND
LET THEM GO.
41
THE APOSTLES LEFT THE SANHEDRIN, REJOICING
BECAUSE
THEY HAD BEEN COUNTED WORTHY
OF
SUFFERING DISGRACE FOR THE NAME.
42
DAY AFTER DAY, IN THE TEMPLE COURTS
AND FROM
HOUSE TO HOUSE,
THEY
NEVER STOPPED TEACHING AND PROCLAIMING
THE
GOOD NEWS
THAT
JEUS IS THE CHRIST.
(Acts
5)
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