rd

Acts 5

1.But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2.And akept away part of the price, his wife also being of counsel, and brought a certain part, and laid it down at the Apostles’ feet.
3.Then said Peter, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lie unto the holie bGhost, and keep away part of the price of the possession?
4.Whiles it remained, cappertained it not unto thee? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own dpower? how is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5.Now when Ananias heard these words, he feel down, and gave up the ghost. Then great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6.And the young men rose up, and took him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7.And it ecame to pass about the space of three hours after, that his wife came in, ignorant of that which was done.
8.And Peter said unto her, Tell me, sold ye the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9.Then Peter said unto her, Why have ye agreed together, to ftempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thine husband, are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10.Then she fell down straight way at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and carried her out, and buried her by her husband.
11.And great fear came on all the Church, and on as many as heard these things.
12.Thus by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders shewed among the people (and they were all with one accord in gSolomon’s porch.
13.And of the other hdurst no man join him self to them: nevertheless the people imagnified them,
14.Also the number of them that believed in the Lord, both of men and women, grew more and more)
15.In somuch that they brought the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least way the shadow of Peter, when he came by, might shadow some of them.
16.There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits, who were all healed.
17.¶ Then the chief Priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which was the sect of the kSadduces) and were full of lindignation,
18.And laid hands on the Apostles, and put them in the common prison.
19.But the Angel of the Lord, by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20.Go your way, and stand in the Temple, and speak to the people all the words mof this life.
21.So when they heard it, they entered into the Temple early in the morning and taught. And the chief Priest came, and they that were with him, and called the Council together, and all the Elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison, to cause them to be brought.
22.But when the officer came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told it,
23.Saying, Certainly we found the prison shut as sure as was possible, and the keepers nstanding without, before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
24.Then when the chief Priest, and the captain of the Temple, and the high Priests heard these things, they doubted of them, whereunto this would grow.
25.Then came one & shewed them, saying, Behold, the men that ye put in prison, are standing in the Temple, & teach the people.
26.Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence (for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned)
27.And when they had brought them, they set them before the Council, and the chief Priest asked them,
28.Saying, Did not we straitely command you, that ye should not teach in this Name? and behold, ye have filled oJerusalem with your doctrine, and ye would bring this man’s pblood upon us.
29.Then Peter and the Apostles answered, and said, We ought rather to obey God then qmen.
30.The *God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, and hanged on a tree.
31.Him hath God lift up with his right hand, to be a Prince and a rSaviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32.And we are his witnesses concerning these things which we say: yea, and the holie Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey shim.
33.Now when they heard it, they brast for anger, and consulted to slay them.
34.Then stood there up in the Council a certain Pharise named Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law, honoured of all the people, and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space,
35.And said unto them, Men of Israel, take heed to your selves, what ye intend to do touching these men.
36.For before these times, rose up tTheudas boasting him self, to whom resorted a number of men, about a four hundreth, who was slain: and they all which obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to naught.
37.After this man, arose up uJudas of Galile, in the days of the tribute, and drew away much people after him: he also perished, and all that obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
38.And now I say unto you, refrain your selves from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel, or this work be of men, it will come to naught:
39.But if it be of xGod, ye can not destroy it, lest ye be found even fighters against God.
40.And to him they agreed, and called the Apostles: and when they had beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus, and let them go.
41.So they departed from the Council, rejoicing, that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his Name.
42.And daily in the Temple, and from house to house they ceased not to teach, and preach Jesus Christ.

Notes

2-a.
Which signified their sacrilege, distrust, and hypocrisy.
3-b.
Who moved your heart to sell your possession: where as you turned part to another use, as if God did not see your dissimulation.
4-c.
His sin therefore was so much greater in that he committed it willingly.
4-d.
Then no man was compelled to sell his possessions, nor to put his money to the common use.
7-e.
Because that God so disposed it.
9-f.
And to mock him, as if he should not have known your crafty fetch, which declares that when men do anything of an evil conscience, they do not only pronounce the sentence of damnation upon themselves, but also provoke the wrath of God, because they do prove, as it were, purposely, whether God be righteous and almighty.
12-g.
Read the annotation upon the figure 1 Kings 6 page 152 (the court of the people, which 2 Chron 4.9 is called the great porch, and Act 3.11 the porch of Solomon. This court is oft in the new Testament taken for the Temple, Mat. 21.23, Act. 3.2. In this court Christ preached, and chased thence them that bought and sold.)
13-h.
Because of their own evil consciences which made them to tremble: for they that were not assured of God’s mercies in Christ, were astonished at these his strange judgements.
13-i.
That is, they gave them great praise.
17-k.
Which then were the chief among them.
17-l.
They were full of blind zeal, emulation and jealousy, in defence of their superstition.
20-m.
That is, of the lively doctrine, whereby the way to life is declared.
23-n.
So that there was no fraud nor deceit, nor negligence, but it lively sets forth the power of God and his providence for his.
28-o.
He accused them of rebellion and sedition.
28-p.
And to make us guilty of Christ’s death.
29-q.
When they command, or forbid us anything contrary to the word of God.
30-*.
Chap 3.13.
31-r.
Meaning that he is the mediator and only mean between God and man.
32-s.
That is, Christ.
36-t.
This Theudas was above thirty years before him, of whom Josephus mentions, li 20 de Antiq chap 4. (5.1) that was after the death of Herod the Great, when Archelaus his son was at Rome, at what time Judea was full of insurrections: so that it is not sure to give credit to Eusebius in this point.
37-u.
Of him makes mention Josephus li 18 (6.1) where he speaks of the taxing, Luk 2.1.
39-x.
He grounds upon good principles, but he doubts of the quality of the cause, neither dare affirm whether it be good or bad: wherein appears he was but a worldeling.