Acts 5:1-11 · Bible study
Acts 5:1-11 Commentary: Ananias and Sapphira
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the sin of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11: the seriousness of lying to the Holy Spirit and why God's judgment came swiftly to protect the
Research Summary
- Meaning: The sin of Ananias and Sapphira is not theft but deliberate deception of the Holy Spirit and the church about the full proceeds of a land sale.
- Key words: ἐνοσφίσατο (enosphisato, 'kept back,' a term for embezzlement or purloining); ψεύσασθαι (pseusasthai, 'to lie/to deceive'); πειράσαι (peirasai, 'to test/tempt').
- Main debate: Whether Ananias and Sapphira were true believers (most Calvinists and Anglicans say yes, hypocrites; Wesley says probably not baptized).
- Theological theme: God’s holiness demands integrity in worship; the Spirit who searches hearts will not be mocked.
- Best use: A sobering call to examine our motives in giving and service, and a reminder of the healthy fear that protects the church.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?
4Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”
5On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.
6Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened.
8“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
9“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10At that instant she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”
5Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.
6The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
8Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.”
9But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt 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.”
10She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
11Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.
KJV King James Version 1769
1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3But 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?
4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9Then 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.
10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3But 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?
4While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.
6And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.
9But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.
10And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
11And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2and did keep back of the price--his wife also knowing--and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid it .
3And Peter said, `Ananias, wherefore did the Adversary fill thy heart, for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back of the price of the place?
4while it remained, did it not remain thine? and having been sold, in thy authority was it not? why is it that thou didst put in thy heart this thing? thou didst not lie to men, but to God;'
5and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things,
6and having risen, the younger men wound him up, and having carried forth, they buried him .
7And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife, not knowing what hath happened, came in,
8and Peter answered her, `Tell me if for so much ye sold the place;' and she said, `Yes, for so much.'
9And Peter said unto her, `How was it agreed by you, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? lo, the feet of those who did bury thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee forth;'
10and she fell down presently at his feet, and expired, and the young men having come in, found her dead, and having carried forth, they buried her by her husband;
11and great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1But a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2and put aside for himself part of the price, [his] wife also being privy to it; and having brought a certain part, laid it at the feet of the apostles.
3But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lie to the Holy Spirit, and put aside for thyself a part of the price of the estate?
4While it remained did it not remain to thee? and sold, was [it not] in thine own power? Why is it that thou hast purposed this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God.
5And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard [it].
6And the young men, rising up, swathed him up for burial, and having carried him out, buried him.
7And it came to pass about three hours afterwards, that his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
8And Peter answered her, Tell me if ye gave the estate for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much.
9And Peter said to her, Why [is it] that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of [the] Lord? Lo, the feet of those that have buried thy husband [are] at the door, and they shall carry thee out.
10And she fell down immediately at his feet and expired. And when the young men came in they found her dead; and, having carried her out, they buried her by her husband.
11And great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1But a certain man named Ananias, with Saphira his wife, sold a piece of land,
2And by fraud kept back part of the price of the land, his wife being privy thereunto: and bringing a certain part of it, laid it at the feet of the apostles.
3But Peter said: Ananias, why hath Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost and by fraud keep part of the price of the land?
4Whilst it remained, did it not remain to thee? And after it was sold, was it not in thy power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God.
5And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and gave up the ghost. And there came great fear upon all that heard it.
6And the young men rising up, removed him, and carrying him out, buried him.
7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
8And Peter said to her: Tell me, woman, whether you sold the land for so much? And she said: Yea, for so much.
9And Peter said unto her: Why have you agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of them who have buried thy husband are at the door: and they shall carry thee out,
10Immediately, she fell down before his feet and gave up the ghost. And the young men coming in found her dead: and carried her out and buried her by her husband.
11And there came great fear upon the whole church and upon all that heard these things.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 5:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the sin of Ananias and Sapphira was not primarily about money but about the deliberate attempt to deceive God and his church. Calvin and Barnes both note that Peter knew of their fraud only by supernatural revelation, which underscores that the offense was against the omniscient Holy Spirit. The property was entirely theirs to keep or sell; as Peter asks, 'Whiles it remained, was it not thine own?' (v. 4). The deception lay in pretending to offer the full price while holding back part.
