Peter Condemns Ananias and Sapphira
1 Ananias and his wife Sapphira also sold a piece of property. 2 But they agreed to cheat and keep some of the money for themselves.
So when Ananias took the rest of the money to the apostles, 3 Peter said, “Why has Satan made you keep back some of the money from the sale of the property? Why have you lied to the Holy Spirit? 4 The property was yours before you sold it, and even after you sold it, the money was still yours. What made you do such a thing? You didn't lie to people. You lied to God!”
5 As soon as Ananias heard this, he dropped dead, and everyone who heard about it was frightened. 6 Some young men came in and wrapped up his body. Then they took it out and buried it.
7 Three hours later Sapphira came in, but she did not know what had happened to her husband. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, did you sell the property for this amount?”
“Yes,” she answered, “that's the amount.”
9 Then Peter said, “Why did the two of you agree to test the Lord's Spirit? The men who buried Ananias are by the door, and they will carry you out!” 10 At once she fell at Peter's feet and died.
When the young men came back in, they found Sapphira lying there dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 The church members were afraid, and so was everyone else who heard what had happened.
Peter's Unusual Power
12 The apostles worked many miracles and wonders among the people. All of the Lord's followers often met in the part of the temple known as Solomon's Porch. 13 No one outside their group dared join them, even though everyone liked them very much.
14 Many men and women started having faith in the Lord. 15 Then sick people were brought out to the road and placed on mats. It was hoped that Peter would walk by, and his shadow would fall on them and heal them. 16 A lot of people living in the towns near Jerusalem brought those who were sick or troubled by evil spirits, and they were all healed.
Trouble for the Apostles
17 The high priest and all the other Sadducees who were with him became jealous. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the city jail. 19 But that night an angel from the Lord opened the doors of the jail and led the apostles out. The angel said, 20 “Go to the temple and tell the people everything about this new life.” 21 So they went into the temple before sunrise and started teaching.
The high priest and his men called together their council, which included all of Israel's leaders. Then they ordered the apostles to be brought to them from the jail. 22 The temple police who were sent to the jail did not find the apostles. They returned and said, 23 “We found the jail locked tight and the guards standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors and went in, we didn't find anyone there.” 24 The captain of the temple police and the chief priests listened to their report, but they did not know what to think about it.
25 Just then someone came in and said, “Now those men you put in jail are in the temple, teaching the people!” 26 The captain went with some of the temple police and brought the apostles back. But they did not use force. They were afraid that the people might start throwing stones at them.
27 When the apostles were brought before the council, the high priest said to them, 28 “We told you plainly not to teach in the name of Jesus. But look what you have done! You have been teaching all over Jerusalem, and you are trying to blame us for his death.”
29 Peter and the apostles replied:
We don't obey people. We obey God. 30 You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But the God our ancestors worshiped raised him to life 31 and made him our Leader and Savior. Then God gave him a place at his right side, so that the people of Israel would turn back to him and be forgiven. 32 We are here to tell you about all this, and so is the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to everyone who obeys God.
33 When the council members heard this, they became so angry they wanted to kill the apostles. 34 But one of the members was the Pharisee Gamaliel, a highly respected teacher. He ordered the apostles to be taken out of the room for a little while. 35 Then he said to the council:
Men of Israel, be careful what you do with these men. 36 Not long ago Theudas claimed to be someone important, and about 400 men joined him. But he was killed, and all his followers were scattered. That was the end of that.
37 Later, when the people of our nation were being counted, Judas from Galilee showed up. A lot of people followed him, but he was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
38 So I advise you to stay away from these men. Leave them alone. If what they are planning is something of their own doing, it will fail. 39 But if God is behind it, you cannot stop it anyway, unless you want to fight against God.
The council members agreed with what he said, 40 and they called the apostles back in. They had them beaten with a whip and warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go.
41 The apostles left the council and were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus. 42 Every day they spent time in the temple and in one home after another. They never stopped teaching and telling the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Hananja un Safīra
1 Bet kāds vīrs, vārdā Hananja, un viņa sieva Safīra bija pārdevuši savu mantu; 2 ar sievas ziņu Hananja piesavinājās daļu no pārdotā vērtības sev, bet pārējo atnesa un nolika pie apustuļu kājām. 3 Tad Pēteris sacīja: “Hananja, kādēļ sātans ir piepildījis tavu sirdi, ka tu meloji Svētajam Garam un piesavinājies daļu no zemes gabala vērtības? 4 Vai gan tas nebija tavs, pirms tu to pārdevi, un, kad tu to pārdevi, vai nauda nepalika tavā ziņā? Kā gan tu ieņēmi sirdī tādu nelietību? Tu neesi melojis cilvēkiem, bet Dievam.” 5 Šos vārdus dzirdējis, Hananja nokrita un izlaida garu. Visus, kas to dzirdēja, pārņēma lielas bailes. 6 Tad pienāca jaunekļi, ietina viņu un, iznesuši ārā, apglabāja. 7 Trīs stundas vēlāk ienāca arī viņa sieva, nezinādama, kas noticis. 8 Pēteris viņai jautāja: “Saki man, vai par tik vien jūs pārdevāt zemes gabalu?” Viņa atbildēja: “Jā, par tik.” 9 Bet Pēteris sacīja viņai: “Kā jūs tā abi vienojāties izaicināt Kunga Garu? Redzi, pie durvīm jau ir to soļi, kas apglabāja tavu vīru, un viņi iznesīs arī tevi.” 10 Tūdaļ viņa nokrita pie tā kājām un izlaida garu. Jaunekļi ienākuši atrada viņu mirušu. Tie iznesa viņu ārā un apglabāja blakus viņas vīram. 11 Un lielas bailes nāca pār visu draudzi un ikvienu, kas to dzirdēja.
