1Ananias and Sapphira, profanely tempting the Holy Ghost with a lie, at Peter's rebuke fall down dead. 12The apostles work many miracles to the great increase of the faith. 17They are all imprisoned, but released by an angel, and sent to preach openly in the temple: being brought before the council, 29they support their witness with great freedom. 33The council are restrained from killing them by the advice of Gamaliel, but beat and dismiss them with a charge not to speak in the name of Jesus. 41They rejoice in their sufferings, and cease not to preach Christ both in public and private.
1BUT a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold 1a possession,
1 Or, an estate; in verse 3 it is called a land or farm.
2And 2kept back part of the price, his wife also being privyato it, and brought a certain part, and laid it 3at the apostles' feet.
2 That is, withheld by subtlety, concealed it and brought it not forth.
a knowing a secret*
3 See Acts 4:34.
3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan 4filled thine heart 5to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 That is, completely possessed with covetousness and hypocrisy. Or, wherefore hast thou given Satan place in thy heart?
5 That is, contrary to your conscience and conviction of the Holy Ghost to say with untruth that the land, which was sold, yielded no more. Or, deceive, that is, would venture to deceive, as thinking that the Holy Ghost did not know this and would not reveal the same unto us.
46Whiles it remained, 7was it not thine own? and after it was sold, 8was it not in thine own power? why hast thou 9conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast 10not lied unto men, but 11unto God.
6 Gr. remaining, namely, unsold.
7 That is, was it not at your pleasure to have kept the same for yourselves, without being necessitated to sell it?
8 Namely, to do with the money what you thought good; to keep the same for yourself or bring it here. Whereby it appears that this communion of goods was not in respect of the property, but in respect of the use, in time of need, see Acts 2:42.
9 Gr. put, or set.
10 That is, not so much, or not only as thou thoughtest.
11 Namely, seeing thou hast lied unto the Holy Ghost, verse 3, Who is the true God with the Father and the Son. See 1 Cor. 3:16, compared with 1 Cor. 6:19.
5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and 12gave up the ghost:b and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
12 Gr. gave forth the breath. Peter thus punished the hypocrisy of this man with a sudden death for a warning to all other hypocrites, by a special inspiration of God, and by an extraordinary power with which the apostles were furnished. It is similar to Acts 13:11, which therefore they must not, or may not imitate, who have not such inspiration and power.
b gave up the ghost: expired, died*
6And 13the young men arose, 14wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
13 Namely, who were there in the meeting.
14 Namely, by taking off his clothes, wrapping him in grave-clothes and otherwise, to bury him. Or, took him away.
7And it was about the space 15of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what 16was done, 17came in.
15 Gr. an interspace of about three hours.
16 Namely, to her husband.
17 Namely, into the place where the apostles with the church were assembled, Acts 2:46.
8And Peter 18answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for 19so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
18 That is, spoke to her and said. Hebraism.
19 Peter, without a doubt, expressed the price which he had understood from the husband.
9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together 20to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall 21carry thee out.
20 That is, to do things contrary to your conscience which God has forbidden, as if you would try whether the Spirit of God be righteous and omniscient, or not.
21 Namely, after you also have instantly fallen down dead.
10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
12¶Andc22by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in 23Solomon’s porch.
c Mark 16:17; Acts 2:43.
22 That is, by the ministry of the apostles. For, they were but ministers and instruments; the power came from the Lord; Acts 3:12 and 4:30 and 7:35.
23 See of this porch, 1 Kings 6:3; John 10:23; Acts 3:11.
13And of 24the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people 25magnified them.
24 Namely, who were held in some esteem and had not yet committed themselves to the church.
25 Or, held them in great esteem. Gr. magnified them; Luke 1:46; 2 Cor. 10:15.
14And believers were the 26more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
26 Or, so much the more; namely, notwithstanding this judgment was happened to Ananias and his wife. Or, above the previous multitude, Acts 2:47 and 4:4.
15Insomuch that they brought forth the sick 27into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter 28passing by might 29overshadow some of them.
27 Or, from streets to streets; that is, continually on the streets.
28 That is, came by.
29 Namely, to be healed thereby, John 14:12.
16There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, andd them which were 30vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
d Mark 16:17; Acts 8:7; 16:18; 19:12.
30 See similar in Luke 6:18.
17¶Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is 31the sect 32of the Sadducees,) and were filled with 33indignation,
31 Gr. hairesis, by this word is signified a manner of religion which anyone has chosen for himself and follows, Acts 26:5, and 28:22; and this word in the beginning seems to have been taken in good as well as in evil part, but afterward it was taken always in evil part, for a false religion, from which comes the word heresy and heretic.
32 See of them, Mat. 3:7 and 22:23; Acts 23:8.
33 Or, zeal, namely, an erroneous zeal for the law, Rom. 10:2.
18And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
19Bute the angel of the Lord by night 34opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
e Acts 12:7; 16:26.
34 Understand: and afterwards shut them again, verse 23.
20Go, 35stand and speak in the temple to the people 36all the words of this life.
35 That is, show yourselves there openly and boldly.
36 Or, all these words of life; that is, this evangelical doctrine, whereby is shown unto men the right way to come to everlasting life; John 6:68.
