Acts 5 5

Acts 5:5 kjv

And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Acts 5:5 nkjv

Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.

Acts 5:5 niv

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

Acts 5:5 esv

When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

Acts 5:5 nlt

As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified.

Acts 5 verses

Acts 5 5 Meaning

When Ananias heard the words of Peter exposing his deception, he immediately fell to the ground and died, a divinely orchestrated consequence for lying to the Holy Spirit. This instant judgment evoked a profound and widespread fear and awe among all who witnessed or heard of the event, serving as a powerful lesson on the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin within the nascent Christian community.

Acts 5 5 Context

Acts 5:5 occurs immediately after Peter confronts Ananias about his deceit (Acts 5:3-4). Ananias, in collusion with his wife Sapphira, sold a property but kept back a portion of the proceeds while presenting the remaining amount to the apostles as if it were the entire sum. Peter, through the Holy Spirit's revelation, exposed this lie, identifying it as lying not just to men, but to God Himself and to the Holy Spirit. This event is a critical turning point following the immense generosity and communal unity described in Acts 4:32-37. The Lord’s judgment demonstrates His determination to keep the early church pure from internal corruption, just as the community had grown rapidly following Pentecost. Historically, this event took place in the very nascent stage of the church, an era where the foundations of belief and conduct were being laid. This severe action served as a crucial lesson about the active presence and authority of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing that the church was a community founded on divine truth and not mere human pretense, starkly contrasting with any notion of a mere human-led, permissive religious group.

Acts 5 5 Word analysis

• When Ananias heard this:
  • Ananias (Ancient Greek: Ἀνανίας, Ananias): A Hebrew name, likely meaning "The Lord is gracious." Irony exists in the meaning, given his grave action. He is presented as an individual, highlighting personal accountability.
  • heard (ἀκούσας, akousas): From the verb ἀκούω (akouō), meaning "to hear, to listen, to understand." It implies full comprehension of Peter's words, particularly the accusation that he had lied to the Holy Spirit. His act was not committed in ignorance.
  • this: Referring implicitly to Peter's declaration in verses 3-4 that Ananias had lied to the Holy Spirit and defrauded the community by keeping back part of the sale price.
• he fell down:
  • fell down (πεσὼν, peson): The aorist participle of πίπτω (piptō), meaning "to fall, collapse, drop." This signifies a sudden, instantaneous collapse, typical of a person struck by a fatal blow or in the throes of death. It indicates immediate and overwhelming effect of God's judgment, not a gradual decline.
• and died.
  • died (ἐξέψυξεν, exepsyksen): From ἐκψύχω (ekpsychō), meaning "to breathe out, expire, die." This emphasizes the immediate, final cessation of life. It signifies a supernatural, divinely imposed death, distinct from a natural passing or an execution by human hands. This demonstrates God's direct involvement.
• And great fear seized:
  • And great fear seized (καὶ ἐγένετο φόβος μέγας ἐπὶ): Literally, "and great fear came upon."
  • great (μέγας, megas): Signifies the intense, profound, and widespread nature of the fear. It was not a small or personal dread but a powerful communal response.
  • fear (φόβος, phobos): In this biblical context, it primarily refers to reverential awe, spiritual dread, or profound respect in the face of God's power and holiness, rather than mere terror. It signifies a proper understanding of divine justice and presence. This fear is a positive response, leading to a purification of the community and reverence for God.
  • seized (ἐγένετο, egeneto): From γίνομαι (ginomai), meaning "to become, happen, come to pass." Here, it conveys that this great fear came into being and permeated the atmosphere and the community immediately.
• all who heard what had happened.
  • all who heard: Emphasizes the wide-ranging impact. The news spread, and the event served as a public demonstration of God's character.
  • what had happened: The entirety of the incident, including the lie, Peter's rebuke, and the instant death, all contributed to the pervasive awe.

Acts 5 5 Bonus section

The instantaneous nature of Ananias's death mirrors Old Testament examples of immediate divine judgment, such as Nadab and Abihu offering "unauthorized fire" (Lev 10:1-2) or Uzzah touching the Ark of the Covenant (2 Sam 6:6-7). These incidents, like Ananias's, establish God's zero tolerance for actions that disrespect His holiness and the sacredness of His covenant presence. Unlike other cases of discipline in the New Testament (e.g., 1 Cor 5 where a person is "given over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh"), this judgment involved no human agent of execution or prior community process; it was solely God's direct act, confirming the Holy Spirit's immediate active presence and authority in the church. This also highlighted that joining the early church was not without solemn commitment; it was a serious undertaking requiring absolute sincerity before God.

Acts 5 5 Commentary

Acts 5:5 encapsulates a foundational moment for the early church, underscoring God's uncompromising holiness and the profound seriousness of sin within His new covenant community. Ananias's death was not merely a consequence of financial dishonesty, but a direct divine judgment for lying to the Holy Spirit, whom Peter equated with God. This incident serves as a boundary marker for the integrity of the nascent body of believers. It was an essential, albeit severe, lesson demonstrating that God takes seriously both overt sin and subtle hypocrisy within His church. This dramatic act instilled a healthy, reverential fear (φόβος) among the believers, cultivating purity and truthfulness from its very inception. It taught them that the Holy Spirit was not just a divine presence to be celebrated but a holy presence to be respected and obeyed, whose active discerning and judging power could not be trifled with. It helped solidify the integrity of the Christian community, emphasizing transparency before God.