New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Acts 5
1
A man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, also sold some land.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
2 Timothy 2:20
2
He kept part of the money for himself. Sapphira knew he had kept it. He brought the rest of it and put it down at the apostles' feet.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 4:37
3
Then Peter said, "Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You have kept some of the money you received for the land.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 23:24
Isaiah 29:15
John 13:27
John 13:2
1 Peter 5:8
James 4:7
Acts 5:2
Acts 5:4
Job 22:13
Spirit
Acts 5:9
4
Didn't the land belong to you before it was sold? After it was sold, you could have used the money as you wished. What made you think of doing such a thing? You haven't lied to just anyone. You've lied to God."
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 5:3
Isaiah 59:4
Acts 5:9
Psalm 139:4
Luke 10:16
References God
1 Chronicles 29:3
1 Thessalonians 4:8
Ezekiel 38:10
5
When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. All who heard what had happened were filled with fear.
Reference
6
Some young men came and wrapped up his body. They carried him out and buried him.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 19:40
7
About three hours later, the wife of Ananias came in. She didn't know what had happened.
8
Peter asked her, "Tell me. Is this the price you and Ananias sold the land for?" "Yes," she said. "That's the price."
9
Peter asked her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! You can hear the steps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out also."
Reference
10
At that very moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in. They saw that Sapphira was dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
12
The apostles did many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. All the believers used to meet together at Solomon's Porch.
Reference
14
More and more men and women believed in the Lord. They joined the other believers.
Reference
References Lord
Acts 2:47
15
So people brought those who were sick into the streets. They placed them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he walked by.
Reference
16
Crowds even gathered from the towns around Jerusalem. They brought their sick. They also brought those who were suffering because of evil spirits. All of them were healed.
17
The high priest and all his companions were Sadducees. They were very jealous of the apostles.
Reference
19
But during the night an angel of the Lord came. He opened the prison doors and brought the apostles out.
Reference
20
"Go! Stand in the temple courtyard," the angel said. "Tell the people all about this new life."
Reference
Parallel theme
John 17:3
Isaiah 58:1
Temple
Matthew 21:23
John 18:20
Word
John 6:63
John 6:68
Acts 11:14
Jeremiah 36:10
Jeremiah 7:2
Jeremiah 26:2
21
Early the next day they did as they had been told. They entered the temple courtyard. There they began to teach the people. The high priest and his companions arrived. They called the Sanhedrin together. The Sanhedrin was a gathering of all the elders of Israel. They sent for the apostles who were in prison.
Reference
Temple
John 8:2
22
The officers arrived at the prison. But they didn't find the apostles there. So they went back and reported it.
23
"We found the prison locked up tight," they said. "The guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors, we didn't find anyone inside."
Reference
24
When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were bewildered. They wondered what would happen next.
Reference
25
Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courtyard. They are teaching the people."
26
So the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles back. But they didn't use force. They were afraid the people would kill them by throwing stones at them.
Reference
27
They brought the apostles to be judged by the Sanhedrin. The high priest questioned them.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 5:22
28
"We gave you clear orders not to teach in Jesus' name," he said. "But you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. You want to make us guilty of this man's death."
Reference
30
You had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross. But the God of our people raised Jesus from the dead.
Reference
31
Now Jesus is Prince and Savior. God has proved this by giving him a place of honor at his own right hand. He did it so that he could turn Israel away from their sins and forgive them.
Reference
References God
Acts 2:33
Isaiah 9:6
Acts 3:15
Repentance
Acts 11:18
Salvation
Luke 2:11
Hebrews 2:10
1 John 4:14
Sin
Luke 24:47
Revelation 1:5
Hebrews 12:2
32
We are witnesses of these things. And so is the Holy Spirit. God has given the Spirit to those who obey him."
Reference
Holy
Acts 15:28
Acts 1:8
Acts 2:4
John 7:39
1 Peter 1:12
References God
Acts 5:29
Witness
Acts 13:31
33
When the leaders heard this, they became very angry. They wanted to put the apostles to death.
Reference
34
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the Sanhedrin. He was a teacher of the law. He was honored by all the people. He ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while.
Reference
People
35
Then he spoke to the Sanhedrin. "Men of Israel," he said, "think carefully about what you plan to do to these men.