21And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the 37council together, and all 38the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
37 Gr. synedrion; see thereof Mat. 5 on verse 22.
38 Or, assembly of the ancients of the children of Israel.
22But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
23Saying, The prison truly found we shut 39with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
39 Gr. in all certainty.
24Now when 40the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
40 Gr. the priest; whereby the high priest is understood, seeing he was the head of this council, verse 27. See the like 2 Chron. 24:2.
25Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
26Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: forf they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
f Mat. 21:26; Acts 4:21.
27And when they had brought them, they set them 41before the council: and the high priest asked them,
41 Gr. in.
28Saying, Didg not we 42straitly command you that ye should not teach 43in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring 44this man's blood upon us.
g Acts 4:18.
42 Gr. with charging charge you. Hebraism.
43 That is, of this Jesus. See Acts 4:18.
44 That is, the punishment of the blood that we have shed by putting this Jesus to death, as if we had shed His blood unjustly. See Mat. 27:24, 25.
29¶Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, Weh ought to obey God rather than men.
h Acts 4:19.
30Thei God of our fathers 45raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hangedj on a tree.
i Acts 3:15.
45 Namely, from the dead. Or, appointed and sent for a Savior, Acts 13:23.
j Deut. 21:23; Acts 10:39; 13:29; 1 Peter 2:24.
31Him hath God exaltedk with his right hand to be a 46Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to 47Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
k Acts 2:33; 3:15; Philip. 2:9.
46 Or, being a Prince and Savior.
47 That is, the true Israelites; Rom. 9:6; Gal. 6:16.
32And we are hisl witnesses 48of these things; and so is also 49the Holy Ghost, whom God hath givenm to them that obey him.
l John 15:27.
48 That is, of these matters. Hebraism. See Luke 1:37; Acts 10:37.
49 That is, the powerful working of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of men to their conversion, together with these visible gifts of the Same.
m Acts 2:4.
33¶When they heard that, they were 50cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
50 Gr. they were as cut or sawed in two, namely, in the heart for madness and wrath. See Acts 7:54.
34Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named 51Gamaliel, a doctorn of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth 52a little space;
51 This is thought to be the same person at whose feet the apostle Paul was instructed in the law, Acts 22:3.
n teacher.
52 Gr. a short, namely, time.
35And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
36Foro53before these days rose up 54Theudas, boasting himself to be 55somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, 56joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
o Acts 21:38.
53 That is, before this time, for it was some years since.
54 The historian Josephus, Antiq. lib. 20, cap. 2, makes mention of a seditious Theudas who made insurrection when Cuspius Fadus was governor over Judea under Emperor Claudius, but that happened after this time, and after the death of Herod Agrippa. So that Gamaliel therefore here speaks of another Theudas who was in the time of Emperor Augustus or Tiberias.
55 That is, some great one, as Acts 8:9.
56 Gr. cleaved unto.
3757After this man rose up 58Judas of Galilee 59in the days 60of the taxing,p and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
57 That is, after this Theudas.
58 He was otherwise called Judas Gaullonites, who made an uproar among the people, when Archelaus being deposed and banished, the Romans made a province of the land of Judea, and let it be governed by their lieutenants from there on, and for this end caused the land to be enrolled. See Josephus, Antiq. lib. 18, cap. 1 and lib. 20, cap. 3. Josephus makes mention yet of another seditious Judas, the son of the murderer Ezechias, who raised before this an uproar when Archelaus was gone to Rome to be settled in his father Herod’s place. Josephus, Antiq. lib. 17, cap. 12, and de bello Jud. lib. 2, cap. 2.
59 That is, in the time.
60 This enrollment is not the same whereof is spoken in Luke 2:1, 2, for that was done without an uproar; and is called the first in respect of this second, which was made afterwards throughout Judea, and was accompanied with an uproar, which was raised by this Judas, Josephus, Antiq. lib. 18, cap 1.
p registration, census.
38And now I say unto you, 61Refrain from these men, and let them alone: forq if 62this counsel or this work be 63of men, it will come 64to nought:
61 Namely, that you do them no more evil.
q Prov. 21:30; Isa. 8:10; Mat. 15:13.
62 That is, this undertaking or action of the apostles.
63 That is, taken up by men, and by human authority, Mat. 21:25.
64 Gr. loosed.
39But if it be 65of God, ye cannot 66overthrow it; lest 67haply ye be found even to fight againstr God.
65 That is, appointed by Divine authority and command.
66 Gr. loose it.
67 Or, at any time.
r Acts 9:5; 23:9.
40And to him they 68agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and 69beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak 70in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
68 That is, they permitted themselves to be moved and persuaded that they followed his counsel.
69 Gr. smote, namely, with rods or scourges. This was foretold them by Christ, Mat. 10:17 and 23:34; the same was also done to Paul, 2 Cor. 11:24.
70 See Acts 4:18.
41¶And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicings that they were counted 71worthy to suffer shame 72for his name.
s Mat. 5:12.
71 Namely, by God, Who of grace had given them this honor and dignity, Philip. 1:29.
72 That is, for the cause and doctrine of Christ.
42And daily in the temple, and 73in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
73 Or, from house to house. See Acts 2:46 and 20:20.