Acts 5

1 Now a man [adult male, husband] named Ananias, together with [in close association, companionship] his wife [married woman, partner] Sapphira, also sold [exchanged for money, disposed of] a piece of property [possession, land, estate]. word study 2 With his wife’s full knowledge [being privy to it, having full knowledge], he kept back [embezzled, secretly withheld] some of the proceeds [price, value] for himself, but brought a [certain, specific] portion and laid it at the apostles’ [messengers, delegates of Christ] feet. word study 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan [the adversary, accuser] has filled your heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] to lie [to deceive, speak falsely] to the Holy Spirit [the divine Presence, Spirit of God] and withhold [to embezzle, secretly keep back] some of the proceeds [the price, value] from the land [the place, estate]? word study 4 Did it not belong to you [as your own possession] before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your [full] disposal [in your power to use as you wished]? How could you conceive [think up, devise] such a deed [evil act, wicked plan] in your heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions]? You have not lied [spoken falsely, deceived] to men [human beings], but to God [the one true deity, Creator of all]!” word study 5 On hearing [with understanding and obedience] these words, Ananias [the deceitful one] fell down [collapsed, gave way] and died [expired, breathed his last]. And great [intense, profound] fear [alarm, terror] came over [upon, against] all [every single one] who heard [listened, understood] what had happened [these things, this event]. word study 6 Then [at that moment, next] the young men [youthful ones] stepped forward, wrapped up [enfolded, wound] his body [corpse, lifeless form], and carried him out [brought forth, removed] and buried him [interred, laid to rest]. word study 7 About [approximately, roughly] three [a specific number] hours [a period of time] later [after a space of time] his wife [the woman, his spouse] also came in [entered], unaware [not knowing] of what [the thing that had happened] had happened [had come to be]. word study 8 “Tell me [inform me, give an answer],” said Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus], “is this [the exact amount, the full price] the price [the sum of money, the value] you and your husband [your partner, spouse] got [received, sold] for the land [the property, the field, a place or plot of land]?” “Yes [verily, indeed, an affirmation],” she answered [replied, responded, to give a response], “that is [this is, it is true] the price [the amount, so much].” word study 9 “How could you agree [to be in harmony, to conspire] to test [to tempt, to prove] the Spirit [the divine breath] of the Lord [the supreme authority]?” Peter [the rock] replied. “Look [behold, see], the feet [the steps, the approach] of the men who buried [entombed, laid to rest] your husband are at the door [the entrance, the threshold], and they will carry [bring forth, escort] you out [away, forth] also [too, likewise].” word study 10 At that instant [immediately, right away] she fell down [collapsed, yielded up the ghost] at his feet [before him, in his presence] and died [expired, breathed her last]. Then [and, but] the young men [youths, attendants] came in and, finding her dead [lifeless, without breath], carried her out [brought her forth, took her away] and buried her [laid her to rest, interred her] beside [by, next to] her husband [man, spouse]. word study 11 And great [intense, profound] fear [alarm, terror] came over [upon, to] the whole [entire, complete] church [assembly, community of believers] and all [every, everyone] who heard [listened, understood] about [concerning, regarding] these [specific, remarkable] events [things, happenings]. word study 12 The apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] performed many [numerous, abundant] signs [supernatural indications, miracles] and wonders [marvels, amazing events] among the people [a group of individuals, a crowd], and with one accord [united, in harmony] the believers [faithful followers of Jesus] gathered together in Solomon’s [built by King Solomon] Colonnade [a covered walkway, portico]. word study 13 Although the people [held them in high esteem, greatly respected] regarded them highly [magnified them, thought highly of them], no one else [none, nobody] dared [was bold enough, had the courage] to join [stick together with, unite with] them. word study 14 Yet more [increasingly, to a greater degree] and more believers [those having faith, trusting in] were brought [added, joined] to the Lord [the supreme Master, God]—large numbers [multitudes, a great crowd] of both [and, including] men [adult males, husbands] and women [females, wives]. word study 15 As a result [in consequence, therefore], people brought the sick [weak, feeble, lacking strength] into the streets [broad places, public areas] and laid them on cots [beds, couches] and mats [pallets], so that at least Peter’s [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] shadow [darkness, shade] might fall on some of them as he passed by [came near, walked