The sin of Ananias and Sapphira
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📚✭But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 📚and kept back part of the money, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.3 📚✭But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the money for the land? 4 📚While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was the money not in your control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God”.
5 📚✭And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down, and breathed his last. And great fear✭ came on all those who heard these things. 6 📚And the young men arose, wrapped him up, carried him outside, and buried him.
7 And it was about three hours later that his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 📚And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” And she said, “Yes, for so much”.
9 📚✭Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and will carry you out”.
10 📚Then she fell down immediately at his feet, and breathed her last. And the young men came in, found her dead, and carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 📚✭And great fear came on the whole church, and on everyone who heard these things.
Miracles of the apostles
12 📚And many miraculous signs and wonders were performed at the hands of the apostles among the people. And they were all together with one accord in Solomon’s Portico. 13 📚✭And among the rest no man dared to join them, but the people regarded them highly. 14 📚✭And more and more believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. 15 📚✭So then they brought the sick out into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the very least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 📚✭Also crowds came from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits✭. And every one of them was healed.
Jewish leaders persecute the apostles
17 📚Then the high priest and all those who were with him (who were of the sect of the Sadducees)✭ rose up, filled with indignation, 18 📚and seized the apostles, and put them in the public prison. 19 📚But at night the angel of the Lord✭ opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, 20 📚✭“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life”.
21 📚✭And when they heard that, they went into the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest, and those who were with him, came and called together the Council✭ and all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, 23 📚saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the keepers were standing outside at the doors, but when we opened them, we did not find anyone inside”. 24 📚Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple guard, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered where this would lead.
25 Then someone came and told them: “Look, the men you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people”. 26 📚✭Then the captain with the officers went and brought them without using force; for they were afraid of the people, that they might throw stones at them.
27 📚And when they had brought them, they placed them before the council, and the high priest asked them, 28 📚saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And, look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s✭ blood on us”.
29 📚✭Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 📚✭The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 📚✭God exalted him to his right hand as Prince and Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 📚✭And we are his witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him”.
33 📚✭When they heard that, they were enraged and plotted to kill them. 34 📚Then a man stood up in the council meeting, a Pharisee✭ named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, and gave an order that the apostles be put outside for a little while. 35 📚Then he said to them, “You men of Israel, take care to yourselves what you intend to do about these men. 36 📚✭For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all those who followed him were scattered, and it came to nothing. 37 📚After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all those who obeyed him were scattered. 38 📚✭And now I say to you, withdraw from these men, and let them alone. For if their purpose or work is of men, it will come to nothing. 39 📚But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, and perhaps you will be found even to fight against God”.
40 📚✭And they agreed with him. And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 📚✭And they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 📚✭And daily in the temple and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.