1A istý človek, menom Ananiáš, so Zafírou, svojou ženou, predal nejaký majetok 2a kradmo uňal z utŕžených peňazí i s vedomím svojej ženy a doniesol nejakú čiastku a položil k nohám apoštolov. 3A Peter povedal: Ananiášu, prečo naplnil satan tvoje srdce, aby si oluhal Svätého Ducha a uňal kradmo z peňazí za to pole? 4Či azda nebolo tvoje, keď bolo nepredané? A keď bolo predané, tiež bolo v tvojej moci. Prečo si si uložil tú vec vo svojom srdci? Neluhal si ľuďom, ale Bohu. 5A keď počul Ananiáš tie slová, padol a vydal ducha. A prišla veliká bázeň na všetkých, ktorí to počuli. 6A čo mladší vstanúc upravili ho a vynesúc pochovali. 7A stalo sa tak asi o tri hodiny, že vošla i jeho žena nevediac čo sa stalo. 8A Peter jej odpovedal: Povedz mi, či ste za toľko predali to pole? A ona odpovedala: Áno, za toľko. 9A Peter jej povedal: Prečo ste sa sriekli pokúšať Ducha JeHoVaHovho? Hľa, nohy tých, ktorí pochovali tvojho muža, sú pri dveriach a vynesú i teba. 10A padla naskutku k jeho nohám a vydala ducha, a keď vošli mládenci, našli ju mŕtvu a vyniesli ju a pochovali k jej mužovi. 11A prišla veliká bázeň na celú cirkev a na všetkých, ktorí to počuli. 12A skrze ruky apoštolov dialo sa mnoho divov a zázrakov medzi ľudom (A všetci boli jednomyseľne v dvorane Šalamúnovej. 13A z ostatných sa im nikto neopovážil pripojiť. Ale ľud ich zveleboval. 14A čím ďalej, tým viacej veriacich sa pridávalo Pánovi, množstvá mužov a žien), 15takže i na ulice vynášali nemocných a kládli na posteliach a na nosidlách, aby, keď tade pojde Peter, aspoň jeho tieň zatienil niektorého z nich. 16A schádzalo sa i množstvo z okolitých miest do Jeruzalema, ktorí niesli nemocných a takých, ktorých trápili nečistí duchovia, a boli všetci uzdravení. 17Tu povstal najvyšší kňaz a všetci, ktorí boli s ním, sekta to sadúceov, a boli naplnení závisťou 18a položili ruky na apoštolov a vsadili ich do obecného väzenia. 19Ale anjel JeHoVaHov otvoril cez noc dvere žalára, vyviedol ich a povedal: 20Iďte a postaviac sa hovorte v chráme ľudu všetky slová tohoto života. 21A keď to počuli, vošli nad ránom do chrámu a učili. A prišiel najvyšší kňaz i tí, ktorí boli s ním, a svolali vysokú radu i všetkých starších zo synov Izraelových a poslali do väzenia, aby ich doviedli. 22Ale služobníci prijdúc ta nenašli ich v žalári a tak navrátili sa a zvestovali 23a vraveli: Väzenie sme našli cele bezpečne zamknuté i strážených stáť vonku pri dveriach, ale keď sme otvorili, vnútri sme nenašli nikoho. 24A keď počuli tie slová, rečený kňaz a veliteľ chrámu i najvyšší kňazi, boli celí bezradní ohľadom nich nevediac, čo sa to mohlo stať. 25A ktosi prišiel a oznámil im a vravel: Hľa, mužovia, ktorých ste vsadili do žalára, stoja v chráme a učia ľud. 26Vtedy odišiel veliteľ so služobníkmi a viedol ich, nie násilne, lebo sa báli ľudu, aby ich neukameňovali. 27A keď ich doviedli, postavili ich pred vysokú radu. A najvyšší kňaz sa ich opýtal a riekol: 28Či sme vám prísne neprikázali, aby ste neučili v tom mene, a hľa, naplnili ste Jeruzalem svojím učením a chcete na nás uviesť krv toho človeka. 29A Peter odpovedal i ostatní apoštolovia a riekli: Viac treba poslúchať Boha ako ľudí. 30Bôh našich otcov vzkriesil Ježiša, ktorého ste vy zabili povesiac ho na drevo. 31Toho Bôh povýšil svojou pravicou na Veľvodcu a Spasiteľa, aby dal Izraelovi pokánie a odpustenie hriechov. 32A my sme jeho svedkami v tých veciach i Svätý Duch, ktorého dal Bôh tým, ktorí ho poslúchajú. 33A oni, keď to počuli, zúrili a chceli ich zabiť. 34Ale povstal nejaký farizeus vo vysokej rade, menom Gamaliel, učiteľ zákona, ktorého si veľmi vážil všetok ľud, a rozkázal, aby na chvíľu vyviedli ľudí von, 35a povedal im: Mužovia Izraeliti, majte sa na pozore pri týchto ľuďoch, čo máte robiť! 