Ananias and Sapphira

1Bvt a certaine man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, solde a possession, 2And kept away part of the price, his wife also being of counsell, and brought a certaine part, and layde it downe at the Apostles feete. 3Then saide Peter, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy Ghost, and keepe away part of the price of this possession? 4Whiles it remained, appertained it not vnto thee? and after it was solde, was it not in thine owne power? howe is it that thou hast conceiued this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lyed vnto men, but vnto God. 5Now when Ananias heard these wordes, he fell downe, and gaue vp the ghost. Then great feare came on all them that heard these things. 6And the yong men rose vp, and tooke him vp, and caried him out, and buried him.

7And it came to passe about the space of three houres after, that his wife came in, ignorant of that which was done. 8And Peter sayd vnto her, Tell me, solde ye the land for so much? And she sayd, Yea, for so much. 9Then Peter sayde vnto her, Why haue ye agreed together, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? beholde, the feete of them which haue buried thine husband, are at the doore, and shall carie thee out. 10Then she fell downe straightway at his feete, and yeelded vp the ghost: and the yong men came in, and found her dead, and caried her out, and buried her by her husband. 11And great feare came on all the Church, and on as many as heard these things.

The Apostles Heal Many

12Thus by the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders shewed among the people (and they were all with one accorde in Solomons porche. 13And of the other durst no man ioyne him selfe to them: neuerthelesse the people magnified them. 14Also the number of them that beleeued in the Lord, both of men and women, grewe more and more) 15In so much that they brought the sicke into the streetes, and layd them on beds and couches, that at the least way the shadowe of Peter, when he came by, might shadow some of them. 16There came also a multitude out of the cities round about vnto Hierusalem, bringing sicke folkes, & them which were vexed with vncleane spirits, who were all healed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17Then the chiefe Priest rose vp, and all they that were with him (which was the sect of the Sadduces) and were full of indignation, 18And laide hands on the Apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19But the Angel of the Lorde, by night opened the prison doores, & brought them forth, and sayd, 20Go your way, & stand in the Temple, and speake to the people, all the wordes of this life. 21So when they heard it, they entred into the Temple early in the morning, & taught; the chiefe Priest came, and they that were with him, and called the Councill together, and all the Elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison, to cause them to be brought. 22But when the officers came, & found them not in the prison, they returned and tolde it, 23Saying, Certainely we founde the prison shut as sure as was possible, and the keepers standing without, before the doores: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

The Apostles before the Sanhedrin

24Then when the chiefe Priest, and the captaine of the Temple, and the hie Priestes heard these things, they doubted of them, whereunto this would growe. 25Then came one and shewed them, saying, Beholde, the men that ye put in prison, are standing in the Temple, and teach the people. 26Then went the captaine with the officers, and brought them without violence (for they feared the people, lest they should haue bene stoned)

27And when they had brought them, they set them before the Councill, & the chiefe Priest asked them, 28Saying, Did not we straightly commaund you, that ye should not teach in this Name? & behold, ye haue filled Hierusale with your doctrine, and ye would bring this mans blood vpon vs. 29Then Peter and the Apostles answered, & sayd, We ought rather to obey God then men. 30The God of our fathers hath raised vp Iesus, whom ye slewe, and hanged on a tree. 31Him hath God lift vp with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Sauiour, to giue repentance to Israel, and forgiuenes of sinnes. 32And we are his witnesses concerning these things which we say: yea, & the holy Ghost, whome God hath giuen to them that obey him.

Gamaliel’s Advice

33Now when they heard it, they brast for anger, and consulted to slay them. 34Then stoode there vp in the Councill a certaine Pharise named Gamaliel, a doctour of the Lawe, honoured of all the people, and commaunded to put the Apostles forth a litle space, 35And sayd vnto them, Men of Israel, take heede to your selues, what ye intende to doe touching these men. 36For before these times, rose vp Theudas boasting himselfe, to whom resorted a number of men, about a foure hundreth, who was slaine: and they all which obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37After this man, arose vp Iudas of Galile, in the dayes of the tribute, and drewe away much people after him: hee also perished, and all that obeyed him, were scattered abroad. 38And nowe I say vnto you, Refraine your selues from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsell, or this worke be of men, it will come to nought: 39But if it be of God, ye can not destroy it, lest ye be found euen fighters against God.

40And to him they agreed, and called the Apostles: and when they had beaten them, they commaunded that they should not speake in the Name of Iesus, and let them goe. 41So they departed from the Councill, reioycing, that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his Name. 42And dayly in the Temple, & from house to house they ceased not to teach, and preach Iesus Christ.