Ananias and Sapphira
1 But there was a man named Ananias, who with his wife Sapphira sold some property that belonged to them. 2 But with his wife's agreement he kept part of the money for himself and turned the rest over to the apostles. 3 Peter said to him, “Ananias, why did you let Satan take control of you and make you lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping part of the money you received for the property? 4 Before you sold the property, it belonged to you; and after you sold it, the money was yours. Why, then, did you decide to do such a thing? You have not lied to people—you have lied to God!” 5 As soon as Ananias heard this, he fell down dead; and all who heard about it were terrified. 6 The young men came in, wrapped up his body, carried him out, and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, was this the full amount you and your husband received for your property?”
“Yes,” she answered, “the full amount.”
9 So Peter said to her, “Why did you and your husband decide to put the Lord's Spirit to the test? The men who buried your husband are at the door right now, and they will carry you out too!” 10 At once she fell down at his feet and died. The young men came in and saw that she was dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 The whole church and all the others who heard of this were terrified.
Miracles and Wonders
12 Many miracles and wonders were being performed among the people by the apostles. All the believers met together in Solomon's Porch. 13 Nobody outside the group dared join them, even though the people spoke highly of them. 14 But more and more people were added to the group—a crowd of men and women who believed in the Lord. 15 As a result of what the apostles were doing, sick people were carried out into the streets and placed on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 And crowds of people came in from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing those who were sick or who had evil spirits in them; and they were all healed.
The Apostles Are Persecuted
17 Then the High Priest and all his companions, members of the local party of the Sadducees, became extremely jealous of the apostles; so they decided to take action. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But that night an angel of the Lord opened the prison gates, led the apostles out, and said to them, 20 “Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new life.” 21 The apostles obeyed, and at dawn they entered the Temple and started teaching.
The High Priest and his companions called together all the Jewish elders for a full meeting of the Council; then they sent orders to the prison to have the apostles brought before them. 22 But when the officials arrived, they did not find the apostles in prison, so they returned to the Council and reported, 23 “When we arrived at the jail, we found it locked up tight and all the guards on watch at the gates; but when we opened the gates, we found no one inside!” 24 When the chief priests and the officer in charge of the Temple guards heard this, they wondered what had happened to the apostles. 25 Then a man came in and said to them, “Listen! The men you put in prison are in the Temple teaching the people!” 26 So the officer went off with his men and brought the apostles back. They did not use force, however, because they were afraid that the people might stone them.
27 They brought the apostles in, made them stand before the Council, and the High Priest questioned them. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in the name of this man,” he said; “but see what you have done! You have spread your teaching all over Jerusalem, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”
29 Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God, not men. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from death, after you had killed him by nailing him to a cross. 31 God raised him to his right side as Leader and Savior, to give the people of Israel the opportunity to repent and have their sins forgiven. 32 We are witnesses to these things—we and the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to those who obey him.”
33 When the members of the Council heard this, they were so furious that they wanted to have the apostles put to death. 34 But one of them, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was a teacher of the Law and was highly respected by all the people, stood up in the Council. He ordered the apostles to be taken out for a while, 35 and then he said to the Council, “Fellow Israelites, be careful what you do to these men. 36 You remember that Theudas appeared some time ago, claiming to be somebody great, and about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed, all his followers were scattered, and his movement died out. 37 After that, Judas the Galilean appeared during the time of the census; he drew a crowd after him, but he also was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 And so in this case, I tell you, do not take any action against these men. Leave them alone! If what they have planned and done is of human origin, it will disappear, 39 but if it comes from God, you cannot possibly defeat them. You could find yourselves fighting against God!”
The Council followed Gamaliel's advice. 40 They called the apostles in, had them whipped, and ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus; and then they set them free. 41 As the apostles left the Council, they were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of Jesus. 42 And every day in the Temple and in people's homes they continued to teach and preach the Good News about Jesus 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.
