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.
欺骗圣灵
1一个名叫亚拿尼亚的人与妻子撒非喇也把田产卖了。 2他私自留下一部分钱，然后把其余的拿去交给使徒，这件事他妻子也知道。 3彼得说：“亚拿尼亚，你为什么让撒旦充满你的心，欺骗圣灵，私自留下一些卖地的钱呢？ 4田产没有卖的时候属于你，即使卖了，卖地的钱也由你支配。你怎么做出这种事呢？你不是欺骗人，你是欺骗上帝！” 5亚拿尼亚听见这话，当场倒地而死。听见这件事的人都非常惧怕。 6有几个青年上前把他的尸体裹起来，抬出去埋葬了。
7大约过了三个小时，亚拿尼亚的妻子也进来了，她还不知道发生了什么事。 8彼得问她：“你们卖田地的钱就这么多吗？”她说：“是的，就这么多。”
9彼得说：“你们二人怎么串通起来试探主的灵呢？埋葬你丈夫的人就到门口了，他们也要把你抬出去。” 10撒非喇立刻倒在彼得脚前死了。那些青年进来看见她已经死了，便把她抬出去葬在她丈夫的旁边。 11整个教会和听见这件事的人都非常惧怕。
神迹奇事
12主借着使徒们在百姓中行了许多神迹奇事，大家同心合意地在所罗门廊那里聚会。 13其他人不敢接近他们，不过百姓都很敬重他们。 14信主的人数不断增加，男女都有。 15人们甚至把病人抬到街上，放在床上或垫子上，希望彼得路过时的影子可以落在病人身上。 16还有大群的人从耶路撒冷附近的城镇带着病人和被污鬼搅扰的人赶来，他们都得了医治。
使徒受迫害
17大祭司和他的同党撒都该人看见这情形，妒火中烧， 18便把使徒拘捕，关在监里。 19当天晚上，有一位主的天使把狱门打开，领他们出来， 20说：“你们到圣殿去，把这生命之道传给百姓。” 21使徒遵从命令，在黎明的时候来到圣殿开始教导众人。
大祭司和他的同党召集了所有公会5:21 公会是犹太人的最高立法与司法机关。的人和以色列的众长老，然后派人去监狱把使徒押来受审。 22差役来到监狱时，发现使徒已经不见了，就回去禀告，说： 23“我们看见牢门紧锁，守卫都站在门外，但打开门一看，里面却空无一人！”
24圣殿护卫长和祭司长听后，都很困扰，不知道是怎么回事。 25这时有人来报告说：“你们关押在牢里的人正在圣殿里教导人！” 26圣殿护卫长和差役再去把使徒抓回来。这次他们不敢动粗，生怕百姓会用石头打他们。
27使徒被带来后站在公会前，大祭司盘问他们，说： 28“我们不是严禁你们奉耶稣的名去教导百姓吗？你们竟然在耶路撒冷各处传道，还想把杀那人的血债归到我们身上！”
29彼得和其他使徒申辩说：“我们要服从的是上帝，而非人。 30你们钉死在十字架上的耶稣，我们祖先的上帝已经使祂复活了。 31上帝把祂提升到自己的右边，立祂为君王和救主，好赐给以色列人悔改的机会，使他们的罪得到赦免。 32我们就是这些事的见证人，上帝赐给顺服祂之人的圣灵也同样做见证。”
33他们听了，怒气冲天，打算杀掉使徒。 34公会中有一位名叫迦玛列的法利赛人，是个德高望重的律法教师。他站起来，叫人把使徒暂且押到外面， 35然后说：“以色列人啊，你们应当慎重处置这些人。 36不久前，有个名叫杜达的人起来自立山头，吸引了差不多四百个跟随者，但他被杀之后，那些跟随者就各奔东西，销声匿迹了。 37后来，又有个加利利人犹大在户口登记期间鼓动百姓跟随他造反。他被杀之后，那些跟随者也烟消云散了。 38所以，像现在这种情形，我劝大家还是不要管他们，随他们去吧。他们的计划和行为如果是出于人意，终必失败； 39但如果是出于上帝，你们不但无法阻止他们，恐怕反而是在抵挡上帝！”
40公会采纳了他的意见，于是把使徒召回来打了一顿，再次警告他们不可奉耶稣的名传道，才放了他们。 41使徒离开公会后，为自己有资格为主的名受辱而欢喜。 42他们每天在圣殿里及各家各户教导人，传扬耶稣是基督。
