New Living Translation
Acts 5:4
4The 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!”
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 brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. 3Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 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!” 5As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took 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 35:21All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle, for the performance of its rituals, and for the sacred garments.
- 1 Chronicles 29:3“And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for his holy Temple.
- 1 Corinthians 8:8It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.
- 1 Corinthians 9:5Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does?
- Philemon 1:14But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced.
- Acts 8:21You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.
- Joshua 7:25Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies.
- Job 15:35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil. Their womb produces deceit.”
- Psalms 7:14The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies.
- Isaiah 59:4No one cares about being fair and honest. The people’s lawsuits are based on lies. They conceive evil deeds and then give birth to sin.
- Ezekiel 38:10“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: At that time evil thoughts will come to your mind, and you will devise a wicked scheme.
- James 1:15These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
- Acts 5:3Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.
- Exodus 16:8Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him. What have we done? Yes, your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.”
- Numbers 16:11The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?”
- 1 Samuel 8:7“Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.
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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