certain part, and laid for which it was sold for themselves: and accordingly it at the apostles' they did, and came with the other part only, and pre3 But Peter said, sented it to the apostles.

feet.

a

Ananias, why hath a how hath Satan emboldened thee, that thou Satan [a] filled thine shouldst dare thus to deceive and rob the Holy heart [6] to lie to Ghost, as thou hast clearly done, in keeping back the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of and purloining part, when thou hadst consecrated all the price of the land? to God's service for the use of the church?

not in thine own

unto men, but unto

God.

42 [c] Whiles it re4. Before it was sold, was it not wholly thine, no mained, was it not other man having right to any part of it? (so the thine own? and after Syriac reads it;) and when it was sold, didst not thou it was sold, was it receive the whole sum or price for which it was sold? power? why hast was it not all in thine hand and power, so as thou thou conceived this mightest have fully performed thy vow? what motive thing in thine heart? hadst thou to do such a thing as this? The falsity thou hast not lied which was committed, in telling us that thou hadst sold thy possessions, and brought the whole price of it for the use of the church, (when thou didst keep 5 And Ananias hearing these words a part of it for thyself,) was an injury, not only to the fell down, and gave church, nor so much to us the apostles, as to God himup the ghost: and self, to the Holy Ghost, who came lately down to great fear came on all them that heard plant this church, and hath such a peculiar relation to it, that what is done to that, is by interpretation 6 And the young done to the Holy Ghost, who had the privity of the men arose, wound Vow, and knew that it was the consecrating of all, and him up, and carried not of this part only which thou hast brought to us. 5. And as Peter spake these words, Ananias fell 7 And it was about down dead in the place immediately, to the great the space of three astonishment and terrifying of all those that were hours after, when his there present.

these things.

him out, and buried

him.

in.

wife, not knowing 6. And the men of inferior rank, the officers to what was done, came whom it belonged to bury the dead, (see note [c] 8 And Peter an- Phil. i.,) took him, and stripped and swathed him, as swered unto her, Tell they used to do the dead, (see note [g] John xix.,) me whether ye sold and taking him up, carried him out and buried him. 7. And about three hours after this judgment fell for so much. on Ananias, Sapphira his wife

the land for so much?

And she said, Yea,

b

9 Then Peter said 8. And Peter examined and asked her, saying, unto her, How is it Was that sum which ye brought the full sum for that ye have agreed which the field was sold? And she answered, It was. together to tempt the Spirit of the b to provoke and dare God, (see note [c] Matt. iv.,) Lord? behold, the to try whether he will punish your fraud or no. Befeet of them which hold, (that thou mayest see what a provocation this have buried thy hus- hath been to God,) the men are coming in which have buried thy dead husband, and now they shall do as much for thee.

band are at the door,

and shall carry thee

out.

1 that thou shouldst deceive the Holy Ghost. thine own? and being sold

2 Was not the possession or demesne

10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

II And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all

11. And all the believers were stricken with a great reverence, and so were all others to whom it was related.

с

(and they solemnly met together to preach and with one accord in do miracles in the entrance to the temple, called SoloSolomon's porch. mon's porch.

13 And of the rest

them.

durst no man join 13. And no other of the believers or Christianshimself to them: but called the church, ver. 11-durst consort with the the people magnified twelve apostles, through the reverence, ver. 11, which these late acts had wrought in them; but the people that saw and heard what was done magnified them. to the Lord, multi- 14. And these miracles, that wrought such a revetudes both of men rence in the believers, were a means also to work faith and women.) in all the common sort of the people.

14 And believers were the more added

15 Insomuch that

shadow of Peter pass

they brought forth. 15. And the people, ver. 12, had such confidence the sick into the in their power of working miraculous cures, that they streets, and laid them believed that the very shadow of Peter, walking by a on beds and couches, diseased man, would work a cure on him; and therethat at the least the upon they brought forth their sick and impotent ing by might over- friends, those that were not able to go or stand, and of laid them upon beds, &c. in the passage, that as Peter came by, his shadow might come over some of them. 16 There came also 16. And the fame of their miracles spread into the the cities round a- country and region, and other cities about Jerusalem; bout unto Jerusalem, and from thence they brought sick folks

shadow some

them.

a multitude out of

bringing sick folks,

and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

17 ¶ Then the high

17. And the sanhedrim (most of them being of

priest rose up, and the sect of the Sadducees) set themselves very zealall they that were ously against them,

with him, (3 which is

the sect of the Sad

3 being the sect, ἡ οὖσα αἵρεσις.

nation,

18 And laid their

18. And apprehended the apostles, and imprisoned

hands on the apo- them in the common gaol.

stles, and put them

in the common pri

son.

19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of [d]this

life.

d

early in the morning,

d all the doctrine of Christianity.

21 And when they 21. And in obedience to that direction, they betook heard that, they en- themselves early in the morning to the temple, and tered into the temple there expounded the scripture, and taught the docand taught. But the trine of Christ out of it. But they of the sanhedrim high priest came, and thinking they had still been in hold, went into the they that were with court, and sent sergeants to the prison to have them him, and called the brought before them.

council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, e and the keepers

e and a guard of soldiers without, watching the standing without be- doors of the prison; but when we entered, none of fore the doors: but these prisoners were within. when we had open

within.

