Acts 5

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

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.

And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

What does Acts 5:20 mean?

Explanation

Acts 5:20 contains a divine directive given to the apostles.

The context of the passage is that they have been imprisoned for their public teaching about Jesus Christ, but an angel of the Lord frees them during the night.

The angel then instructs them to return to the temple, the central religious space for the Jewish people, and continue to boldly proclaim the message of the Gospel.

The phrase "all the words of this life" implies that the apostles were to speak comprehensively about the new life found in Christ, which encompasses teachings on salvation, redemption, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the ethics of the Christian life.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 5:20 takes place shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The book of Acts, written by Luke, describes the early days of the Christian church and the spreading of the Gospel by the apostles, especially Peter and John.

At this time, the apostles faced persecution from Jewish authorities because their teachings about Jesus as the Messiah challenged the existing religious order.

The temple in Jerusalem was the epicenter of Jewish religious life and thus a significant place for the apostles to make their proclamation.

Theological Insights

Theologically, Acts 5:20 speaks to several critical points.

It highlights the divine intervention and protection of the apostles; despite being imprisoned, they are miraculously released by an angel to continue their mission.

This reinforces the idea that God empowers and directs the spread of the Gospel.

Additionally, the instruction to speak "all the words of this life" speaks to the wholeness of the Christian message, not just a set of beliefs, but a transformative lifestyle.

From an evangelical perspective, this verse illustrates the necessity of obedience to God's commands and boldness in witnessing to God's truth.

Liberation theologians might see in this passage an example of God's preferential option for those who are oppressed, spiritually or otherwise, and the call to speak truth to power.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse can inspire individuals to:

Be courageous in sharing their faith despite opposition.
Understand that their mission in life is under divine instruction and protection.
Recognize the importance of delivering a full and honest account of the Christian faith to those who are seeking truth.

Cross-References

Matthew 28:19-20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
Acts 4:19 "But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye."
Acts 4:31 "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

Language Study

In the original Greek, the key phrase "all the words of this life," is πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης ("panta ta rhemata tes zoes tautes").

The word "ῥήματα" (rhemata) refers to spoken words or sayings, while "ζωῆς" (zoes) translates to life but in a deep and qualitative sense.

Thus, the apostles are called to speak of all aspects of life in Christ, the full message of redemption and the eternal life offered.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The notion of being directed by a divine being to deliver a message is common in many religious traditions.

For example, in ancient Greek mythology, oracles were thought to convey messages from the gods.

Comparatively, in Acts 5:20, the apostles are messengers of the one true God, and the message they carry is of salvation and eternal life, a contrast to the more ambiguous and often temporal messages of pagan oracles.

Scientific Perspectives

While the verse itself does not directly engage with any specific scientific concepts, it brings forth the question of spiritual experiences and divine intervention in the world. Modern science often does not account for supernatural occurrences due to the reliance on empirical evidence.

However, some interdisciplinary scholars might explore the psychological and sociological impacts of such spiritual experiences on individuals and communities.

Commentaries

Different biblical commentaries offer various perspectives on this verse:

John Calvin interprets the command to speak "all the words of this life" as all the doctrine which pertaineth unto the heavenly life, encouraging believers to hold nothing back in their teaching about Christ.
The Pulpit Commentary suggests that the angel's command implies not merely to speak the words once more, but to persist in teaching and preaching.
Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes that the apostles were to deliver their testimony concerning Christ at the temple as a witness against the Jewish leaders, who were charged with Jesus' death.

Acts 5

Acts 5

What does Acts 5:20 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 5:20 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?