36Lebo nedávno, pred týmito dňami, bol povstal Teudas, ktorý hovoril o sebe, že je ktosi, ktorému sa bolo pripojilo počtom okolo štyristo mužov, ktorého potom zabili, a všetci, ktorí ho poslúchali, sa rozpŕchli a vyšli na nič. 37Po ňom bol povstal Júdas Galilejský, vo dňoch popisu, a odvrátil za sebou mnoho ľudu, ale aj ten zahynul, a všetci, ktorí ho poslúchali, boli rozptýlení. 38A čo do teraz, hovorím vám, odstúpte od týchto ľudí a nechajte ich, lebo ak je tá rada z ľudí alebo to dielo, rozpadne sa; 39no ak je z Boha, nebudete ho môcť zničiť, aby ste snáď neboli najdení ešte i jako takí, ktorí sa boria s Bohom! 40A poslúchli ho. A zavolajúc si apoštolov nabili ich a prikázali im, aby nehovorili v mene Ježišovom, a prepustili ich. 41A oni išli zpred tvári vysokej rady radujúc sa, že boli učinení hodnými byť pohanení pre meno Pána Ježiša. 42A neprestávali učiť každého dňa v chráme a po domoch a zvestovať Ježiša Krista.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. (
Acts 5:1-
Acts 5:11)
kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it--The coolness with which they planned the deception aggravated the guilt of this couple.
brought a certain part--pretending it to be the whole proceeds of the sale.
3 why hath Satan filled--"why . . . fill--"why hast thou suffered him to fill"
thine heart--so criminally entertaining his suggestion? Compare
Acts 5:4, "why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?" And see
John 13:2,
John 13:27.
to lie to the Holy Ghost--to men under His supernatural illumination.
4 While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?--from which we see how purely voluntary were all these sacrifices for the support of the infant community.
not lied to men but God--to men so entirely the instruments of the directing Spirit that the lie was rather told to Him: language clearly implying both the distinct personality and the proper divinity of the Holy Ghost.
5 Ananias . . . gave up the ghost . . . great fear came on all that heard these things--on those without the Christian circle; who, instead of disparaging the followers of the Lord Jesus, as they might otherwise have done on the discovery of such hypocrisy, were awed at the manifest presence of Divinity among them, and the mysterious power of throwing off such corrupt matter which rested upon the young Church.
6 the young men--some of the younger and more active members of the church, not as office-bearers, nor coming forward now for the first time, but who probably had already volunteered their services in making subordinate arrangements. In every thriving Christian community such volunteers may be expected, and will be found eminently useful.
7 Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much--naming the sum.
9 How is it that ye have agreed together--(See on
Acts 5:2).
to tempt the Spirit--try whether they could escape detection by that omniscient Spirit of whose supernatural presence with the apostles they had had such full evidence.
feet of them that buried thy husband are at the door--How awfully graphic!
10 buried her by her husband--The later Jews buried before sunset of the day of death.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, &c.--This effect on the Christian community itself was the chief design of so startling a judgment; which had its counterpart, as the sin itself had, in Achan (Jos. 7:1-26), while the time--at the commencement of a new career--was similar.
12 THE PROGRESS OF THE NEW CAUSE LEADS TO THE ARREST OF THE APOSTLES--THEY ARE MIRACULOUSLY DELIVERED FROM PRISON, RESUME THEIR TEACHING, BUT ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE CONDUCTED BEFORE THE SAMHEDRIM. (
Acts 5:12-
Acts 5:26)
Solomon's Porch--(See on
John 10:23).
13 of the rest durst no man join himself, &c.--Of the unconverted none ventured, after what had taken place, to profess discipleship; but yet their number continually increased.