36
Some time ago Theudas appeared. He claimed he was really somebody. About 400 people followed him. But he was killed. All his followers were scattered. So they accomplished nothing.
Reference
People
37
After this, Judas from Galilee came along. This was in the days when the Romans made a list of all the people. Judas led a gang of men against the Romans. He too was killed. All his followers were scattered.
People
38
So let me give you some advice. Leave these men alone! Let them go! If their plans and actions are only human, they will fail.
Reference
39
But if their plans come from God, you won't be able to stop these men. You will only find yourselves fighting against God."
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 21:30
Isaiah 46:10
Matthew 16:18
Acts 7:51
Acts 6:10
Acts 9:5
Job 34:29
Luke 21:15
References God
Acts 11:17
1 Corinthians 1:25
40
His speech won the leaders over. They called the apostles in and had them whipped. The leaders ordered them not to speak in Jesus' name. Then they let the apostles go.
Reference
41
The apostles were full of joy as they left the Sanhedrin. They considered it an honor to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.
Reference
42
Day after day, they kept teaching in the temple courtyards and from house to house. They never stopped telling the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 20:20
2 Timothy 4:2
Acts 4:29
References Christ
Acts 9:20
References Jesus
Acts 8:35
Acts 17:3
Temple
Acts 2:46
Luke 21:37
Summary of Acts 5
Acts 5 presents a powerful contrast between the holiness of the early Christian community, the continuing power of the apostles, and the increasing opposition of Jerusalem's religious authorities.
The chapter begins with the story of Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple who sell a piece of property but secretly keep part of the money while pretending to give the entire amount to the apostles.
Peter makes clear that they were not required to sell the property or surrender all of the proceeds.
Their serious wrongdoing was their deliberate deception and their attempt to appear more generous and spiritually committed than they actually were.
Peter confronts Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit, and Ananias falls down and dies.
Several hours later, Sapphira independently confirms the same false story and also dies.
The event creates great fear throughout the church and demonstrates the seriousness with which the early believers understood truthfulness, integrity, and reverence for God.
At the same time, the apostles continue performing many signs and wonders, and the Christian community continues to grow.
People bring sick relatives and friends to the apostles, and crowds arrive from surrounding areas, with many people experiencing healing.
The movement therefore continues expanding even after the frightening judgment against Ananias and Sapphira.
The growing influence of the apostles increasingly concerns the high priest and the Sadducees.
The authorities arrest the apostles and place them in public custody, attempting to stop them from preaching about Jesus.
During the night, however, an angel opens the prison doors and instructs the apostles to return to the temple and continue proclaiming the message of life.
The apostles obey immediately.
Rather than hiding after their miraculous release, they return directly to the temple and begin teaching again.
When the authorities discover that the prisoners are gone, they eventually learn that the apostles are openly teaching in the temple.
The apostles are brought before the council, where the high priest reminds them that they had been commanded to stop teaching in Jesus' name.
Peter and the other apostles respond with one of the defining statements of Acts: they must obey God rather than human beings.
Peter then repeats the central Christian proclamation.
The leaders had killed Jesus by crucifixion, but God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him as Leader and Savior, giving people the opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness.
The apostles declare that they are witnesses to these things and that the Holy Spirit has also been given to those who obey God.
The council becomes furious and considers killing the apostles.
At this point, Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee and teacher of the law, intervenes.
He reminds the council of earlier movements led by figures such as Theudas and Judas the Galilean, both of which collapsed after their leaders were removed.
Gamaliel therefore advises the council to leave the apostles alone.
His reasoning is that if their movement is merely human, it will eventually disappear, but if it comes from God, the council will not be able to stop it.
He even warns that the authorities might find themselves fighting against God.
The council accepts his advice but still has the apostles beaten and again orders them not to speak in Jesus' name.
The apostles then leave the council rejoicing that they have been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus' name.
Rather than allowing persecution to silence them, they continue teaching every day, both publicly in the temple and privately from house to house.
The central message of Acts 5 is that God's work cannot ultimately be stopped by human opposition, and genuine discipleship requires truthfulness, obedience to God, courage under persecution, and continued commitment to proclaiming Jesus.
The chapter also presents two contrasting responses to God's work.
Ananias and Sapphira attempt to appear faithful without actually being truthful, while the apostles openly accept suffering because they genuinely believe that Jesus is Lord.
