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Acts 5:2

in Acts 5

With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

KJV

And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

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This verse in Acts 5

Commentary

11 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Kept back part of the price - Ananias and Sapphira were evidently persons who professed faith in Christ with the rest of the disciples. While all were making sacrifices for the present necessity, they came forward among the rest, pretending to bring all the money they had got for a possession, κτημα, (of what kind we know not), which they had sold.

This site's exposition

a man named Ananias

on Acts 5:1-2

Ananias and Sapphira sell property as Barnabas did at 4:37, yet keep back some of the proceeds while presenting part as the whole. Nothing required any believer to sell or to give all the proceeds (5:4), so the offense is the pretense.

This site's exposition

he kept back some of the proceeds

Barnes notes that the verb for kept back is used in Titus 2:10 for pilfering, a secret skimming of what was professed as given. Erasmus reads the plan as buying a name for piety while keeping a reserve. Matthew Henry places the sin in pretending it was their all.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

Entirely full of Satanic madness, he who seizes what is good impulsively and by necessity and violence, while at the same time lukewarm in his zeal for the value of the good things, having squandered all his possessions. Three signs occurring at the same time: …
"You shall not steal:" [Exodus 20:15] for Achan, when he had stolen in Israel at Jericho, was stoned to death; [Joshua 7:1] and Gehazi, who stole, and told a lie, inherited the leprosy of Naaman; [2 Kings 5:27] and Judas, who stole the poor's money, betrayed the Lord of glory to the Jews, [John 12:6] and repented, and hanged himself, and burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out; [Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18] and Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, who stole their own goods, and "tempted the Spirit of the Lord," were immediately, at the sentence of Peter our fellow-apostle, struck dead. [Acts 5:1-11]

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 12 · Written before 407.

proposed

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the Apostles' feet." The aggravating circumstance was, that the sin was concerted, and none other saw what was done. This history touches Bishops too, and very forcibly. And the wife of Ananias was privy to the thing done: therefore he examines her. But perhaps some one will say that he dealt very harshly with her. What do you mean? What harshness? If for gathering sticks a man is to be stoned, much rather ought he for sacrilege; for this money was become sacred. He that has chosen to sell his goods and distribute them, and then withdraws them, is guilty of sacrilege. But if he is sacrilegious, who resumes from his own, much more he who takes from what is not his own. And do not think that because the consequence is not now the same, the crime will go unpunished.

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

Intending to narrate what happened with Ananias and Sapphira, and wishing to show that they sinned, Luke first mentions a man who acted rightly — Joses. Despite such a multitude of persons who did the same — sold their possessions and gave the money to …

The Reformation1 voice

A commentator

Erasmus of Rotterdam

Commentary (church-history corpus) · Written before 1536.

proposed

His intent was to divide the money and with one portion to purchase praise and the impression of piety, but to save the other portion for himself in case some need should arise.
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And kept back part of the price,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

They came with as good an assurance, and as great a show of piety and devotion, as any of them, and laid the money at the apostles' feet, as if it were their all. They dissembled with God and his Spirit, with Christ and his church and ministers; and this was their sin. The indictment of Ananias, which proved both his condemnation and execution for this sin.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

And kept back - The word used here means properly “to separate, to part:” and then it means to “separate surreptitiously or clandestinely for our own use” a part of public property, as taxes, etc. It is used but three times in the New Testament, Act 5:3, and in Tit 2:10, where it is rendered “purloining.” Here it means that they “secretly” kept back a part, while “professedly” devoting all to God. His wife also being privy to it - His wife “knowing it,” and evidently concurring in it. And laid it at the apostles’ feet - This was evidently an act professedly of devoting all to God. Compare Act 4:37; also Act 5:8-9. That this was his “profession,” or “pretence,” is further implied in the fact that Peter charges him with having “lied” unto God, Act 5:3-4.

The words behind it

19 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

17 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Acts 4:37sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.6 worksActs 4:35and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.6 works2 Peter 2:14–15Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.3 worksActs 5:3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?3 worksJohn 12:6Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.2 worksJoshua 7:11–12Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and they have taken some of what was devoted to destruction. Indeed, they have stolen and lied, and they have put these things with their own possessions.2 works
The other 11 cross-references, with their words ▾
Matthew 6:2–3So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.2 worksMalachi 3:8–9Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings.2 works2 Kings 5:21–25So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”2 worksMatthew 23:5All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.2 worksMalachi 1:14“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.2 worksActs 4:34–35There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales,2 works2 Kings 5:20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, while not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”2 worksActs 20:20I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,2 worksActs 5:8“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”2 worksPhilippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.1 works1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Acts 5:3

    Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 23:24

      “Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

    • Isaiah 29:15

      Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”

    • Acts 5:9

      “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

    • John 13:27

      And when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

    • 1 Peter 5:8

      Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

  • Through

    John 12:6

    Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.

    it leads to

    • John 13:29

      Since Judas kept the money bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor.

    • Psalms 50:16–20

      To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?

    • James 2:6

      But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 5 →
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions (Book VII), Section 1, II; Erasmus of Rotterdam, Commentary (church-history corpus); John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 12; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.

Read on in Acts 5 →