Ananias and Sapphira
1A man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, also sold some land. 2He kept part of the money for himself. Sapphira knew he had kept it. He brought the rest of it and put it down at the apostles’ feet.
3Then Peter said, “Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You have kept some of the money you received for the land. 4Didn’t the land belong to you before it was sold? After it was sold, you could have used the money as you wished. What made you think of doing such a thing? You haven’t lied just to people. You’ve also lied to God.”
5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. All who heard what had happened were filled with fear. 6Some young men came and wrapped up his body. They carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later, the wife of Ananias came in. She didn’t know what had happened. 8Peter asked her, “Tell me. Is this the price you and Ananias sold the land for?”
“Yes,” she said. “That’s the price.”
9Peter asked her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! You can hear the steps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out also.”
10At that moment she fell down at Peter’s feet and died. Then the young men came in. They saw that Sapphira was dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11The whole church and all who heard about these things were filled with fear.
The Apostles Heal Many People
12The apostles did many signs and wonders among the people. All the believers used to meet together at Solomon’s Porch. 13No outsider dared to join them. But the people thought highly of them. 14More and more men and women believed in the Lord. They joined the other believers. 15So people brought those who were sick into the streets. They placed them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he walked by. 16Crowds even gathered from the towns around Jerusalem. They brought their sick people. They also brought those who were suffering because of evil spirits. All of them were healed.
The Apostles Are Treated Badly
17The high priest and all his companions were Sadducees. They were very jealous of the apostles. 18So they arrested them and put them in the public jail. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord came. He opened the doors of the jail and brought the apostles out. 20“Go! Stand in the temple courtyard,” the angel said. “Tell the people all about this new life.”
21Early the next day they did as they had been told. They entered the temple courtyard. There they began to teach the people.
The high priest and his companions arrived. They called the Sanhedrin together. The Sanhedrin was a gathering of all the elders of Israel. They sent for the apostles who were in jail. 22The officers arrived at the jail. But they didn’t find the apostles there. So they went back and reported it. 23“We found the jail locked up tight,” they said. “The guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors, we didn’t find anyone inside.” 24When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were bewildered. They wondered what would happen next.
25Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courtyard. They are teaching the people.” 26So the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles back. But they didn’t use force. They were afraid the people would kill them by throwing stones at them.
27They brought the apostles to the Sanhedrin. The high priest questioned them. 28“We gave you clear orders not to teach in Jesus’ name,” he said. “But you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. You want to make us guilty of this man’s death.”
29Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God instead of people! 30You had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross. But the God of our people raised Jesus from the dead. 31Now Jesus is Prince and Savior. God has proved this by giving Jesus a place of honor with him. He did it to turn Israel away from their sins and forgive them. 32We are telling people about these things. And so is the Holy Spirit. God has given the Spirit to those who obey him.”
33When the leaders heard this, they became very angry. They wanted to put the apostles to death. 34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the Sanhedrin. He was a teacher of the law. He was honored by all the people. He ordered the apostles to be taken outside for a little while. 35Then Gamaliel spoke to the Sanhedrin. “Men of Israel,” he said, “think carefully about what you plan to do to these men. 36Some time ago Theudas appeared. He claimed he was really somebody. About 400 people followed him. But he was killed. All his followers were scattered. So they accomplished nothing. 37After this, Judas from Galilee came along. This was in the days when the Romans made a list of all the people. Judas led a gang of men against the Romans. He too was killed. All his followers were scattered. 38So let me give you some advice. Leave these men alone! Let them go! If their plans and actions only come from people, they will fail. 39But if their plans come from God, you won’t be able to stop these men. You will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40His speech won the leaders over. They called the apostles in and had them whipped. The leaders ordered them not to speak in Jesus’ name. Then they let the apostles go.
41The apostles were full of joy as they left the Sanhedrin. They considered it an honor to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. 42Every day they taught in the temple courtyards and from house to house. They never stopped telling people the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Ananias og Safira
1En mand ved navn Ananias og hans kone, Safira, solgte et jordstykke, de havde. 2Derefter beholdt de selv en del af pengene, og Ananias bragte resten til apostlene under foregivende af, at det var hele salgssummen. 3Men Peter sagde: „Ananias, hvorfor har du ladet Satan friste dig til at lyve over for Helligånden og selv beholde nogle af pengene? 4Ingen tvang dig til at sælge din jord, og da den først var solgt, havde du stadig ret til at bruge pengene, som du ville. Hvordan kunne du finde på at gøre det her? Det er jo ikke os, du har løjet for, men Gud!” 5Da Ananias hørte det, faldt han om og døde. Alle de tilstedeværende var dybt rystede. 6Nogle unge mænd rejste sig og svøbte ham ind i et lagen. Så bar de ham udenfor og begravede ham.
7Cirka tre timer senere kom Safira ind uden at vide, hvad der var sket. 8Peter spurgte hende: „Er det beløb her den fulde pris, I solgte jorden for?” „Ja, det er det,” svarede hun.
9„Hvorfor er du og din mand blevet enige om at udfordre Herrens Ånd?” sagde Peter. „Kan du høre skridt uden for døren? Det er dem, som har begravet din mand, der kommer tilbage. De vil også bære dig ud.” 10Straks faldt hun om for fødderne af Peter og døde. Da de unge mænd kom ind, fandt de hende død. Så bar de hende ud for at begrave hende ved siden af hendes mand. 11Hele menigheden og alle, som ellers hørte om det, blev dybt rystede.