24 Now when the

ed, we found no man 24. And when the sanhedrim of the Jews, as also the captain of that band of soldiers who had set the high priest and the guard upon the prison, ver. 23, (see ch. iv. 1, and captain of the temple note [f] Luke xxii.,) had this word brought to them, and the chief priests they were much perplexed, and wondered how it could heard these things, come to pass, that the prison being shut, and the they doubted of watch at the doors, yet none of the prisoners should be within, and conceived that this did abode some 25 Then came one strange matter.

them whereunto this would grow.

concerning them, what this was, or, would be, wepì avtŵr, tí

and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison fare standing in the temple, teaching the people.

and ther.

are in the temple, instructing all that come thi

26 Then went the 26. And the captain that guarded the temple, (see captain with the of- note [f] Luke xxii.,) together with his soldiers, went ficers, and brought to the temple, and apprehended them without—

them without vio

lence: forthey feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

27 And when they had brought them,

brought them before the court, and the high

they set them before priest examined them,

the council: and the b not to publish this doctrine of Christ? and ye high priest asked contrariwise have published it in the temple to all them, the city, and done your best, by laying his blood to 28 Saying, Did not our charge, to raise up the people against us, as we straitly command you that ye should against murderers.

h

not teach in this 29. And the apostles answered, as before they had name? and, behold, done, ch. iv. 19, We were commanded by God to ye have filled Jeru- publish it, and then your interdict was not to have salem with your doctrine, and intend any force. Though magistrates are to be obeyed in to bring this man's all their lawful commands, and their punishments to blood upon us. be endured without resistance, (as they were by us, 29 Then Peter vv. 18. 26,) yet when God fetches us out of pristles answered and son, and commands us to go into the temple and said, We ought to preach the faith of Christ, (as he did by his angel, obey God God rather ver. 20,) we are to render obedience to him, and not to your contrary interdicts.

and the other apo

than men.

30 The God of our

Prince and a Savi

fathers raised up Je-, 30, 31. The God of Israel, acknowledged by us all, sus, whom ye slew hath sent the Messias into the world, furnished with and hanged on a tree. his special commission, and when ye crucified him 31 Him hath God as a malefactor, raised him from death, took him into exalted with his heaven, and instated him in his regal power, (that he right hand to be [e]a might be a spiritual prince, reigning in men's hearts,) our, for to give re- at his Father's right hand, from thence to send the pentance to Israel, Spirit of his Father, (who was not to descend till he and forgiveness of was ascended,) and by that means to give you Jews 32 And we are his place of repentance, that if ye yet come in and repent, witnesses of these and believe on him, ye may have pardon of sin. things; and so is al- 32. The truth of this we testify, and so doth the so the Holy Ghost, Holy Ghost, that came down upon us, and upon the whom God hath giv- rest that have come in, and consorted with us, ch. iv. en to them that obey 31, and by us is communicated to all that come in 33 ¶ When they and believe, and yield obedience to him. heard that, they 33. And upon this answer of theirs, they fell into 7 to his right hand, τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ.

sins.

him.

6 you would bring, βούλεσθε ἐπαγ.

8 were [f] cut to the great fierceness against them, and entered into conheart, and took coun- sultation of putting them to death.

sel to slay them.

34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves 9 what ye intend to do as touching these men.

days rose

36 For before these 36. For we have examples of men that have gatherup ed followers, and raised seditions among the people, Theudas, boast and come to nothing: as for instance, Theudas, that ing himself to be somebody; to whom undertook to be a general, boasting that he was sent a number of men, by God to that purpose, and so got four hundred men about four hundred, to follow him, but soon miscarried, and was himself joined themselves killed, and all put to flight that adhered to him; and who was slain; and all, as many as obey- so his design was utterly frustrated.

:

ed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

37 After this man rose up [h] Judas of Galilee in the days of the 10 taxing, and drew away much people after him : he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

38 And now I say i Dismiss these men, and make not such haste to unto you, 12Refrain proceed against them; (for the doctrine which they from these men, and preach is either from God or no; if it be not from let them alone: for God, then our experience tells us, that false prophets, this work be of men, though they thrive a while, yet without our opposiit will 13 come to tion they generally come to nought:

if this counsel or

nought:

39. But if it be from God, then ye may be sure 39 But if it be of. you shall not prevail against it,) lest ye be found to God, ye cannot overthrow it; [i] lest be a kind of Babel-builders, (like those giants there, haply ye be found that went about to fortify themselves against heaven,)

11 for

8 were mad against them. 9 touching these men, what you go about to do, ènì Toîs àrθρώποις τούτοις τί μέλλετε πράσσειν. 10 enrolling, arоyрapîs: see note [b] Luke ii. the present, τὰ νῦν. 12 depart, ἀπόστητε. 13 be overthrown, καταλυθήσεται.