alongside]. word study 16 Crowds [multitude, large groups] also gathered from the towns [cities, populated areas] around [surrounding, nearby] Jerusalem, bringing [carrying, leading] the sick [weak, feeble] and those tormented [harassed, troubled] by unclean [impure, evil] spirits [breath, vital principle], and all [every one, completely] of them were healed [cured, restored to health]. word study 17 Then [at that time, next] the high priest [chief Jewish leader, spiritual authority] and all [every one of] his associates [companions, those with him], who belonged to [were part of, affiliated with] the party [sect, group] of the Sadducees [those who reject the afterlife], were filled [completely filled, made full] with jealousy [indignation, zeal, strong envy, a strong feeling of resentment]. They went out [proceeded, arose and went] word study 18 and [laid hands on, seized] arrested the apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] and put them [placed them, laid them] in the [common] public jail [prison, place of custody]. word study 19 But during the [darkness of the] night [a time of rest] an angel [a messenger of God] of the Lord [the supreme authority] opened [to make accessible] the doors [entrances] of the jail [a place of confinement] and brought them out [to lead forth], saying [to speak or declare], word study 20 “Go [travel, journey], stand [in an upright position, be steadfast] in the temple [a sacred place, the Temple in Jerusalem] courts and tell [speak, utter words] the people [a group of individuals, a specific nation] the full [complete, entire] message [declaration, utterance] of this [specific, referring to spiritual] new life [eternal existence, spiritual vitality].” word study 21 At daybreak [early in the morning, at dawn] the apostles entered [went into, came into] the temple courts [the sacred place, the Temple] as they had been told [instructed, commanded] and began to teach [instruct, guide] the people [the crowd, the multitude]. When the high priest [the chief priest, the leader of the Jewish priests] and his associates [those with him, his companions] arrived [came, appeared], they convened [called together, gathered] the Sanhedrin [the council, the Jewish leadership] —the full assembly [the entire group, all the members] of the elders [the leaders, the respected ones] of Israel [the people of God, the descendants of Jacob]—and sent [dispatched, commissioned] to the jail [the prison, the place of confinement] for the apostles [the messengers, the representatives of Jesus]. word study 22 But on arriving [coming to, reaching] at the jail [prison, place of confinement], the officers [servants, ministers] did not find [discover, meet] them there [in the prison, at that location]. So they returned [turned back, came again] with the report [telling, announcing] [to the council, to the authorities]: word study 23 “We found the jail [prison house, place of confinement] securely locked [shut with all safety, closed with diligence], with the guards [watchers, keepers] posted [standing, stationed] at the doors [entrances, gates]; but when we opened [unlocked, made accessible] them, we found [discovered, came upon] no one [nobody, none] inside [within, in the inner space].” word study 24 When the captain [officer, magistrate] of the temple [sacred place, sanctuary] guard and the chief priests [high-priests, Jewish leaders] heard this account [report, message], they were perplexed [completely baffled, doubtful] as to what [which thing, what outcome] was happening [would come to be, would result]. word study 25 Then [at that moment, afterwards] someone [a certain one, an individual] came in and announced [reported, told them], “Look [behold, see], the men [adult males, the apostles] you put [placed, laid] in jail [prison, a place of confinement] are standing [in an upright position, publicly] in the temple [a sacred place, the Temple in Jerusalem] courts [the area surrounding the Temple] teaching [instructing, guiding] the people [a group of individuals, the crowd]!” word study 26 At that point [then, at the specific moment], the captain [magistrate, high-ranking officer] went with the officers [servants, ministers] and brought the apostles—but not by force [violence, strength], for fear [reverence, awe] the people [a crowd, a nation] would stone them [throw stones at them, punish them]. word study 27 They brought [led, guided] them in and made them stand [to be in an upright position, to be present] before the Sanhedrin [council, Jewish leadership], where the high priest [chief religious leader] interrogated [questioned, sought information from] them. word study 28 “We gave you strict orders [a command, a charge] not to teach [to instruct, to guide] in this name [the authority, the person of Jesus],” he said. “Yet you have filled [completely satisfied, made full] Jerusalem [the holy city, the capital of Palestine] with your teaching [your doctrine, your instruction] and are determined [have a deliberate intention, a plan] to make us responsible [to bring guilt upon us, to blame us] for this man’s [the human, Jesus’] blood [the atoning sacrifice, the life].” word study 29 But Peter [the rock, a leader] and the other apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] replied, “We