Ananias and Sapphira 2 UDB He kept for himself some of the money he had received for the land, and his wife knew that he had done that. Then he brought the rest of the money and presented it to the apostles. BSB BSB: With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
4 UDB Before you sold that land, you truly owned it. And after you sold it, the money was still yours. So why did you ever think about doing this wicked thing? You were not trying to deceive only us! No, you tried to deceive God himself!" BSB BSB: Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”
5 UDB When Ananias heard these words, immediately he fell down dead. And all who heard about Ananias's death became terrified. BSB BSB: On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.
6 UDB Some young men came forward, wrapped his body in a sheet, and carried it out and buried it. BSB BSB: Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 UDB About three hours later his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened. BSB BSB: About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened.
8 UDB Then Peter showed her the money that Ananias had brought and asked her, "Tell me, is this the amount of money you two received for the land you sold?" She said, "Yes, that is what we received." BSB BSB: “Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
9 UDB So Peter said to her, "You both did a terrible thing! You two agreed to try to deceive the Spirit of the Lord! Listen! Do you hear the footsteps of the men who buried your husband? They are right outside this door, and they will also carry you out!" BSB BSB: “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 UDB Immediately Sapphira fell down dead at Peter's feet. Then the young men came in. When they saw that she was also dead, they carried her body out and buried it beside her husband's body. BSB BSB: At that instant she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
The Apostles Heal Many 12 UDB God was enabling the apostles to do many amazing miracles that showed the truth of what they were preaching among the people. All the believers were meeting together regularly in the temple courtyard at the place called Solomon's Porch. BSB BSB: The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
13 UDB All of the other people who had not believed in Jesus were afraid to be with the believers. However, those people continued to greatly respect the believers. BSB BSB: Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.
14 UDB Many more men and women started believing in the Lord Jesus, and they joined the group of believers. BSB BSB: Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.
15 UDB As a result, people were bringing those who were sick into the streets and laying them on stretchers and mats in order that, when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them and heal them. BSB BSB: As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
16 UDB Large crowds of people were also coming to the apostles from the towns near Jerusalem. They were bringing the sick and those who were being tormented by evil spirits, and God healed all of them. BSB BSB: Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
The Apostles Arrested and Freed 17 UDB Then the high priest and all who were with him—they were all members of the Sadducee group—became very jealous of the apostles. BSB BSB: Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out
18 UDB So they commanded the temple guards to arrest the apostles and to put them in the public jail. BSB BSB: and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
19 UDB But during the night an angel from the Lord opened the jail doors and brought the apostles outside. Then the angel said to the apostles, BSB BSB: But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
20 UDB "Go to the temple courtyard, stand there, and tell the people all this message of eternal life." BSB BSB: “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
21 UDB After hearing this, the apostles entered the temple courtyard about dawn and began to teach the people again about Jesus. Meanwhile, the high priest and those who were with him summoned the other Jewish council members. Together they were all the leaders of Israel. After they had gathered together, they sent guards to the jail to bring in the apostles. BSB BSB: At daybreak the apostles entered the temple courts as they had been told and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles.
22 UDB But when the guards arrived at the jail, they discovered that the apostles were not there. So they returned to the council and reported, BSB BSB: But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report:
23 UDB "We saw that the jail doors were very securely locked, and the guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors and went in to get those men, none of them were inside the jail." BSB BSB: “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
The Apostles before the Sanhedrin 24 UDB When the captain of the temple guards and the chief priests heard that, they became greatly confused, and they wondered where all these events would lead. BSB BSB: When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
25 UDB Then someone came and reported to them, "Listen to this! Right now the men whom you put in jail are standing in the temple courtyard, and they are teaching the people!" BSB BSB: Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”
26 UDB So the captain of the temple guards went to the temple courtyard with the officers, and they brought the apostles back to the council room. But they did not treat them roughly, because they were afraid that the people would kill them by throwing stones at them. BSB BSB: At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
27 UDB After the captain and his officers had brought the apostles to the council room, they commanded them to stand in front of the council members, and the high priest questioned them. BSB BSB: They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.
28 UDB He said to them, "We commanded you not to teach people about that man Jesus! But you have disobeyed us, and you have taught people all over Jerusalem about him! Furthermore, you are trying to make it seem that we are the ones who are guilty for that man's death!" BSB BSB: “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”
29 UDB But Peter, speaking for himself and the other apostles, replied, "We have to obey what God commands us to do, not what you people tell us to do! BSB BSB: But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
30 UDB You are the ones who killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross! But God, whom our ancestors worshiped, caused Jesus to become alive again after he died. BSB BSB: The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.
31 UDB God has honored Jesus more than anyone. He has made him the one to save us and rule over us, so that the people of Israel would turn back to God and that he would forgive us for our sins. BSB BSB: God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
32 UDB We tell people about these things that we know happened to Jesus. The Holy Spirit, whom God has sent to us who obey him, is also confirming that these things are true." BSB BSB: We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Gamaliel’s Advice 33 UDB When the council members heard this, they became very angry with the apostles and wanted to kill them. BSB BSB: When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.
34 UDB But there was a council member named Gamaliel. He was a member of the Pharisee group. He taught people the Jewish laws, and all the Jewish people respected him. He stood up in the council and told the guards to take the apostles out of the room for a short time. BSB BSB: But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a short time.
35 UDB After the guards had taken the apostles out, he said to the other council members, "Men of Israel, you must think carefully about what you want to do to these men. BSB BSB: “Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.
36 UDB Some years ago a man named Theudas rebelled against the government. He told people that he was an important person, and about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed, and all those who had been accompanying him were scattered. So they were not able to do anything that they had planned. BSB BSB: Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
38 UDB So now I say this to you: Do not harm these men! Release them! I say this because if the things that are happening now are just something that humans have planned, someone will stop them. They will fail. BSB BSB: So in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone. Let them go! For if their purpose or endeavor is of human origin, it will fail.
39 UDB But if God has commanded them to do these things, you will not be able to stop them, because you will find out that you are working against God!" The other members of the council accepted what Gamaliel said. BSB BSB: But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
40 UDB They told the temple guards to bring the apostles and beat them. So the guards brought them into the council room and beat them. Then the council members commanded them not to speak to people about Jesus any more, and they released the apostles. BSB BSB: At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
41 UDB So the apostles went out from the council. They were rejoicing because they knew God had honored them by letting people disgrace them because they were following Jesus. BSB BSB: The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
42 UDB Every day after that, the apostles went to the temple area and to various people's houses, and they continued teaching people and telling them that Jesus is the Christ. BSB BSB: Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.