Helbredelser af syge og dæmonbesatte mennesker
12Apostlene holdt sammen og blev ved med at forkynde og undervise i Salomons Søjlegang, og de gjorde mange bemærkelsesværdige undere blandt folket. 13Ingen af de øvrige troende5,13 Den græske tekst er uklar med hensyn til hvem „de øvrige” er, og hvem „dem” henviser til. Oversættelsen her bygger på, at apostlene havde en særstilling, og selv om de kendte risikoen ved at trodse myndighederne og tale inden for templets område, så var de villige til at dø for deres tro. turde slutte op om dem der, men apostlene nød stor anseelse hos folket, 14og flere og flere kom til tro på Herren, både mænd og kvinder. 15Apostlene gjorde så mange mirakler, at folk bar de syge ud på gaderne på senge og måtter, der hvor Peter kom forbi, så i det mindste hans skygge ville falde på dem. 16Store skarer af mennesker strømmede ind fra de omkringliggende byer med syge og folk, som var plaget af dæmoner—og de blev alle helbredt!
Apostlene er lige ved at blive slået ihjel
17-18Ypperstepræsten og hans venner, som alle var saddukæere, blev jaloux på apostlene og satte dem i fængsel. 19Men en engel kom om natten og åbnede fængselsportene og førte dem udenfor. Derpå sagde englen: 20„Gå tilbage til templet og tal til folk om alt det, som hører det evige liv til.”
21Derfor gik apostlene allerede næste dag ved daggry op på tempelpladsen og fortsatte med at undervise folk. I mellemtiden sammenkaldte ypperstepræsten og hans venner Rådet, som bestod af alle de jødiske ledere, og de sendte nogle folk fra tempelvagten hen til fængslet for at hente apostlene. 22Men de fandt dem ikke i fængslet. Derpå gik de tilbage til Rådet og rapporterede: 23„Fængslet var forsvarligt lukket og låst, og vagterne stod på deres poster uden for hver af dørene. Men da vi fik åbnet døren til fangernes celle, var der ingen derinde.”
24Da kommandanten for tempelvagten og ypperstepræsterne hørte det, vidste de ikke, om de skulle tage det alvorligt, eller hvad der var på færde. 25Så kom der en mand og fortalte, at de mænd, som var blevet fængslet dagen før, nu stod henne i templet og underviste folket. 26Kommandanten tog af sted med sit vagtmandskab og fik fat i dem—dog uden at bruge vold, for de var bange for, at folk så ville begynde at kaste sten efter dem.
27Apostlene blev nu ført frem for Rådet, hvorefter ypperstepræsten sagde: 28„Har vi ikke udtrykkeligt forbudt jer at tale mere om den mand? Nu har I fyldt hele Jerusalem med jeres propaganda! Det er tydeligt, at I er ude på at give os skylden for hans død.”
29Peter svarede på apostlenes vegne: „Vi må adlyde Gud mere end mennesker. 30Vores forfædres Gud oprejste Jesus fra de døde, efter at I havde fået ham hængt op på et kors og dræbt. 31Ham har Gud nu ophøjet og givet pladsen ved sin højre side, og ham har han gjort til leder og Frelser, således at Israels folk kan få anledning til at vende om fra deres synder og blive tilgivet. 32Vi kan bevidne alt, hvad der er sket. Og Helligånden, som Gud giver til dem, der vil adlyde ham, bekræfter det.”
33Da rådsmedlemmerne hørte det, blev de så rasende, at de ville slå apostlene ihjel med det samme. 34Men et medlem af Rådet, en farisæer ved navn Gamaliel, som underviste i Toraen og var højt respekteret af folket, rejste sig og anmodede om, at apostlene blev ført uden for rådssalen et øjeblik. 35Så vendte han sig til Rådets øvrige medlemmer og sagde: „Venner! Pas på, at I ikke gør noget overilet mod disse mennesker. 36For en del år siden var der en mand ved navn Teudas, som gav sig ud for at være noget stort, og der var ca. 400 mænd, der sluttede sig til ham. Men da han til sidst blev dræbt, opløstes det hele af sig selv, og hans tilhængere blev spredt for alle vinde. 37Efter ham dukkede så Judas fra Galilæa op, dengang vi havde den store folketælling.5,37 En berømt folketælling i år 6 e.Kr., som gav anledning til et jødisk oprør imod kravet om at betale skat til den romerske besættelsesmagt. Han fik også samlet en flok oprørere, men da han mistede livet, forsvandt hans tilhængerskare som dug for solen. 38Derfor vil jeg råde jer til at lade mændene være i fred. Hvis det her har sit udspring i menneskelige tanker og planer, så vil det hele snart gå i sig selv. 39Men hvis Gud står bag det, så kan I ikke standse det, tværtimod risikerer I at komme til at kæmpe mod Gud selv.”
Forsamlingen fulgte hans råd. 40Apostlene blev kaldt ind igen, blev pisket og endnu en gang advaret imod at tale om Jesus. Så blev de løsladt, 41og de gik fra stedet fyldt med glæde over, at Gud havde regnet dem for værdige til at lide for Jesu skyld. 42Men de fortsatte med hver dag at forkynde budskabet om, at Jesus er Messias, og undervise folk både på tempelpladsen og rundt omkring i hjemmene.
