Acts 5 9

Acts 5:9 kjv

Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

Acts 5:9 nkjv

Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."

Acts 5:9 niv

Peter said to her, "How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."

Acts 5:9 esv

But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."

Acts 5:9 nlt

And Peter said, "How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too."

Acts 5 verses

Acts 5 9 Meaning

Acts 5:9 reveals Peter's direct confrontation with Sapphira regarding her deception concerning the sale of her property. Peter exposes her agreement with Ananias to defraud the Christian community by lying about the full price, and critically, identifies this as "testing the Spirit of the Lord." The verse pronounces the immediate divine judgment upon Sapphira, indicating her imminent death and burial as swiftly as her husband's.

Acts 5 9 Context

Acts chapter 5 continues the narrative of the early Jerusalem church, emphasizing their communal spirit, voluntary sharing, and profound reverence for God (Acts 4:32-35). This environment of purity and fervent devotion forms the backdrop for the severe incident of Ananias and Sapphira. In Acts 5:1-2, the couple conspires to sell a possession but secretly withhold part of the proceeds while pretending to give the full amount to the apostles. Peter, discerning their true intentions by the Holy Spirit, confronts Ananias directly in Acts 5:3-4, emphasizing that his lie was not to men but "to God" and "to the Holy Spirit." Ananias's subsequent immediate death in Acts 5:5-6 sends a powerful message. Verse 9 then focuses on Peter's interaction with Sapphira, who, unaware of her husband's fate, attempts to perpetuate the same deception. Her response confirms her complicity, leading to the pronouncement of judgment in this verse, immediately followed by her death. The context underscores the Holy Spirit's immediate action to purify and preserve the sanctity and integrity of the nascent church community.

Acts 5 9 Word analysis

• Then Peter: The apostle, divinely empowered and acting as an instrument of the Holy Spirit's judgment. His position as a key leader is affirmed.
• said to her: Direct and authoritative communication, signifying Peter's discernment and conviction.
• "How is it that...": Greek: Πῶς (Pōs) - a rhetorical question expressing profound astonishment, condemnation, and an urgent demand for explanation. It highlights the gravity and inexplicable nature of their premeditated sin.
• you have agreed together: Greek: συνεφωνήθη (synephōnēthē) - an aorist passive, emphasizing the completed, decisive, and shared conspiracy. From symphōneō, meaning "to sound together" or "to agree, conspire." This highlights their mutual, deliberate, and premeditated deceit. The unity in sin, not just an individual transgression.
• to test: Greek: πειράσαι (peirasai) - an aorist infinitive of peirazō, meaning "to put to the proof," "to tempt," or "to try." This implies not a mere lapse, but a deliberate challenge or a presumed ability to deceive the divine presence. They sought to put the Spirit to the test, essentially to see if God would expose their lie, daring God's omniscience and integrity.
• the Spirit of the Lord: Greek: Πνεῦμα Κυρίου (Pneuma Kyriou) - Clearly identifies the Holy Spirit as divine and worthy of the reverence due to God. The sin is thus directed squarely against God Himself, not merely against men or the church. This underscores the Holy Spirit's personality, divinity, and omnipresence, which they sought to challenge.
• Look,: Greek: Ἰδού (Idou) - An exclamation mark, demanding immediate attention to the following stark announcement. It heightens the dramatic tension and sense of imminent judgment.
• the feet: Metonymy for the persons themselves. Symbolically emphasizes their immediate physical presence.
• of those who have buried: A stark reference to the men who just buried Ananias. It links the two judgments directly, showing Sapphira's death is imminent and connected to her husband's. The use of "those who have buried" (οἱ θάψαντες) points to a recent, concluded action, making the next step seamless.
• your husband: Personalizes the coming judgment, connecting it directly to her specific, joint sin and the previous event.
• are at the door,: Emphasizes the immediate, inescapable, and proximate nature of divine judgment. There is no time for escape or reprieve. It is literal, pointing to the swiftness of events unfolding right there.
• and they will carry you out.:: A direct pronouncement of her impending death and the same ignominious burial as her husband, without any honor or delay. It confirms the certain execution of divine justice.

Acts 5 9 Bonus section

The account of Ananias and Sapphira, culminating in Acts 5:9, presents a unique instance of immediate divine judgment in the New Testament. Unlike later church discipline, which might involve excommunication (e.g., 1 Cor 5:5), this was a direct, fatal intervention. This served several crucial purposes at a critical juncture:

1. Sanctity and Purity: It instantly cleansed the young church of deceit and established a profound reverence for God's holiness within the community.
2. Warning: It served as a stark warning to all members, emphasizing that God could not be mocked, and sincerity of heart was paramount.
3. Preservation of Authenticity: It safeguarded the genuine Spirit-led communal life, preventing it from being undermined by fraud or pretense, thus reinforcing the New Covenant's emphasis on inward transformation rather than external show.
4. Nature of the Spirit: It dramatically affirmed the Holy Spirit's divinity, omniscience, and power as truly God, highlighting the profound blasphemy in attempting to deceive Him. This severe judgment, therefore, acted as a foundational purification, crucial for the credibility and healthy growth of the first Christian community.

Acts 5 9 Commentary

Acts 5:9 reveals the grave consequence of hypocrisy and deliberate deceit within the early church. Peter's condemnation of Ananias and Sapphira for "testing the Spirit of the Lord" underscores that their lie about money was, at its core, a direct affront to the Holy Spirit and thus to God Himself. This was not a moment of weakness or an unintentional mistake, but a premeditated and corporate act of deception designed to gain reputation while withholding devotion. The immediate and visible judgment upon them was a terrifying demonstration of divine purity and holiness, serving to safeguard the integrity of the nascent Christian community from corruption from within. It established a solemn understanding of the sanctity of the Holy Spirit's presence and action among believers, impressing upon the church the seriousness of sin and the uncompromising nature of God's truth. This act of judgment ensured that the early church, which lived in radical generosity and unity, maintained its authentic commitment to God rather than descending into a performance for human acclaim.