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Acts 5:1-11

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

1. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2. And kept back [part] of the price, his wife also being privy [to it], and brought a certain part, and laid [it] at the apostles’ feet. 3. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land? 4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried [him] out, and buried [him]. 7. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband [are] at the door, and shall carry thee out. 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. 11. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

Acts 5:1-11 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Acts 5:1

Theological / Devotional

But. There is a sharp contrast between the kindly generosity of Barnabas (ch. 4:36, 37) and the cupidity of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11).

A certain man. Only a truthful narrator would tell the story of Ananias and Sapphira at this point. But just as there had been a Judas among the twelve disciples, so in the infant church, pure and zealous though it was, there were found two who preferred meanness to generosity and hypocrisy to honesty. Yet the story is told calmly and dispassionately, and the reader is instructed and moved by a recital of the plain facts.

Ananias. Meaning, “Jehovah is gracious.” This is a common name, belonging also to the man who befriended Saul of Tarsus when he was first converted (ch. 23:2; 24:1). It corresponds to the Hebrew Hananiah in Jer. 28:1; Dan. 1:6, 7.

Sapphira. This name probably represents the Aramaic shappira’, “beautiful,” although some derive it from the Greek sappheiros, “a sapphire.”

Possession. See on ch. 2:45. The property was land (see Acts 5:3).

By SdaBc