Acts
Chapter 4:v23 - Chapter 5:v11
Acts 4: v 23-37
The Believers' Prayer
23On their release, Peter and
John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had
said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their
voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made
the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You
spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“
‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The
kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.’ 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles
and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom
you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided
beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats
and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch
out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your
holy servant Jesus.”
31After
they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32
All the believers were one
in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared
everything they had. 33With great power the apostles
continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them
all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time
to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to
anyone as he had need.
36Joseph, a
Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the
apostles' feet.
Acts 5: v 1-11
Ananias and Sapphira
1Now a man named Ananias,
together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With
his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest
and put it at the apostles' feet.
3Then
Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have
lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the
land? 4Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after
it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing?
You have not lied to men but to God.”
5When
Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had
happened. 6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his
body, and carried him out and buried him.
7About
three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter
asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is
the price.”
9Peter said
to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the
men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10At that
moment 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. 11Great
fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
