Acts 55ActsWitness in JerusalemMurdock New Testament (Peshitta)

Murdock New Testament (Peshitta)Berean Standard Bible

1. Ananias and Sapphira

2. 1MURAnd a certain man whose name was Ananias, with his wife whose name was Sapphira, sold his field,BSBBSB: Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
3. 2MURand carried away part of the price and concealed it, his wife consenting; and he brought a part of the money, and laid it before the feet of the legates.BSBBSB: 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. 3MURAnd Simon said to him: Ananias, why hath Satan so filled thy heart, that thou shouldst lie against the Holy Spirit, and conceal of the money of the price of the field?BSBBSB: Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?
5. 4MURWas it not thine own before it was sold? And when sold, again thou hadst authority over the price of it. Why hast thou set thy heart to do this purpose? Thou hast not lied against men, but against God.BSBBSB: 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!”
6. 5MURAnd when Ananias heard these words, he fell down, and died. And great fear was upon all them that heard of it.BSBBSB: On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.
7. 6MURAnd the young men among them arose, and gathered him up, and carried him out, and buried him.BSBBSB: Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
8. 7MURAnd when three hours had passed, his wife also came in, without knowing what had occurred.BSBBSB: About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened.
9. 8MURSimon said to her: Tell me, if ye sold the field for this price? And she said: Yes, for this price.BSBBSB: “Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
10. 9MURSimon said to her: Since ye have been equals in tempting the Spirit of the Lord, lo, the feet of the buriers of thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out.BSBBSB: “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.”
11. 10MURAnd immediately she fell before their feet, and died. And those young men came in, and found her dead; and they took up, carried forth, and buried her by the side of her husband.BSBBSB: 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.
12. 11MURAnd great fear was on all the assembly, and on all them that heard it.BSBBSB: And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.

13. The Apostles Heal Many

14. 12MURAnd there were many signs and prodigies wrought by the legates among the people. And they were all assembled together in the porch of Solomon.BSBBSB: The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
15. 13MURAnd of the others, no one ventured to come near them; but the people magnified them.BSBBSB: Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.
16. 14MURAnd the more were those added who feared the Lord, a multitude both of men and of women.BSBBSB: Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.
17. 15MURSo that they brought out into the streets the sick, laid on beds, that when Simon should pass, at least his shadow might cover them.BSBBSB: 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.
18. 16MURAnd many came to them from other cities around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who had unclean spirits; and they were all cured.BSBBSB: Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

19. The Apostles Arrested and Freed

20. 17MURAnd the high priest was filled with indignation, and all those with him who were of the doctrine of the Sadducees.BSBBSB: Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out
21. 18MURAnd they laid hands on the legates, and took and bound them in prison.BSBBSB: and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
22. 19MURThen the angel of the Lord, by night, opened the door of the prison, and let them out; and said to them:BSBBSB: But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
23. 20MURGo, stand in the temple, and speak to the people all these words of life.BSBBSB: “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
24. 21MURAnd in the morning, they went and entered into the temple, and taught. And the high priest and those with him, convoked their associates and the Elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to bring forth the legates.BSBBSB: 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.
25. 22MURAnd when those sent by them went, they found them not in the prison; and they returned and came back,BSBBSB: But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report:
26. 23MURand said: We found the prison carefully closed, and also the keepers standing before the doors; and we opened, but found no one there.BSBBSB: “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”

27. The Apostles before the Sanhedrin

28. 24MURAnd when the chief priests and rulers of the temple heard these words, they were astonished at them; and they studied what this could mean.BSBBSB: When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
29. 25MURAnd one came and informed them: Those men, whom ye shut up in the prison, lo, they are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.BSBBSB: Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”
30. 26MURThen went the rulers with attendants, to bring them without violence; for they feared, lest the people should stone them.BSBBSB: At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
31. 27MURAnd when they had brought them, they placed them before the whole council; and the high priest began to say to them:BSBBSB: They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.
32. 28MURDid we not strictly charge you, to teach no person in this name? And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine; and ye would bring the blood of this man upon us.BSBBSB: “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.”
33. 29MURAnd Simon, with the legates, answered and said to them: God is to be obeyed, rather than men.BSBBSB: But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
34. 30MURThe God of our fathers hath raised up that Jesus, whom ye slew when ye hanged him on a tree.BSBBSB: The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.
35. 31MURHim hath God established as a head and vivifier; and hath exalted him to his own right hand, so that he might give repentance and remission of sins to Israel.BSBBSB: God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
36. 32MURAnd we are the witnesses of these things; and also the Holy Spirit, whom God giveth to them that believe in him.BSBBSB: We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

37. Gamaliel’s Advice

38. 33MURAnd when they heard these things, they burned with indignation, and thought of putting them to death.BSBBSB: When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.
39. 34MURThen rose up one of the Pharisees whose name was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, and honored by all the people; and he directed them to put the legates aside for a short time.BSBBSB: 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.
40. 35MURAnd he said, to them: Men, sons of Israel, take heed to yourselves, and consider what ye ought to do in regard to these men.BSBBSB: “Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.
41. 36MURFor before this time, rose up Theudas, and said of himself, that he was some great one; and there went after him about four hundred men. And he was slain; and they who went after him, were dispersed and became as nothing.BSBBSB: 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.
42. 37MURAnd after him, rose up Judas a Galilean, in the days when the people were enrolled for the capitation tax; and he seduced much people after him. And he died, and all they that went after him were dispersed.BSBBSB: After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.
43. 38MURAnd now, I say to you: Desist from these men, and let them lone. For if this device and this work originate from men, they will dissolve and come to nothing.BSBBSB: 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.
44. 39MURBut if it be from God, it is not in your power to frustrate it: that ye may not be found placing yourselves in opposition to God. And they, assented to him.BSBBSB: But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
45. 40MURAnd they called the legates, and scourged them, and commanded them not to teach in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.BSBBSB: 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.
46. 41MURAnd they went from before them, rejoicing that they were worthy to suffer abuse on account of that name.BSBBSB: The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
47. 42MURAnd they ceased not to teach daily, in the temple and at home, and to preach concerning our Lord Jesus Messiah.BSBBSB: 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.