Acts 5:4

Acts 5:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Didn’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 just to human beings but to God.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God."
• New King James Version (NKJV)While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Context of Acts 5:4

2and with his wife’s full knowledge [and complicity] he kept back some of the proceeds, bringing only a portion of it, and set it at the apostles’ feet. 3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and [secretly] keep back for yourself some of the proceeds [from the sale] of the land? As long as it remained [unsold], did it not remain your own [to do with as you pleased]? And after it was sold, was the money not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this act [of hypocrisy and deceit] in your heart? You have not [simply] lied to people, but to God.” 5And hearing these words, Ananias fell down suddenly and died; and great fear and awe gripped those who heard of it. 6And the young men [in the congregation] got up and wrapped up the body, and carried it out and buried it.

Acts 5:4 word by word

οὐχὶ μένον σοὶ ἔμενεν καὶ πραθὲν ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ὑπῆρχεν; τί ὅτι ἔθου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο; οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις ἀλλὰ τῷ θεῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whiles it remainedμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• notοὐχίouchi · not!G3780
• thine ownσύsu · youG4771
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• after it was soldπιπράσκωpipraskō praō · to sellG4097
• was itὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thine ownσόςsos · yourG4674
• powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• hast thou conceivedτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• thingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• thingπρᾶγμαpragma · thingG4229
• heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• thou hastψεύδομαιpseudomai · to lieG5574
• notοὐou · noG3756
• unto menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• unto Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Acts 5:4

• Exodus 35:21Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord’s offering to be used for the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
• 1 Chronicles 29:3Moreover, because I delight in the house of my God, the [personal] treasure that I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, in addition to all that I have already provided for the holy house:
• 1 Corinthians 8:8Now food will not commend us to God nor bring us close to Him; we are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better if we do eat.
• 1 Corinthians 9:5Have we not the right to take along with us a believing wife, as do the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas (Peter)?
• Philemon 1:14but I did not want to do anything without first getting your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.
• Acts 8:21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.
• Joshua 7:25Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us? The Lord will bring you disaster this day.” Then all Israel stoned them [to death] with stones; afterward they burned their bodies in the fire.
• Job 15:35They conceive mischief and bring forth wickedness, And their inmost soul prepares deceit and fraud.”
• Psalms 7:14Behold, the [wicked and irreverent] man is pregnant with sin, And he conceives mischief and gives birth to lies.
• Isaiah 59:4No one sues righteously [but for the sake of doing injury to others—to take some undue advantage], and no one pleads [his case] in truth; [but rather] They trust in empty arguments and speak lies; They conceive trouble and bring forth injustice.
• Ezekiel 38:10‘Thus says the Lord God, “It will come about on that day that thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan,
• James 1:15Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death.
• Acts 5:3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and [secretly] keep back for yourself some of the proceeds [from the sale] of the land?
• Exodus 16:8Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning [enough] bread to be fully satisfied, because the Lord has heard your murmurings against Him; for what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.”
• Numbers 16:11Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he that you murmur against him?”
• 1 Samuel 8:7The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them.

Commentaries on Acts 5:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? - See the note on Acts 5:2, and see that also on Acts 2:44; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Whiles it remained - As long as it remained unsold. This place proves that there was no “obligation” imposed on the disciples to sell their property. They who did it, did it voluntarily; and it does not appear that it was done by all, or expected to be done by all. And after it was sold … - Even after the property was sold, and Ananias had the money, still there was no obligation on him to devote it in this way. He had the disposal of it still. The…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4By lying about the sale of their land, Ananias was not just being dishonest towards others but also toward the Holy Spirit. This means he was lying to God. His actions harmed the honesty, unity, and integrity of the church at its foundation. As a result, he experienced God's direct judgment (compare Leviticus 10:1–5; Joshua 7:16–26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-63-6. why hath Satan filled--"why ... fill--"why hast thou suffered him to fill" thine heart--so criminally entertaining his suggestion? Compare Ac 5:4, "why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?" And see Joh 13:2, 27. to lie to the Holy Ghost--to men under His supernatural illumination.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 5:4

• Ananias
• Communism
• Death
• Falsehood
• Holy Spirit
• Hypocrisy
• Land
• Peter
• Sapphira
• Vows
• Women

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Doctor
• Haply
• Judgments of God
• Keep
• Lie
• Privy
• Refrain
• Sapphira

Commentaries on Acts 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings