Twentieth Century [1904], THE TWENTIETH CENTURY NEW TESTAMENT A TRANSLATION INTO MODERN ENGLISH Made from the Original Greek (Westcott & Hort's Text) (The Fleming H. Revell Company, NEW YORK & CHICAGO) [word count] [B14200].
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note
1 There was, however, a man named Ananias,
who, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property,
and,
2 with her connivance, kept back some of the
proceeds. He brought only a part and laid it at the Apostles'
feet.
3 “Ananias,” Peter exclaimed, “how is it that Satan has so
taken possession of your heart that you have lied to the Holy
Spirit, and kept back a part of the money paid for the land?
4 While it was unsold, was not it your own? and after it was
sold, was not the money at your own disposal? How did
you come to think of such a thing? You have lied, not to
men, but to God!”
5 As Ananias heard these words, he fell down and expired; and
every one who heard of it was appalled.
6 The young men got
up, and, winding the body in a sheet, carried it out and buried it.
7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not
knowing what had happened.
8 “Is it true,” Peter asked, addressing her, “that you sold
your land for such a sum?”
“Yes,” she answered, “we did.”
9 Then Peter said: “How did you come to agree to provoke
the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The foot-steps of those who
have buried your husband are at the door; and they will
carry you out too.”
10 Instantly Sapphira fell down at Peter's feet and expired. On
coming in, the young men found her dead; so they carried her
out and buried her by her husband's side. ⪆⪆
11 The whole
Church and all who heard of these events were appalled.
note
12 Many signs and wonders continued to occur
among the people, through the instrumentality
of the Apostles, whose custom it was to meet all
together in the Colonnade of Solomon;
13 but of the rest no one
ventured to join them. On the other hand, the people were
full of their praise,
14 and still larger numbers, both of men and
-- --
women, as they became believers in the Lord, were added to
their number.
15 The consequence was that people would bring
out their sick even into the streets, and lay them on mattresses
and mats, in the hope that, as Peter came by, at least his
shadow might fall on some one of them.
16 Besides this, the
inhabitants of the towns round Jerusalem flocked into the city,
bringing with them their sick and those who were troubled by
foul spirits; and they were cured every one.
note
17 At this the High Priest was roused to action,
and he and all his supporters (who formed the
party of the Sadducees), moved by jealousy,
arrested the Apostles,
18 and had them placed in
custody. ⪆⪆
19 An angel of the Lord, however, opened the
prison doors at night and led them out.
20 “Go,” he said, “and stand in the Temple Courts, and tell
the people the whole Message of this new Life.”
21 When they heard this, they went at daybreak into the Temple
Courts, and began to teach. ⪆⪆The High Priest and his
party, on their arrival, summoned the High Council, including
all the leading men among the Israelites, and sent to the gaol
to fetch the Apostles.
22 But, when the officers got there, they
did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported
that,
23 while they had found the gaol barred securely
and the guards posted at the doors, yet, on opening them,
they had not found any one inside.
24 When the Officer in
charge at the Temple and the Chief Priests heard their story,
they were perplexed about the Apostles and as to what all this
would lead to. ⪆⪆
25 Presently, however, some one came and
told them, that the men whom they had put in prison were actually
standing in the Temple Courts, teaching the people.
26 On
this, the Officer went with his men and fetched the Apostles—
without using violence, for they were afraid of being stoned
27 by the people—and then brought them before the Council.
The High Priest demanded an explanation from them.
28 “We gave you strict orders,” he said, “not to teach in this
Name. Yet you have actually flooded Jerusalem with your
teaching, and you want to make us responsible for the death
of this man.”
29 To this Peter and the Apostles replied:
30 “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our
ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging
him on a cross. note
31 It is this Jesus whom God has exalted to
his right hand, to be a Guide and a Saviour, to give Israel
repentance and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are witnesses to
the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit—the gift of God to
those who obey him.”
33 The members of the Council became frantic with rage on hearing
-- --
this, and were for putting the Apostles to death. ⪆⪆
34 But
Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who was a Doctor of the Law and
who was held in universal respect, rose in the Council, and
directed that the men should be taken out of court for a little
while. He then said:
35 “Men of Israel, take care as to what you intend to do with
these men.
36 For not long ago Theudas appeared, professing
to be somebody, and was joined by a body of some four hundred
men. But he was killed; and all his followers scattered
and dwindled away.
37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared
at the time of the census, and induced people to follow him;
yet he, too, perished and all his followers were dispersed.
38 And,
in this present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with
these men, but to let them alone, for, if their designs and
their work are merely of human origin, they will come to an
end;
39 but, if they are of divine origin, you will be powerless to
put an end to them—or else you may find yourselves fighting
against God!”
40 The Council followed his advice, and, calling the Apostles in,
had them flogged, and then, after cautioning them not to speak
in the Name of Jesus, set them free. ⪆⪆
41 But the Apostles
left the Council, rejoicing that they had been thought worthy
to suffer disgrace for that Name;
42 and never for a single day,
either in the Temple Courts or in private houses, did they
cease to teach, or to tell the Good News of Jesus, the Christ.
Twentieth Century [1904], THE TWENTIETH CENTURY NEW TESTAMENT A TRANSLATION INTO MODERN ENGLISH Made from the Original Greek (Westcott & Hort's Text) (The Fleming H. Revell Company, NEW YORK & CHICAGO) [word count] [B14200].
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