English Standard Version
Acts 5:4
4While 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."
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.”
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
Context of Acts 5:4
2and 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. 3But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 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." 5When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
Read all of Acts 5Acts 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 35:21And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.
- 1 Chronicles 29:3Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God:
- 1 Corinthians 8:8Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
- 1 Corinthians 9:5Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
- Philemon 1:14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.
- Acts 8:21You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
- Joshua 7:25And Joshua said, "Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
- Job 15:35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil, and their womb prepares deceit."
- Psalms 7:14Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.
- Isaiah 59:4No one enters suit justly; no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies, they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
- Ezekiel 38:10"Thus says the Lord God: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme
- James 1:15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
- Acts 5:3But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
- Exodus 16:8And Moses said, "When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord."
- Numbers 16:11Therefore it is against the Lord that you and all your company have gathered together. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?"
- 1 Samuel 8:7And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in 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
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries