New English Translation
Acts 5:4
4Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people 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.”
- 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
2He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. 3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land? Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!” 5When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it. 6So the young men came, wrapped him up, 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 35:21Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought the offering for the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
- 1 Chronicles 29:3Now, to show my commitment to the temple of my God, I donate my personal treasure of gold and silver to the temple of my God, in addition to all that I have already supplied for this holy temple.
- 1 Corinthians 8:8Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do.
- 1 Corinthians 9:5Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
- Philemon 1:14However, without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness.
- Acts 8:21You have no share or part in this matter because your heart is not right before God!
- Joshua 7:25Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.)
- Job 15:35They conceive trouble and bring forth evil; their belly prepares deception.”
- Psalms 7:14See the one who is pregnant with wickedness, who conceives destructive plans, and gives birth to harmful lies –
- Isaiah 59:4No one is concerned about justice; no one sets forth his case truthfully. They depend on false words and tell lies; they conceive of oppression and give birth to sin.
- Ezekiel 38:10“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan.
- James 1:15Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.
- Acts 5:3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land?
- Exodus 16:8Moses said, “You will know this when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satisfy you, because the Lord has heard your murmurings that you are murmuring against him. As for us, what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.”
- Numbers 16:11Therefore you and all your company have assembled together against the Lord! And Aaron – what is he that you murmur against him?”
- 1 Samuel 8:7The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.
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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