Acts 5:3

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

Acts 5:3 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
English Standard Version (ESV)
3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
New Living Translation (NLT)
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.
The Message Bible (MSG)
3 Peter said, "Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field?
American Standard Version (ASV)
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land?
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
3 Peter asked, "Ananias, why did you let Satan fill you with the idea that you could deceive the Holy Spirit? You've held back some of the money you received for the land.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds from the field?
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You have kept some of the money you received for the land.

Acts 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 5:3

But Peter said, Ananias
Peter, by divine revelation, or by a spirit of discerning, such as Elisha had, who knew what his servant Gehazi had done, knowing what a reserve Ananias had made, calls him by his name, and says to him,

why hath Satan filled thine heart?
or emboldened thee, given thee so much spirit and courage to act in such an impudent and audacious manner; so the phrase is used in ( Esther 7:5 ) ( Ecclesiastes 8:11 ) see the Septuagint there, and often in Talmudic writings.

``Says R. Joshua, I never (ybl ynalm) , "filled my heart"; or my heart never filled me to say to a man, go and take the change of these three things F4.''

And says another Rabbi F5,

``though I say so, (ybl ynalm al) , "I never filled my heart", or my heart never filled me to transgress the words of the companions;''

that is, I never durst do so. And again F6, it being observed, that Isaiah should say, "hear, O heavens!" it is said,

``who, or what is this, who (wbl walm) , "hath filled his heart", or whose heart has filled him to call to the heavens to hear.''

But this instance of Ananias was such, that none but Satan could have put him upon, or emboldened him to have done; who from hence appeared to have the power over him, and to have possessed him, to have great access to him, even to his heart, and great influence upon it, so as to prompt him

to lie to the Holy Ghost;
who was in the apostles, and by whom they were acted, and to whom he had given a discerning of spirits; so that it was a daring action, and downright madness, to go about to deceive them: or he pretended he had an impulse from the Spirit of God to sell his estate, and give the whole price of it to the apostles, and yet kept back part of it; which was acting contrary to that Spirit he pretended to be influenced by.

And to keep back part of the price of the land:
that is, he lied against the Holy Ghost, by keeping back part of the price the land was sold for; when he had declared he sold it with this view, to give the whole for charitable uses, and affirmed that what he brought was the whole.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Hieros. Maaserot, fol. 48. 4.
F5 Sabbat, fol. 14. 3.
F6 Tzeror Hammor, fol. 160. 1. Vid. Shaare ora, fol. 2. 1.

Acts 5:3 In-Context

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

Cross References 4

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