Ananias and Sapphira

1And a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2and did keep back of the price -- his wife also knowing -- and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid it. 3And Peter said, 'Ananias, wherefore did the Adversary fill thy heart, for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back of the price of the place? 4while it remained, did it not remain thine? and having been sold, in thy authority was it not? why is it that thou didst put in thy heart this thing? thou didst not lie to men, but to God;' 5and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things, 6and having risen, the younger men wound him up, and having carried forth, they buried him.

7And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife, not knowing what hath happened, came in, 8and Peter answered her, 'Tell me if for so much ye sold the place;' and she said, 'Yes, for so much.' 9And Peter said unto her, 'How was it agreed by you, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? lo, the feet of those who did bury thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee forth;' 10and she fell down presently at his feet, and expired, and the young men having come in, found her dead, and having carried forth, they buried her by her husband; 11and great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things.

The Apostles Heal Many

12And through the hands of the apostles came many signs and wonders among the people, and they were with one accord all in the porch of Solomon; 13and of the rest no one was daring to join himself to them, but the people were magnifying them, 14(and the more were believers added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women,) 15so as into the broad places to bring forth the ailing, and to lay them upon couches and mats, that at the coming of Peter, even his shadow might overshadow some one of them; 16and there were coming together also the people of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bearing ailing persons, and those harassed by unclean spirits -- who were all healed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17And having risen, the chief priest, and all those with him -- being the sect of the Sadducees -- were filled with zeal, 18and laid their hands upon the apostles, and did put them in a public prison; 19and a messenger of the Lord through the night opened the doors of the prison, having also brought them forth, he said, 20'Go on, and standing, speak in the temple to the people all the sayings of this life;' 21and having heard, they did enter at the dawn into the temple, and were teaching. And the chief priest having come, and those with him, they called together the sanhedrim and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and they sent to the prison to have them brought, 22and the officers having come, did not find them in the prison, and having turned back, they told, 23saying -- 'The prison indeed we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors, and having opened -- within we found no one.'

The Apostles Before the Council

24And as the priest, and the magistrate of the temple, and the chief priests, heard these words, they were doubting concerning them to what this would come; 25and coming near, a certain one told them, saying -- 'Lo, the men whom ye did put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people;' 26then the magistrate having gone away with officers, brought them without violence, for they were fearing the people, lest they should be stoned;

27and having brought them, they set them in the sanhedrim, and the chief priest questioned them, 28saying, 'Did not we strictly command you not to teach in this name? and lo, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and ye intend to bring upon us the blood of this man.' 29And Peter and the apostles answering, said, 'To obey God it behoveth, rather than men; 30and the God of our fathers did raise up Jesus, whom ye slew, having hanged upon a tree; 31this one God, a Prince and a Saviour, hath exalted with His right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness of sins; 32and we are His witnesses of these sayings, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.'

Gamaliel's Counsel

33And they having heard, were cut to the heart, and were taking counsel to slay them, 34but a certain one, having risen up in the sanhedrim -- a Pharisee, by name Gamaliel, a teacher of law honoured by all the people -- commanded to put the apostles forth a little, 35and said unto them, 'Men, Israelites, take heed to yourselves about these men, what ye are about to do, 36for before these days rose up Theudas, saying, that himself was some one, to whom a number of men did join themselves, as it were four hundred, who was slain, and all, as many as were obeying him, were scattered, and came to nought. 37'After this one rose up, Judas the Galilean, in the days of the enrolment, and drew away much people after him, and that one perished, and all, as many as were obeying him, were scattered; 38and now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone, because if this counsel or this work may be of men, it will be overthrown, 39and if it be of God, ye are not able to overthrow it, lest perhaps also ye be found fighting against God.'

40And to him they agreed, and having called near the apostles, having beaten them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go; 41they, indeed, then, departed from the presence of the sanhedrim, rejoicing that for his name they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour, 42every day also in the temple, and in every house, they were not ceasing teaching and proclaiming good news -- Jesus the Christ.