Acts 5
1 But a certain man named Hananiah, with Shappirah his wife, sold a possession,
But there was one of [the believers] whose name was Ananias, and whose wife’s name was Sapphira. He [also] sold some land.
2 and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the emissaries’ feet.
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 But Peter said, “Hananiah, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land?
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 While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”
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 Hananiah, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.
When Ananias heard that, [immediately] he fell down dead. So all [who were there] who heard [about Ananias’ death] became terrified [PRS].
6 The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.
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, not knowing what had happened, came in.
About three hours later, his wife came in, [but] she did not know what had happened.
8 Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.”
[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 But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
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 She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
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 Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.
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 By the hands of the emissaries many signs and wonders were done amongst the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
[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 None of the rest dared to join them; however, the people honoured them.
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 More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.
Many more men and women started believing in the Lord [Jesus], and they joined the [group of] believers.
15 They even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at least his shadow might overshadow some of them.
[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 The multitude also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits; and they were all healed.
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 But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy
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 and laid hands on the emissaries, then put them in public custody.
So they commanded the Temple guards to seize the apostles and put them in the public jail.
19 But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out and said,
[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 “Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
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 When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and taught. But the high priest and those who were with him came and called the council together, with all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
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 the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,
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 found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”
“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 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.
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 One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.”
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 Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.
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 When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,
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 saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”
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 and the emissaries answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
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 The God of our fathers raised up Yeshua, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.
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 exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
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 are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
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 But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.
When the Council members heard those words, they became very angry [with the apostles], and they wanted to kill them.
34 But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Torah, honoured by all the people, and commanded to put the emissaries out for a little while.
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 He said to them, “You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.
[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 For before these days Todah rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves. He was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed and came to nothing.
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 this man, Judah of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
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 Now I tell you, withdraw from these men and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.
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 it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”
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 agreed with him. Summoning the emissaries, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Yeshua, and let them go.
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 They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for Yeshua’s name.
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 Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming Yeshua, the Messiah.
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.
