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 kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he 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 some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. 6The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.

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

• While it remainedμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• your own? And after it was soldπιπράσκωpipraskō praō · to sellG4097
• underἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• your controlἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• conceivedτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• deedπρᾶγμαpragma · thingG4229
• in your heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• You have not liedψεύδομαιpseudomai · to lieG5574
• to menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• to 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 contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.
• 1 Chronicles 29:3Moreover, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy temple,
• 1 Corinthians 8:8But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.
• 1 Corinthians 9:5Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
• Philemon 1:14but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.
• Acts 8:21You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
• Joshua 7:25Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
• Job 15:35They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception.”
• Psalms 7:14Behold, he travails with wickedness, And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood.
• Isaiah 59:4No one sues righteously and no one pleads honestly. They trust in confusion and speak lies; They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.
• 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 lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it 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 some of the price of the land?
• Exodus 16:8Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings 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 grumble 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