Acts 5:7-11

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 5:7

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 5:11

And great fear came upon all the church ,.... Which was still more increased by this instance of Sapphira's death: and upon as many as heard these things ; who were not of the church; See Gill on Acts 5:5 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:9

To tempt the Spirit of the Lord? - So the Holy Ghost, God, and the Spirit of the Lord, are the same person. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:10

Yielded up the ghost - See Acts 5:5 . It was not by Peter's words, nor through Peter's prayers, nor through shame, nor through remorse, that this guilty pair died, but by an immediate judgment of God. The question of the salvation of Ananias and Sapphira has not been a little agitated; and most seem inclined to hope that, though their sin was punished by this awful display of the Divine judgment, mercy was extended to their souls. For my own part, I think their sin was what the apostle, 1... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:11

Great fear came upon all the Church - This judgment answered the end for which it was inflicted; a deeply religious fear occupied every mind, and hypocrisy and deception were banished from this holy assembly. On the word Church, see the observations at the end of Matthew 16 (note). It has been properly observed that we have in this place a native specimen of a New Testament Church: Called by the Gospel; grafted into Christ by baptism; animated by love; united by all kinds of... read more

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