Ananias and Sapphira
1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10At that moment 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. 11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
The Apostles Heal Many
12The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
The Apostles Persecuted
17Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.
25Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
27The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28“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 guilty of this man’s blood.”
29Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34But 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 little while. 35Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
欺騙聖靈
1一個名叫亞拿尼亞的人與妻子撒非喇也把田產賣了。 2他私自留下一部分錢，然後把其餘的拿去交給使徒，這件事他妻子也知道。 3彼得說：「亞拿尼亞，為什麼撒旦充滿了你的心，以致你欺騙聖靈，私自留下一些賣地的錢呢？ 4田產沒有賣的時候屬於你，即使賣了，賣地的錢也由你支配。你怎麼想到做這種事呢？你不是欺騙人，你是欺騙上帝！」 5亞拿尼亞聽見這話，當場倒地而死。聽見這件事的人都非常懼怕。 6有幾個青年上前把他的屍體裹起來，抬出去埋葬了。
7大約過了三個小時，亞拿尼亞的妻子也進來了，她還不知道發生了什麼事。 8彼得問她：「你們賣田地的錢就這麼多嗎？」她說：「是的，就這麼多。」
9彼得說：「你們二人怎麼串通起來試探主的靈呢？埋葬你丈夫的人就到門口了，他們也要把你抬出去。」 10撒非喇立刻倒在彼得腳前死了。那些青年進來看見她已經死了，便把她抬出去葬在她丈夫的旁邊。 11整個教會和聽見這件事的人都非常懼怕。
神蹟奇事
12主藉著使徒們在百姓中行了許多神蹟奇事，大家同心合意地在所羅門廊那裡聚會。 13其他人不敢接近他們，不過百姓都很敬重他們。 14信主的人數不斷增加，男女都很多。 15人們甚至把病人抬到街上，放在床上或墊子上，希望彼得路過時的影子可以落在病人身上。 16還有大群的人從耶路撒冷附近的城鎮帶著病人和被污鬼攪擾的人趕來，他們都得了醫治。
使徒受迫害
17大祭司和他的同黨撒都該人看見這情形，妒火中燒， 18便把使徒拘捕，關在監牢。 19當晚，有一位主的天使把獄門打開，領他們出來， 20說：「你們到聖殿去，把這生命之道傳給百姓。」 21使徒遵從命令，在黎明的時候進入聖殿開始教導眾人。
大祭司和他的同黨召集了公會5·21 公會是猶太人的最高立法與司法機關。的全體以色列長老，然後派人去監獄把使徒押來。 22差役來到監獄時，發現使徒已經不見了，就回去稟告，說： 23「我們看見牢門緊鎖，守衛都站在門外，但打開門一看，裡面卻空無一人！」
24聖殿護衛長和祭司長聽後，都很困擾，不知道是怎麼回事。 25這時有人來報告說：「你們關押在牢裡的人正在聖殿裡教導人！」 26聖殿護衛長和差役再去把使徒帶來。這次他們不敢動粗，生怕百姓會用石頭打他們。
27使徒被帶來之後，站在公會前，大祭司盤問他們，說： 28「我們不是嚴禁你們奉耶穌的名去教導百姓嗎？你們竟然在耶路撒冷各處傳道，還想把殺那人的血債歸到我們身上！」
29彼得和其他使徒申辯說：「我們要服從的是上帝，而非人。 30你們釘死在十字架上的耶穌，我們祖先的上帝已經使祂復活了。 31上帝把祂提升到自己的右邊，立祂為君王和救主，好賜給以色列人悔改的機會，使他們的罪得到赦免。 32我們就是這些事的見證人，上帝賜給順服祂之人的聖靈也同樣作見證。」
33他們聽了，怒氣衝天，打算殺掉使徒。 34公會中有一位名叫迦瑪列的法利賽人，是個德高望重的律法教師。他站起來，叫人把使徒暫且押到外面， 35然後說：「以色列人啊，你們應當慎重處置這些人。 36之前，有個名叫杜達的人起來自立山頭，吸引了差不多四百個跟隨者，但他被殺之後，那些跟隨者就各奔東西，銷聲匿跡了。 37後來，又有個加利利人猶大在戶口登記期間鼓動百姓跟隨他造反。他被殺之後，那些跟隨者也煙消雲散了。 38所以，像現在這種情形，我勸大家還是不要管他們，隨他們去吧。他們的計劃和行為如果是出於人意，終必失敗； 39但如果是出於上帝，你們不但無法阻止他們，恐怕發現自己是在抵擋上帝！」
40公會採納了他的意見，於是把使徒召回來打了一頓，再次警告他們不可奉耶穌的名傳道，才放了他們。 41使徒歡歡喜喜地離開公會，因為他們在主看來配得上為祂的名受辱。 42他們每天在聖殿裡及各家各戶教導人，不斷地傳揚耶穌是基督。