The religious authorities attempt to control the message through imprisonment, threats, and physical punishment, but the apostles repeatedly return to their mission.
Their imprisonment does not stop them.
Their threats do not stop them.
Their beating does not stop them.
Instead, persecution strengthens their determination to continue proclaiming Jesus.
Acts 5 therefore reinforces a major theme of the book: the Gospel advances not because the early Christians possess political power, wealth, or social influence, but because God empowers them through the Holy Spirit and continually opens the way for their witness.
The chapter ends exactly where the authorities do not want it to end—with the apostles continuing to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah every day, demonstrating that the mission given by Jesus in Acts 1 is already moving forward despite increasingly intense opposition.
The chapter begins with the story of Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple who sell a piece of property but secretly keep part of the money while pretending to give the entire amount to the apostles.
Peter makes clear that they were not required to sell the property or surrender all of the proceeds.
Their serious wrongdoing was their deliberate deception and their attempt to appear more generous and spiritually committed than they actually were.
Peter confronts Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit, and Ananias falls down and dies.
Several hours later, Sapphira independently confirms the same false story and also dies.
The event creates great fear throughout the church and demonstrates the seriousness with which the early believers understood truthfulness, integrity, and reverence for God.
At the same time, the apostles continue performing many signs and wonders, and the Christian community continues to grow.
People bring sick relatives and friends to the apostles, and crowds arrive from surrounding areas, with many people experiencing healing.
The movement therefore continues expanding even after the frightening judgment against Ananias and Sapphira.
The growing influence of the apostles increasingly concerns the high priest and the Sadducees.
The authorities arrest the apostles and place them in public custody, attempting to stop them from preaching about Jesus.
During the night, however, an angel opens the prison doors and instructs the apostles to return to the temple and continue proclaiming the message of life.
The apostles obey immediately.
Rather than hiding after their miraculous release, they return directly to the temple and begin teaching again.
When the authorities discover that the prisoners are gone, they eventually learn that the apostles are openly teaching in the temple.
The apostles are brought before the council, where the high priest reminds them that they had been commanded to stop teaching in Jesus' name.
Peter and the other apostles respond with one of the defining statements of Acts: they must obey God rather than human beings.
Peter then repeats the central Christian proclamation.
The leaders had killed Jesus by crucifixion, but God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him as Leader and Savior, giving people the opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness.
The apostles declare that they are witnesses to these things and that the Holy Spirit has also been given to those who obey God.
The council becomes furious and considers killing the apostles.
At this point, Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee and teacher of the law, intervenes.
He reminds the council of earlier movements led by figures such as Theudas and Judas the Galilean, both of which collapsed after their leaders were removed.
Gamaliel therefore advises the council to leave the apostles alone.
His reasoning is that if their movement is merely human, it will eventually disappear, but if it comes from God, the council will not be able to stop it.
He even warns that the authorities might find themselves fighting against God.
The council accepts his advice but still has the apostles beaten and again orders them not to speak in Jesus' name.
The apostles then leave the council rejoicing that they have been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus' name.
Rather than allowing persecution to silence them, they continue teaching every day, both publicly in the temple and privately from house to house.
The central message of Acts 5 is that God's work cannot ultimately be stopped by human opposition, and genuine discipleship requires truthfulness, obedience to God, courage under persecution, and continued commitment to proclaiming Jesus.
The chapter also presents two contrasting responses to God's work.
Ananias and Sapphira attempt to appear faithful without actually being truthful, while the apostles openly accept suffering because they genuinely believe that Jesus is Lord.
The religious authorities attempt to control the message through imprisonment, threats, and physical punishment, but the apostles repeatedly return to their mission.
Their imprisonment does not stop them.
Their threats do not stop them.
Their beating does not stop them.
Instead, persecution strengthens their determination to continue proclaiming Jesus.
Acts 5 therefore reinforces a major theme of the book: the Gospel advances not because the early Christians possess political power, wealth, or social influence, but because God empowers them through the Holy Spirit and continually opens the way for their witness.
The chapter ends exactly where the authorities do not want it to end—with the apostles continuing to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah every day, demonstrating that the mission given by Jesus in Acts 1 is already moving forward despite increasingly intense opposition.