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But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property;
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with his wife's knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet.
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"Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?
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While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!"
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Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it.
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The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him.
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After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
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Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price." And she said, "Yes, that was the price."
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Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
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Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
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And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.
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Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico.
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None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
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Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women,
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so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he came by.
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A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.
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Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy,
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arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
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But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said,
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"Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life."
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When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching. When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.