Chapter 5

¹A man named Ananias, along with his wife Sapphira, sold some property.

²He kept back part of the proceeds, with his wife’s knowledge, and brought only a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

³But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you lied to the Holy Spirit and kept back part of the proceeds of the property?

⁴As long as it remained unsold, it was not yours? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why then did you plan this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.”

⁵When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last, and great fear came upon all who heard about it.

⁶Then the young men rose, wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

⁷About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

⁸Peter said to her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for such and such a price?” She said, “Yes, for that much.”

⁹But Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

¹⁰Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in, they found her dead and carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

¹¹And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard about these things.

¹²Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

¹³None of the others dared to join them, but the people spoke highly of them.

¹⁴More believers were added to the Lord—multitudes of both men and women.

¹⁵They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that as Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

¹⁶Crowds also gathered from the surrounding towns into Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

¹⁷But the high priest rose up, along with all who were with him—that is, the party of the Sadducees—and they were filled with jealousy.

¹⁸They arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.

¹⁹But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, led them out, and said,

²⁰“Go, stand in the temple, and speak to the people all the words of this life.”

²¹When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began teaching. When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole senate of the sons of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

²²But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison. So they returned and reported,

²³“We found the prison securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened it, we found no one inside.”

²⁴When the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about what this could mean.

²⁵Then someone came and said to them, “Look, the men you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”

²⁶Then the captain went with the officers and brought them, but not with force, for they feared the people, lest they be stoned.

²⁷When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them

²⁸and said, “We strictly commanded you not to teach in this name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than people.

³⁰The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree.

³¹God exalted Him at His right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

³²And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

³³When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to kill them.

³⁴But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law respected by all the people, stood up in the council and ordered the men to be put outside for a little while.

³⁵He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you are about to do to these men.

³⁶For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, to whom a number of men about four hundred joined. He was killed, and all who followed him were scattered and amounted to nothing.

³⁷After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him. He perished too, and all who followed him were scattered.

³⁸So now I tell you: Stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail.

³⁹But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow it—lest you be found even fighting against God.”

⁴⁰So they were persuaded by him. And having called in the apostles, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

⁴¹So they went from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.

⁴²And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and proclaiming the good news that the Christ is Jesus. Acts Chapter 6 The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 6 – VKJV