< Acts 5 >
1 But there was one of [the believers] whose name was Ananias, and whose wife’s name was Sapphira. He [also] sold some land.
2 He kept for himself some of the money [he had received for the land], and his wife knew that he had done that. Then he brought the rest of the money and presented it to the apostles [MTY].
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, you [(sg)] let Satan completely control you [MTY] so that you [(sg) tried to] deceive the Holy Spirit [and us(exc)]. (That was [terrible!/Why did you do such a terrible thing]?) [RHQ] [You] have kept for yourself some of the money you [(sg)] received for [selling] the land, [pretending that you(sg) were giving us all of it].
4 Before you [(sg)] sold that land, you truly owned [RHQ] it. And after you sold it, you could [RHQ] certainly still have used the money any way you wanted [to]. So why did you [(sg) ever] think [RHQ] about doing this [wicked] thing? You were not [merely trying to] deceive us! No, [you tried to deceive] God [himself!]!”
5 When Ananias heard that, [immediately] he fell down dead. So all [who were there] who heard [about Ananias’ death] became terrified [PRS].
6 Some young men came in, wrapped his [body in a sheet], and carried it out [and] buried it.
7 About three hours later, his wife came in, [but] she did not know what had happened.
8 [As] Peter [showed her the money] that [Ananias had brought], he asked her, “Tell me, is this the amount [of money you two received for] the land you sold?” She said, “Yes, that’s [what we(exc) received].”
9 So Peter said to her, “[You both did a terrible thing!] You two agreed [RHQ] to try to determine if you could do that without the Spirit of the Lord [God] revealing [to anyone that you two tried to deceive them!] Listen! [Do you(sg) hear the] footsteps [SYN] of the men who buried your husband? They are right outside this door, and they will carry your [corpse] out [to bury it, too]!”
10 Immediately Sapphira fell down dead at Peter’s feet. Then the young men came in. When they saw that she was dead, they carried her [body] out and buried it beside her husband’s [body].
11 So all the believers [in Jerusalem] became greatly frightened [PRS] [because of what God had done to Ananias and Sapphira. And] all [the others] who heard [people tell about] those things also [became greatly frightened].
12 [God was enabling] the apostles to do many amazing miracles among the people. All the believers were meeting together regularly [in the temple courtyard] at [the place called] Solomon’s Porch.
13 All of the other people [who had not yet believed in Jesus] were afraid to associate with the believers, [because they knew that if they did anything evil, God would punish them, as well as revealing it to the believers]. However, those people continued to greatly respect the believers.
14 Many more men and women started believing in the Lord [Jesus], and they joined the [group of] believers.
15 [The apostles were doing amazing miracles], so [people] were bringing those who were sick into the streets, and laying them on stretchers and mats, in order that [when] Peter came by [he would touch them, or] at least his shadow might fall upon some of them [and heal them].
16 Crowds of people were also coming [to the apostles] from the towns near Jerusalem. They were bringing their sick [relatives/friends] and those who were being tormented/troubled by evil spirits {whom evil spirits were tormenting/troubling}, and [God] healed all of them.
17 Then the high priest and all who were with him, who were members of the [local] Sadducee [sect in Jerusalem], became very jealous [of the apostles, because many people were accepting the apostles’ message].
18 So they commanded the Temple guards to seize the apostles and put them in the public jail.
19 [The guards did that], but during the night an angel from the Lord [God] opened the jail doors and brought the apostles outside! [The guards were not aware of what the angel had done].
20 Then the angel said [to the apostles], “Go to the Temple [courtyard], stand there, and tell the people all about [how God can give them eternal] life!”
21 So having heard this, about dawn they entered the Temple [courtyard] and began to teach the people again [about Jesus]. Acts 5:21b-24 Meanwhile, the high priest and those who were with him summoned the other Jewish Council members. Altogether they made up the entire Council of Israel. [After they all gathered together], they sent [guards] to the jail to bring in the apostles.
