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.
• 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.”
• 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

2With 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. 3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 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.” 5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and 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

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 everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.
• 1 Chronicles 29:3Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple:
• 1 Corinthians 8:8But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
• 1 Corinthians 9:5Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
• Philemon 1:14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.
• Acts 8:21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
• Joshua 7:25Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.
• Job 15:35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb fashions deceit.”
• Psalms 7:14Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
• Isaiah 59:4No one calls for justice; no one pleads a case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
• 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 scheme.
• James 1:15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
• Acts 5:3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
• Exodus 16:8Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”
• Numbers 16:11It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?”
• 1 Samuel 8:7And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me 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

• 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