CHAPTER 5
With
his
wife’s
full knowledge,
he kept back
some of
the
proceeds for himself,
but
brought
a
portion
and laid it
at
the
apostles’
feet.
Then
Peter
said,
“Ananias,
how is it that
Satan
has filled
your
heart
to lie
to the
Holy
Spirit
and
withhold
some of
the
proceeds
from the
land?
Did it not belong
to you
before it was sold?
And
after it was sold,
was it not
at
your
disposal?
How
could you conceive
such
a deed
in
your
heart?
You have not lied
to men,
but
to God!”
On hearing
these
words,
Ananias
fell down
and died.
And
great
fear
came
over
all
who
heard what had happened.
“Tell
me,”
said
Peter,
“is this
the price
you and your husband got
for the
land?”
“Yes,”
she answered,
“that is the price.”
“How
could you
agree
to test
the
Spirit
of the Lord?”
Peter replied.
“Look,
the
feet
of the men who
buried
your
husband
are at
the
door,
and
they will carry you out also.”
At that instant
she fell down
at
his
feet
and
died.
Then
the
young men
came in
and found
her
dead.
So
they carried her out
and buried her
beside
her
husband.
The
apostles
performed
many
signs
and
wonders
among
the
people,
and
with one accord
the believers gathered together
in
Solomon’s
Colonnade.
As a result,
people brought
the
sick
into
the
streets
and
laid them
on
cots
and
mats,
so that
at least
Peter’s
shadow
might fall on
some
of them
as he passed by.
Crowds
also
gathered
from the
towns
around
Jerusalem,
bringing
the sick
and
those tormented
by
unclean
spirits,
and
all of them
were healed.
Then
the
high priest
and
all
his associates
(who
belonged
to the
party
of the Sadducees)
rose up
with
jealousy.
But
during
the night
an angel
of the Lord
opened
the
doors
of the
jail
and brought them out,
saying,
At
daybreak,
the apostles entered
the
temple courts
as they had been told
and
began to teach the people.
When
the
high priest
and
his associates
arrived
in the
Council,
they called together
the
full
assembly
of the
elders of Israel,
and
sent
to
the
jail
for
the apostles.
But
on arriving
at
the
jail,
the
officers
did not find
them there.
So
they returned
with the report:
“We found
the
jail
securely
locked,
with
the
guards
posted
at
the
doors;
but
when we opened them,
we found
no one
inside.”
When
the
captain
of the
temple guard
and
the
chief priests
heard
this
account,
they were perplexed
as to
what
was happening.
Then
someone
came in
and announced,
“Look,
the
men
you put
in
jail
are
standing
in
the
temple courts,
teaching
the
people!”
At that point,
the
captain
went
with
the
officers
and brought
the apostles—
but not
by
force,
for
fear
the
people
would stone them.
They brought them in
and made them stand
before
the
Sanhedrin,
where
the
high priest
interrogated
them.
“We gave you strict orders
not
to teach
in
this
name,”
he said.
“Yet
you have filled
Jerusalem
with
your
teaching
and
are determined
to make us responsible for
this
man’s
blood.”
God
exalted
Him
to
His
right hand
as Prince
and
Savior,
in order to grant
repentance
and
forgiveness
of sins
to Israel.
We
are
witnesses
of
these
things,
and so is
the
Holy
Spirit,
whom
God
has given
to those who
obey
Him.”
But
a
Pharisee
named
Gamaliel,
a teacher of the Law
who was honored
by all
the
people,
stood up
in
the
Sanhedrin
and ordered that
the
men
be put
outside
for a short time.
Some time ago
Theudas
rose up,
claiming
to be
somebody,
and
about
four hundred
men
joined him.
He
was killed,
all
his followers
were dispersed,
and
it all came
to
nothing.
After
him,
Judas
the
Galilean
appeared
in
the
days
of the
census
and
drew away
people
after
him.
He too
perished,
and
all
his followers
were scattered.
So
in the present case
I advise
you:
Leave
these
men alone.
Let them go!
For
if
their
purpose
or
endeavor
is
of
human origin,
it will fail.
But
if
it is
from
God,
you will not be able
to stop
them.
You may even find yourselves
fighting against God.”
At this,
they yielded
to Gamaliel.
They called
the
apostles in
and had them flogged.
Then
they ordered them
not
to speak
in
the
name
of Jesus,
and released them.
The apostles
left
the
Sanhedrin,
rejoicing
that
they had been counted worthy
of suffering disgrace
for
the
Name.
Every
day,
in
the
temple courts
and
from
house to house,
they did not stop
teaching
and
proclaiming the good news that
Jesus
is the
Christ.