22 But when the guards arrived at the jail, they discovered that the apostles were not there. So they returned to the Council, and [one of] them reported,
23 “We [(exc)] saw that the jail [doors] were very securely locked, and the guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened [the doors and went in to get those men], none [of them was] inside [the jail]!”
24 When the captain of the temple guards and the chief priests heard that, they became greatly perplexed, [wondering] what might result from all this.
25 Then someone came [from the Temple courtyard] and [excitedly] reported to them, “Listen [to this! Right now] the men whom you put in jail are standing in the Temple [courtyard] and they are teaching the people [about Jesus]!”
26 So the captain [of the Temple guards] went [to the Temple courtyard] with the officers, and they brought the apostles [back to the Council room. But they] did not treat them roughly, because they were afraid that the people would [kill them by] throwing stones at them [if they hurt the apostles].
27 After [the captain and his officers] had brought [the apostles to the Council room], they commanded them to stand in front of the Council members, and the high priest questioned them.
28 He said to them [accusingly], “We [(exc)] strongly commanded you not to teach people about that man [MTY] [Jesus] But [you have disobeyed us, and] you have taught people all over Jerusalem [about him]! Furthermore, you are trying to make it seem that we [(exc)] are the ones who are guilty [MTY] for that man’s death!”
29 But Peter, [speaking for himself] and the other apostles, replied, “We [(exc)] have to obey [what] God [commands us to do], not what [you] people [tell us to do]!
30 God considers that you are the ones who killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross! But God, whom our ancestors [worshipped], (caused Jesus to become alive again after he died/raised Jesus from the dead).
31 God has greatly honored Jesus. [He has taken him up to heaven! He has authorized him] to be the one who will save us and to rule [over our lives! God did this] so that he might enable [us] Israelites [MTY] to turn away from [our] sinful behavior and [that he might] forgive [us for our sins].
32 We [(exc)] tell people about these things [that we know happened to Jesus], and the Holy Spirit, whom God has sent to [us] who obey him, is also confirming [that these things are true].”
33 When the Council members heard those words, they became very angry [with the apostles], and they wanted to kill them.
34 But [there was a Council member] named Gamaliel. He was a Pharisee, and one who taught people the [Jewish] laws, and all the [Jewish] people respected him. He stood up in the Council and told [guards] to take the apostles out [of the room] for a short time.
35 [After the guards had taken the apostles out], he said to the other Council members, “Fellow Israelites, you need to think carefully about what you are about to do to these men, [and I will tell you why].
36 Some years ago [a man named] Theudas rebelled [against the Roman government]. He told people that he was an important person, and about 400 men joined [him. But he was killed] {[soldiers] killed him} and all those who had been accompanying him were scattered. [So they] were not able to do anything [that they had planned].
37 After that, during the time when they were (writing down names of the people/taking the census) [in order to tax people, a man named] Judas from Galilee [province] rebelled [against the Roman government]. He persuaded some people to accompany him. But [soldiers] killed him, too, and all those who had accompanied him went off in different directions.
38 So now I say [this] to you: Do not harm these men! Release them! I say this because if [this is just something] that humans have planned, they will not be able to do it. They will fail, [like Theudas and Judas did]
39 But, if God [has commanded them to do it], you will not be able to prevent them [from doing it, because] you will find out that you are opposing God!” The other members of the Council accepted what Gamaliel said.
40 They told the [temple guards to bring the apostles and flog them. So the guards] brought them [into the Council room] and flogged them. Then the Council members commanded them not to speak to people about [MTY] Jesus, and they released the apostles.
41 So the apostles left the Council. They were rejoicing, because [they knew God] had honored them [by letting people] disgrace them because they were followers [MTY] of Jesus.
42 And every day [the apostles went to] the temple [area] and to various [people’s] houses, [and] they continued [LIT] teaching [people] and telling [them] that Jesus is the Messiah.
