Acts 5:3–4

5:3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled3 your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of4 the land? 5:4 Before it was sold,5 did it not6 belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money7 not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart?8 You have not lied to people9 but to God!”

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3	sn This is a good example of the Greek verb fill (πληρόω, plēroō) meaning “to exercise control over someone’s thought and action” (cf. Eph 5:18).
4	tn The words “from the sale of” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify the meaning, since the phrase “proceeds from the land” could possibly be understood as crops rather than money from the sale.
5	tn Grk “Remaining to you.”
6	tn The negative interrogative particle οὐχί (ouchi) expects a positive reply to this question and the following one (“And when it was sold, was it not at your disposal?”).
7	tn Grk “it”; the referent of the pronoun (the money generated from the sale of the land) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8	tn Grk “How is it that you have [or Why have you] placed this deed in your heart?” Both of these literal translations differ from the normal way of expressing the thought in English.
9	tn Grk “to men.” If Peter’s remark refers only to the apostles, the translation “to men” would be appropriate. But if (as is likely) the action was taken to impress the entire congregation (who would presumably have witnessed the donation or been aware of it) then the more general “to people” is more appropriate, since the audience would have included both men and women.