Acts 5:5-10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 5:1-11

The chapter begins with a melancholy but, which puts a stop to the pleasant and agreeable prospect of things which we had in the foregoing chapters; as every man, so every church, in its best state has its but. 1. The disciples were very holy, and heavenly, and seemed to be all exceedingly good; but there were hypocrites among them, whose hearts were not right in the sight of God, who, when they were baptized, and took upon them the form of godliness, denied the power of godliness, and stopped... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 5:1-11

5:1-11 A man called Ananias, together with his wife Sapphire, sold a bit of ground he had, and surreptitiously kept back part of the price, and his wife knew about it. He brought some part of the price and laid it at the feet of the apostles. Peter said to him, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you have deceived the Holy Spirit and kept back part of the price of your ground? While it remained yours did it not remain your own, and after it had been sold was it not entirely at... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 5:5

And Ananias hearing these words ,.... Of Peter's; by which he found his sin was detected, and by which he was convicted of it: and which set forth the evil nature of it, with its aggravated circumstances; and such power went along with them, and they cut so deep, as that immediately he fell down and gave up the ghost ; which is an instance of what the Jews call death by the hand of heaven: and this was done either by an angel; or rather by an extraordinary gift bestowed on Peter, being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 5:6

And the young men arose ,.... The younger brethren of the church, who were robust, and strong, and fit for the following service: these rose up from their seats at once, not willing that such an awful spectacle should lie long before them: and wound him up ; in linen clothes, as was the manner of the Jews: and carried him out : of the house where they were, and out of the city; for the burying places of the Jews were without the city: and buried him ; which was all done in a very... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 5:7

And it was about the space of three hours after ,.... The death of Ananias. So much time was taken up in burying of him; and in less time it could not well be, since the burying places of the Jews were without the city, as before observed: and if they were as distant from other cities, as they were from the cities of the Levites, they were, as Dr. Lightfoot shows from Maimonides F7 Shemitta Veyobel, c. 13. sect. 2. , above a mile and half off: though there is a Jewish canon which runs... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 5:8

And Peter answered unto her ,.... Who might be inquiring for her husband; though such a way of speaking was common with the Jews, when nothing goes before to which the answer is made; of which there are frequent instances in the sacred writings: tell me whether ye sold the land for so much ; naming the sum of money which Ananias had brought; though the historian does not mention it. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read, "tell me, O woman", &c.; not calling her by her name, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 5:9

Then Peter said unto her, how is it that ye have agreed together ,.... For husband and wife to agree together in what is good, in things civil, honest, and lawful, and in religious matters, is very commendable; but to agree in a fraud, in a lie, is very dreadful: to tempt the Spirit of the Lord ; to try whether the apostles had the Spirit of the Lord, or not; and whether the Spirit of the Lord that was in them was omniscient and omnipotent, would take any notice of it, and inflict... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 5:10

Then fell she down straightway at his feet ,.... In like manner, and by the same hand of God as her husband before: and yielded up the ghost ; died directly: and the young men came in and found her dead ; the young men who had been to inter her husband came into the house at that instant, and found her dead upon the floor, at the feet of the Apostle Peter: and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband ; as it was usual with the Jews to do. So they say F9 Cippi Hebraici,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:5

Fell down, and gave up the ghost - Πεσων εξεψυξε , Falling down, he expired, breathed his last: "Gave up the ghost" is a very improper translation here. See the notes on Genesis 25:8 , and on Matthew 27:50 ; (note). Two things may be remarked here: That the sin of this person was of no ordinary magnitude, else God would not have visited it with so signal a punishment. 2. That Peter must have had the power to discern the state of the heart, else he had not known the perfidy of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:6

The young men arose - Some of the stout young men belonging to the disciples then present, who were the fittest to undertake a work of this kind, which required considerable bodily exertion. Buried him - This was on the same day in which he died. It was a clear case that he was dead, and dead by a judgment of God that would not be revoked. As therefore it was no case of suspended animation, there was no reason to delay the burial. read more

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