Acts 5

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, ^2aand kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and ^blaid it at the apostles’ feet. ³But Peter said, Ananias, why hath ^cSatan ^dfilled thine heart to lie to ^fthe Holy Ghost, and to ^akeep back part of the price of the land? ⁴Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou ^econceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but ^funto God. ⁵And Ananias hearing these words ^gfell down, and gave up the ghost: ^hand great fear came on all them that heard these things. ⁶ⁱAnd the young men arose, ^jwound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. ⁷And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. ⁸And Peter ^kanswered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. ⁹Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to ^kktempt ^fthe Spirit of the Lord? behold, ^lthe feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. ¹⁰Then ^gfell she down straightway at his feet, and ^gyielded up the ghost: and ⁱthe young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. ^11hAnd great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

¹²And ^mby the hands of the apostles were many ⁿsigns and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all ^owith one accord in ^pSolomon’s porch. ¹³And of the rest ^qdurst no man join himself to them: but ^rthe people magnified them. ¹⁴And believers were the more ^sadded to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) ¹⁵Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least ^tthe shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. ¹⁶There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing ^usick folks, and them which were ^uvexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

¹⁷Then ^xthe high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the ^ySadducees,) and were filled with indignation, ¹⁸and ^zlaid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common ^aprison. ¹⁹But ^bthe angel of the Lord by night ^copened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, ²⁰Go, stand and speak ^din the temple to the people all ^ethe words of this life. ²¹And when they heard that, they entered ^fginto the temple ^gearly in the morning, and taught. ^hBut the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called ⁱthe council together, and all ^kthe senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. ²²But when the ^lofficers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, ²³saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. ²⁴Now when the ^llhigh priest and the ^mcaptain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they ⁿdoubted of them whereunto this would grow. ²⁵Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing ^fin the temple, and teaching the people. ²⁶Then went the ^mcaptain with the ^lofficers, and brought them without violence: ^ofor they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. ²⁷And when they had brought them, they set them before ⁱthe council: and the high priest asked them, ²⁸saying, ^pDid not we ^qstraitly command you that you should not teach in this name? and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and ^rintend to bring this man’s ^sblood upon us. ²⁹Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, ^tWe ought to obey God rather than men. ^30uThe God of our fathers ^xraised up Jesus, ^ywhom ye slew and ^zhanged on a tree. ³¹Him hath God exalted ^awith his right hand to be ^ba Prince and ^ca Saviour, for to give ^drepentance to Israel, and ^deforgiveness of sins. ³²And ^fwe are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, ^gwhom God hath given to them that obey him.

³³When they heard that, they were cut ^hto the heart, and ⁱtook counsel to slay them. ³⁴Then stood there up one in ^jthe council, a Pharisee, named ^kGamaliel, ^la doctor of law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; ³⁵and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, ^mtake heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. ³⁶For before these days rose up Theudas, ⁿboasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. ³⁷After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of ^othe taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. ³⁸And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: ^pfor if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: ³⁹but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even ^qto fight against God. ⁴⁰And to him they agreed: and when they had ^rcalled the apostles, and ^sbeaten them, they ^rcommanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹And they departed from the presence of ^jthe council, ^trejoicing that they were ^ucounted worthy to suffer shame for his name. ⁴²And daily ^xin the temple, and ^yin every house, ^zthey ceased not to teach and ^apreach Jesus Christ.

VI.