must [it is necessary, we have to] obey [submit to the authority of] God [the one true deity] rather than [more than, in preference to] men [human beings, people]. word study 30 The God [of our ancestors, the one true deity] of our fathers raised up Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation], whom you had killed [slew, put to death] by hanging Him [having hanged upon] on a tree [a cross, wooden stake]. word study 31 God [the supreme deity, Creator of all] exalted Him [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] to His right [dominant, authoritative] hand as Prince [Ruler, Leader] and Savior [Deliverer, Redeemer], in order to grant [bestow, give freely] repentance [a change of heart, turning away from sin] and forgiveness [pardon, remission] of sins [transgressions, rebellions] to Israel [God’s chosen people, the descendants of Jacob]. word study 32 We [as eyewitnesses, having personally seen] are witnesses [testifying to the truth] of these things, and so is the Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit [the divine Presence, Breath of God], whom God [the Supreme Being, Creator] has given [bestowed, granted] to those who obey [submit to, follow] Him [in faith, trust].” word study 33 When the Council members heard [heard and understood, listened intently] this, they were [cut to the heart, furious] enraged [filled with intense anger, furious], and they resolved [determined, took counsel] to put [kill, destroy] the apostles [Jesus’ special workers, messengers] to death [an end to their physical life, destruction]. word study 34 But a Pharisee [a member of a strict Jewish sect] named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law [a doctor of the Jewish law, respected for his knowledge] who was honored [held in high esteem, precious] by all the people, stood up [arose, took a standing position] in the Sanhedrin [the Jewish council, a gathering of leaders] and ordered [commanded, gave a directive] that the men [the apostles, Jesus’ messengers] be put outside [taken out, removed] for a short time [a brief period, a little while]. word study 35 “Men [adult males, Israelites] of Israel [descendants of Israel, God’s chosen people],” he said, “consider carefully [take heed to yourselves, be cautious] what you are about to do [intend to do, plan to accomplish] to these men [these individuals, the apostles]. word study 36 Some time ago [before these days, previously] Theudas [a self-proclaimed leader] rose up, claiming [boasting, saying he was somebody] to be somebody [an important person, a notable figure], and about four hundred [approximately 400] men joined him [followed, obeyed]. He was killed [slain, put to death], all his followers [those who obeyed him] were dispersed [scattered, broke up], and it all came to nothing [resulted in nothing, amounted to none]. word study 37 After him, Judas [from Jesus’ home region] the Galilean appeared in the days [period of time, era] of the census [enrollment, counting of the people] and drew away people [a large group, multitude] after him [as his followers, disciples]. He too perished [was destroyed, came to an end], and all [every single one, the entire group] his followers [those who obeyed him, adhered to his teachings] were scattered [dispersed, spread out, went their separate ways]. word study 38 So in the present case [at this current time, now] I advise you: Leave [refrain from, let go of] these men alone [let them be, do not harm them]. Let them go [release them, set them free]! For if their purpose [plan, counsel] or endeavor [work, effort] is of human [from men, earthly] origin [source, beginning], it will fail [come to nothing, be overthrown, destroyed]. word study 39 But if it is [from the very source, originating] from God [the one true deity], you will not be able [have the power or strength] to stop them [hinder or prevent their progress]. You may even find [discover or meet] yourselves [in a state of opposition] fighting [resisting or opposing] against God [the Almighty, the supreme authority].” word study 40 At this, they yielded [agreed, were persuaded] to Gamaliel [a respected Jewish leader]. They called [summoned, invited] the apostles [messengers, representatives of Jesus] in and had them flogged [beaten, scourged]. Then they ordered [commanded, charged] them not [on no account, never] to speak [preach, proclaim] in the name [authority, character] of Jesus [the Savior, God’s salvation], and released [set free, let go] them. word study 41 The apostles [Jesus’ special workers, followers of Christ] left the Sanhedrin [council, a group of Jewish leaders], rejoicing [feeling happy and glad, joyful] that they had been counted worthy [deemed entirely deserving, considered honorable] of suffering disgrace [dishonor, shame] for the Name [Jesus’ authority, character, reputation]. word study 42 Every day [daily, day by day], in the temple courts [the sacred temple area] and from house to house [in every home, privately], they did not stop [cease, quit] teaching [instructing, guiding] and proclaiming [preaching, announcing] the good news [the gospel, glad tidings] that Jesus [the Messiah, the Anointed One] is the Christ [the Savior, the Redeemer]. word study