Acts 5:1–42

¹ Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ² 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. ³ 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? ⁴ 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!” ⁵ On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened. ⁶ Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. ⁷ About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened. ⁸ “Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.” ⁹ “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.” ¹⁰ At that instant she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events. ¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them. ¹⁴ Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed. ¹⁷ Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out ¹⁸ and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. ¹⁹ But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying, ²⁰ “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.” ²¹ 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, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. ²² But on a…