Acts 5:2

Acts 5:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)With 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Context of Acts 5:2

1But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3“Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.”

Acts 5:2 word by word

καὶ ἐνοσφίσατο ἀπὸ τῆς τιμῆς, συνειδυίης καὶ τῆς γυναικός καὶ ἐνέγκας μέρος τι παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων ἔθηκεν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• kept backνοσφίζωnosphizomai · to embezzleG3557
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the priceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the priceτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• being privyσυνείδωsuneidō · be awareG4894
• broughtφέρωpherō̄ · to bear/leadG5342
• a certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• partμέροςmeros · partG3313
• and laidτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• atπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• the apostles’ἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• feetπούςpous · footG4228

Cross-references for Acts 5:2

• Joshua 7:11Israel has sinned. They have violated my covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put those things with their own belongings.
• 2 Kings 5:21So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”
• Malachi 1:14“The deceiver is cursed who has an acceptable male in his flock and makes a vow but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the Lord of Armies, “and my name will be feared among the nations.
• Malachi 3:8“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” “How do we rob you?” you ask. “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.
• John 12:6He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.
• 1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
• 2 Peter 2:14They have eyes full of adultery that never stop looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse!
• Acts 5:9Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
• Acts 4:34For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold,
• Matthew 6:2So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.
• Matthew 23:5They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
• Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

Commentaries on Acts 5:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Kept back part of the price - Ananias and Sapphira were evidently persons who professed faith in Christ with the rest of the disciples. While all were making sacrifices for the present necessity, they came forward among the rest, pretending to bring all the money they had got for a possession, , (of what kind we know not), which they had sold. A part of this price, however, they kept back, not being willing to trust entirely to the bounty of Providence…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And kept back - The word used here means properly “to separate, to part:” and then it means to “separate surreptitiously or clandestinely for our own use” a part of public property, as taxes, etc. It is used but three times in the New Testament, Acts 5:3, and in Titus 2:10, where it is rendered “purloining.” Here it means that they “secretly” kept back a part, while “professedly” devoting all to God. His wife also being privy to it - His wife “knowing…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-11Luke likes to balance a positive example with a negative one. He just shared the remarkable and positive story of Barnabas (4:36–37). Now, Luke shows the opposite behavior of Ananias and Sapphira. This couple desired to earn status in the community and for others to admire them. Ananias did not have to sell his property or give away the money. Their sin was pretending and dishonesty.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-11"The first trace of a shade upon the bright form of the young Church. Probably among the new Christians a kind of holy rivalry had sprung up, every one eager to place his means at the disposal of the apostles" [Olshausen]. Thus might the new-born zeal of some outrun their abiding principle, while others might be tempted to seek credit for a liberality which was not in their character. 2. kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it--The…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 5:2

• Ananias
• Communism
• Falsehood
• Hypocrisy
• Land
• Peter
• Sapphira
• Vows
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Doctor
• Haply
• Judgments of God
• Keep
• Lie
• Privy
• Refrain
• Sapphira
• Somebody
• Acts of the Apostles

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