15 into the streets--"in every street."
on beds and couches--The words denote the softer couches of the rich and the meaner cribs of the poor [BENGEL].
shadow of Peter . . . might overshadow some of them--Compare
Acts 19:12;
Luke 8:46. So Elisha. Now the predicted greatness of Peter (
Matt 16:18), as the directing spirit of the early Church, was at its height.
17 sect of the Sadducees--See on
Acts 4:1 for the reason why this is specified.
19 by night--the same night.
20 all the words of this life--beautiful expression for that Life in the Risen One which was the burden of their preaching!
21 entered into the temple, &c.--How self-possessed! the indwelling Spirit raising them above fear.
called . . . all the senate, &c.--an unusually general convention, though hastily summoned.
23 the prison . . . shut . . . keepers . . . before the doors, but . . . no man within--the reverse of the miracle in
Acts 16:26; a similar contrast to that of the nets at the miraculous draughts of fishes (
Luke 5:6;
John 21:11).
24 they doubted--"were in perplexity."
26 without violence, for they feared, &c.--hardened ecclesiastics, all unawed by the miraculous tokens of God's presence with the apostles, and the fear of the mob only before their eyes!
27 SECOND APPEARANCE AND TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SAMHEDRIM--ITS RAGE CALMED BY GAMALIEL--BEING DISMISSED, THEY DEPART REJOICING, AND CONTINUE THEIR PREACHING. (Acts 5:27-42)
ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine--noble testimony to the success of their preaching, and (for the reason mentioned on
Acts 4:4) to the truth of their testimony, from reluctant lips!
28 intend to bring this man's blood upon us--They avoid naming Him whom Peter gloried in holding up [BENGEL]. In speaking thus, they seem to betray a disagreeable recollection of their own recent imprecation, His blood be upon us," &c. (
Matt 27:25), and of the traitor's words as he threw down the money, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood" (
Matt 27:4).
29 Then Peter, &c.--(See on
Acts 2:22, and
Acts 3:13, &c.).
31 Prince and a Saviour--the first word expressing that Royalty which all Israel looked for in Messiah, the second the Saving character of it which they had utterly lost sight of. Each of these features in our Lord's work enters into the other, and both make one glorious whole (compare
Acts 3:15;
Heb 2:10).
to give--dispensing as a "Prince."
repentance and remission of sins--as a "Saviour"; "repentance" embracing all that change which issues in the faith which secures "forgiveness" (compare
Acts 2:38;
Acts 20:21). How gloriously is Christ here exhibited; not, as in other places, as the Medium, but as the Dispenser of all spiritual blessings!
32 we are his witnesses . . . and the Holy Ghost--They as competent human witnesses to facts, and the Holy Ghost as attesting them by undeniable miracles.
33 cut to the heart and took--"were taking."
counsel to slay them--How different this feeling and the effect of it from that "pricking of the heart" which drew from the first converts on the day of Pentecost the cry, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (
Acts 2:37). The words used in the two places are strikingly different.
34 Then stood up . . . Gamaliel--in all probability one of that name celebrated in the Jewish writings for his wisdom, the son of Simeon (possibly the same who took the infant Saviour in his arms,
Luke 2:25-
Luke 2:35), and grandson of HILLEL, another celebrated rabbi. He died eighteen years before the destruction of Jerusalem [LIGHTFOOT].
35 Theudas--not the same with a deceiver of that name whom JOSEPHUS mentions as heading an insurrection some twelve years after this [Antiquities, 20.5.1], but some other of whom he makes no mention. Such insurrections were frequent.
37 Judas of Galilee--(See on
Luke 2:2, and
Luke 13:1-
Luke 13:3) [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 13.1.1].
38 if . . . of men, it will come to naught--This neutral policy was true wisdom, in the then temper of the council. But individual neutrality is hostility to Christ, as He Himself teaches (
Luke 11:23).
40 beaten them--for disobeying their orders (compare
Luke 23:16).
41 departed . . . rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name--"thought worthy by God to be dishonored by man" (
Matt 5:12;
1Pet 4:14,
1Pet 4:16) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. This was their first taste of persecution, and it felt sweet for His sake whose disciples they were.
42 in every house--in private. (See on
Acts 2:46).
ceased not to preach Jesus Christ--that is, Jesus (to be the) Christ.