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 5:40 mean?

Explanation

Acts 5:40 describes an event in the early Christian church where the apostles were subjected to persecution by the Jewish Sanhedrin, the ruling council in Jerusalem.

The Sanhedrin had forbidden the apostles from teaching in the name of Jesus, seeing their message as a threat to the established religious order.

Despite this, the apostles continued to preach about Jesus Christ.

In response, the council had them arrested and subsequently decided to have them beaten, which was a common form of punishment at the time.

The apostles were then commanded once more to stop speaking in the name of Jesus but were released instead of being further imprisoned or executed.

This verse highlights the determination of the apostles to continue their ministry despite facing opposition and physical harm.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 5:40 falls within the period of the early Christian church following the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

The book of Acts, written by Luke, provides an account of the early church and its spread throughout the Roman Empire.

At that time, Christianity was seen as a Jewish sect and the message of the apostles often met resistance from Jewish religious leaders who viewed the teachings of Jesus as heretical or blasphemous.

The apostolic ministry challenged the authority of the Sanhedrin, which sought to maintain religious cohesion and fidelity to Mosaic Law.

Whippings were a common judicial punishment for offenders in Jewish society.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse illustrates several key insights:

The inevitability of suffering in Christian ministry as Jesus himself taught that his followers would face persecution.
The obedience of the apostles to God’s command rather than human authorities is indicative of the early church's commitment to divine authority above all else.
This event is seen as a fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy that his followers would be persecuted for his name's sake.
The resilience and joy of the apostles in suffering for the sake of Christ provide an example of faithful discipleship.

Practical Applications

Acts 5:40 has several practical applications for modern believers:

It encourages Christians to stand firm in their faith, even under opposition or persecution.
It serves as a reminder to obey God's commands above human laws when they are in conflict.
The passage encourages believers to consider the cost of discipleship seriously and be willing to face hardships for the sake of the gospel.
It can inspire courage and steadfastness within communities of faith to continue their witness in a world that may be hostile to their message.

Cross-References

Matthew 5:11-12: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
Mark 13:9: "But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them."
Acts 4:18-19: "And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

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."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, key words to analyze include:

"beaten" (Greek: δέρω, "dero"): This term indicates the physical punishment they endured, which would have been carried out with a whip or rod.
"commanded" (Greek: παραγγέλλω, "parangello"): This word is a strong command, reflecting the authority of the Sanhedrin and their explicit instruction to the apostles.
"speak" (Greek: λαλέω, "laleo"): This verb refers to the act of speaking or talking, and in the context of the verse, it is used with the connotation of preaching or proclaiming a message.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The early Christian narrative of being persecuted by religious authorities mirrors themes from other ancient myths and religious traditions where central figures face opposition or punishment from established powers for challenging the status quo.

For example, in some Greek myths, characters suffer for defying the gods, and in some Eastern traditions, spiritual reformers may be persecuted by orthodox institutions.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific perspective on a historical account like Acts 5:40 may involve the study of the physiological and psychological effects of corporal punishment, such as flogging.

Medical science can provide insight into the trauma and long-term consequences of such punishments on individuals, although such analysis is not the main focus of the verse.

commentaries

Various biblical commentators have reflected on Acts 5:40:

John Calvin saw the joy of the apostles in their suffering as a mark of the Holy Spirit's work in their hearts, providing comfort and assurance.
Matthew Henry's commentary emphasizes the apostles' obedience to God's commands over human mandates and their willingness to endure hardship for their faith.
The Pulpit Commentary discusses the paradox of the apostles' rejoicing after being dishonored and beaten, suggesting that their joy stemmed from being counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ.

Acts 5

Acts 5

What does Acts 5:40 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 5:40 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?