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5:1  Now a man named Ananias, with Sapphira · his wife, sold a piece of property,
5:2  and kept back for himself some of the proceeds, with his wife’s knowledge, and brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. ·
5:3  But Peter said, · “Ananias, why did Satan fill · · your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit · and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the field?
5:4  While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, was it not under · your control? Why is it that you have contrived this affair in · your heart? · You have not lied to men but to God!”
5:5  When Ananias heard · · · these words, he fell down and breathed his last. · Great fear gripped all who heard about it.
5:6  So the young men came forward, wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him.
5:7  After an interval of about three hours · · his wife came in, unaware of what had happened.
5:8  And Peter addressed her, “Tell me whether for so much you sold the land” And she said, “Yes, for so much.”
5:9  · And Peter said to her, “Why is it that you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who buried · your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
5:10  And she fell down immediately at · his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in · and found her dead, · they carried her out and buried her beside · her husband.
5:11  · Great fear gripped the entire church, and all who heard about these things.
5:12  By · the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were being done among the people. And they were all together in · Solomon’s Portico.
5:13  But of the others no one dared to join them; however, the people held them in high regard,
5:14  and more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women,
5:15  so that they carried out the sick even into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, so that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
5:16  · A great number of people from the towns around Jerusalem also came, bringing the sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and they were healed, all of them.
5:17  Then the high priest stood up and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation,
5:18  and they laid · hands on the apostles and put them in the public jail.
5:19  But an angel of the Lord during the night opened the doors of the prison and brought them out and said,
5:20  “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
5:21  And when they heard this, they entered the temple at · daybreak and began to teach. But when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the elders of the sons of Israel and they sent to the prison to have them brought before them.
5:22  But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,
5:23  saying, “We found the prison locked with every security and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened it we found no one inside.”
5:24  On · hearing · these words, both the captain of the temple and the chief priests were perplexed about them, wondering what this could be.
5:25  And someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men whom you put in the prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
5:26  Then the captain went with the officers and brought them, but not with force, for they feared the people, lest they be stoned.
5:27  And they brought them and had them stand before the council. · The high priest questioned them,
5:28  saying, “We gave you a strict order to stop teaching in · this name. Yet you have filled · Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring on us the blood of this man.”
5:29  But in response, Peter and the other apostles said, “It is necessary to obey God rather than men.”
5:30  The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
5:31  God exalted this Jesus · to his own right hand as Leader and Savior, so as to provide repentance for Israel and the remission of sins.
5:32  And we are witnesses of these events, and so is the Holy Spirit, · whom God has given · to those who obey him.”
5:33  Now when they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.
5:34  But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, and he ordered them to put the men outside for a short time.
5:35  And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves about · these men, what you intend to do.
5:36  For before these · days there rose up Theudas, saying that he himself was someone, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all, as many as followed him, were dispersed, and the movement came to nothing.
5:37  After him rose up Judas the Galilean, in the days of the census and mislead people, so that they followed him. He too perished, and all, as many as followed him, were scattered.
5:38  So in the present case I tell you, keep away from · these men and leave them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking be of men, · · it will fail;
5:39  but if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them; lest you be found also opposing God!” They were persuaded · by him,
5:40  so summoning the apostles, they beat them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and they released them.
5:41  So then they went rejoicing from the presence of the council, because they had been considered worthy to suffer indignity on behalf of the name.
5:42  And every day, both in the temple and at home, they did not stop teaching and preaching Jesus the Christ.