Zīmes un brīnumi
12 Caur apustuļu rokām tautā notika zīmes un daudz brīnumu. Viņi visi vienprātībā bija kopā Sālamana kolonādē. 13 Neviens cits neuzdrīkstējās viņiem piebiedroties, bet tauta viņus slavēja. 14 Aizvien vairāk to, kas ticēja, piepulcējās Kunga draudzei – daudz vīru un sievu. 15 Pat slimos iznesa uz ielām un lika uz gultām un nestuvēm, lai, Pēterim garām ejot, kaut tikai viņa ēna skartu kādu no tiem. 16 Sanāca arī daudzi no Jeruzālemes apkārtnes ciemiem, nesdami slimus un nešķīstu garu apsēstus, un tie visi tika dziedināti.
Apustuļu vajāšanas
17 Tad augsto priesteri un visus, kas bija ar viņu saduķeju kopībā, pārņēma skaudība. 18 Viņi lika apcietināt apustuļus un iemest viņus pilsētas cietumā. 19 Bet naktī Kunga eņģelis atvēra cietuma durvis un, viņus ārā izvedis, sacīja: 20 “Ejiet, nostājieties templī un vēstiet tautai visus šīs dzīvības vārdus.” 21 To dzirdējuši, viņi rīta agrumā aizgāja uz templi un mācīja. Kad ieradās augstais priesteris ar saviem pavadoņiem, viņš sasauca sinedriju un visus Israēla vecajos un aizsūtīja uz cietumu atvest apcietinātos. 22 Bet sargi, ieradušies cietumā, viņus tur neatrada un atgriezušies ziņoja: 23 “Mēs atradām cietumu pilnīgi droši aizslēgtu un cietumsargus stāvam pie durvīm; tās atvēruši, iekšā nevienu neatradām.” 24 Kad tempļa sardzes priekšnieks un virspriesteri šos vārdus dzirdēja, viņi bija nesaprašanā, kas tad ir noticis. 25 Tad kāds atnācējs viņiem pavēstīja: “Tie vīri, kurus jūs ielikāt cietumā, redzi, stāv templī un māca tautu.” 26 Tempļa sardzes priekšnieks ar sargiem aizgāja, lai viņus atvestu, bet ne ar varu, jo baidījās no tautas, ka tos nenomētā akmeņiem. 27 Atveduši tie nostādīja viņus sinedrija priekšā, un augstais priesteris viņus pratināja: 28 “Vai tad mēs jums stingri nepavēlējām nemācīt šajā vārdā? Bet jūs, redzi, esat piepildījuši Jeruzālemi ar savu mācību, un jūs gribat, lai šī Cilvēka asinis nāk pār mums.” 29 Atbildot Pēteris un apustuļi sacīja: “Dievam jāklausa vairāk nekā cilvēkiem. 30 Mūsu tēvu Dievs uzmodināja Jēzu, ko jūs nonāvējāt, pakārdami pie krusta koka. 31 Dievs ar savu labo roku viņu ir paaugstinājis par Valdnieku un Glābēju, lai Israēlam dotu atgriešanos un grēku piedošanu. 32 To apliecinām mēs un arī Svētais Gars, ko Dievs ir devis tiem, kas viņu paklausa.” 33 Dzirdētais tos satracināja, un tie gribēja viņus nogalināt. 34 Tad sinedrijā piecēlās kāds farizejs, vārdā Gamaliēls, visā tautā cienīts bauslības mācītājs, un pavēlēja izvest šos cilvēkus uz brīdi ārā. 35 Viņš teica: “Israēlieši, apdomājiet labi, pirms jūs ko darāt ar šiem cilvēkiem. 36 Jo vēl pirms kāda laika sacēlās Teuds, uzdodamies par nezin ko. Viņam pieslējās ap četri simti vīru; bet, kad viņu nogalināja, visi, kas viņam ticēja, izklīda, un iznākumā nekā nebija. 37 Pēc šī sadumpojās galilejietis Jūda tautas skaitīšanas dienās un sacēla tautu sev līdzi; arī tas gāja bojā, un visi viņa piekritēji tika izklīdināti. 38 Un tagad, es jums saku, atstājieties no šiem cilvēkiem un atlaidiet viņus. Ja šis viņu nolūks vai darbs nāk no cilvēkiem, tas izjuks. 39 Bet, ja tas ir no Dieva, jūs nespēsiet viņus apturēt. Ka tik jūs nekļūstat par Dieva apkarotājiem.” Un tie viņu paklausīja. 40 Viņi pasauca apustuļus, tos šaustīja un, piekodinājuši Jēzus vārdā vairs nerunāt, atlaida. 41 Viņi aizgāja no sinedrija priecīgi, jo bija atzīti par cienīgiem ciest negodu viņa vārda dēļ. 42 Dienu no dienas viņi nemitīgi mācīja un sludināja Kristu Jēzu gan templī, gan mājās.