Clarke and Gill emphasize that the immediate death upon hearing Peter’s words was an act of God to preserve the integrity of the early Christian community. This judgment produced 'great fear' among believers and outsiders alike, a fear that protected the church from hypocrisy and honored God’s holiness. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown compare the sin to Achan’s (Joshua 7), seeing it as a breach of trust within the covenant people. The swift punishment, they argue, served as a warning for all ages about the seriousness of pretending to be what we are not before the God who sees the heart.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Hypocrisy against the Holy Spirit: Peter’s direct charge: 'why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?' (v. 3) and 'you have not lied to men, but to God' (v. 4).
- Testing or tempting God: Peter asks in verse 9: 'How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?' This suggests they wanted to see if they could get away with deception.
- A breach of community trust (parallel to Achan): The cross-reference to Joshua 7:11 matches the pattern of hidden sin within the covenant people causing judgment.
What is clear: Ananias and Sapphira told a deliberate lie about their generosity, and God immediately struck them dead as a warning to the entire church.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the sin | Ananias and Sapphira deliberately lied about the sale price to appear more generous than they were. | Some commentators (e.g., Calvin) emphasize the act as a direct lie to the Holy Spirit; others (Clarke) see it as hypocrisy and testing God. A few (Barnes) note the element of theft from the community fund, but most agree the core offense is deception. |
| Whether they were believers or outsiders | They were part of the Christian assembly, professing faith and participating in the community. | Wesley argued they were likely not yet baptized believers, but merely candidates for fellowship. The majority view (Calvin, Henry, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) holds they were genuine members whose hypocrisy was exposed. |
| Immediate judgment and eternal state | God’s immediate judgment took their physical lives. | Gill and Calvin strongly imply their souls perished (spiritual death). Others (Clarke, Matthew Henry) are more cautious, leaving the question of their final salvation to God’s mercy. All agree the narrative focuses on the temporal judgment that purified the church. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Acts 5:1-11 follows immediately after the description of generous sharing in Acts 4:32-37, where Barnabas is praised for selling land and giving all the proceeds to the apostles. That context of radical generosity is crucial: Ananias and Sapphira wanted the same public honor but without the full sacrifice. The early Jerusalem church practiced voluntary sharing of resources; there was no rule forcing anyone to sell property. As Barnes notes, Peter’s words confirm the offering was purely voluntary: 'While it remained, did it not remain thine own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power?' (v. 4).
The laying of money at the apostles’ feet was a sign of submission and unity. The 'young men' (νεώτεροι, neōteroi) who wrapped and buried the dead were likely younger members of the church, perhaps those who performed practical services. Jewish custom required burial before sunset on the same day, which explains the rapid burial. The three-hour interval between Ananias’s death and Sapphira’s arrival gave her an opportunity to repent, but she persisted in the lie.
The story echoes Old Testament judgments on sin within the community of Israel, most clearly the sin of Achan in Joshua 7, where hidden plunder brought God’s wrath on the whole camp. Similarly, the fire that consumed Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10) for offering 'strange fire' illustrates the holiness required of those who draw near to God. In the early church, still young and vulnerable to corruption, such a purging judgment reinforced the truth that God is not mocked and that the community must be holy.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources (including the major critical commentaries) note no significant textual variants for Acts 5:1-11. The Greek text is stable across all manuscript families. A minor variation in verse 3, whether the infinitive is ψεύσασθαι (to lie) or a different form, does not affect meaning. All major translations render the passage with the same sense.
Reception History
From the early church onward, Acts 5:1-11 has been read as a sober warning against hypocrisy within Christian communities. Church fathers such as John Chrysostom used it to urge believers toward sincerity. In the medieval period, the story was cited in discussions of church discipline and the power of the keys. Reformation commentators like Calvin and the Geneva Bible saw it as proof that God purges his church with judgment to preserve holiness. In Pietist and Methodist traditions, the passage reinforced the necessity of heart religion over outward show. Modern readers often struggle with the severity, yet the consistent message across centuries is that the Spirit of truth cannot be deceived, and the church must be a place of transparent love. The verse 'great fear came upon all the church' (v. 11) has echoed through revivals as a call to reverence.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Deception: Ananias and Sapphira conspired to appear more generous than they were, lying to the apostolic community and, ultimately, to the Holy Spirit. Their sin was hypocrisy, wanting the praise of generosity without the cost.
- The Exposure: Peter, filled with the Spirit, exposed the lie. The couple’s agreement to 'tempt the Spirit of the Lord' (v. 9) reveals that they thought they could deceive God. The Spirit knows the secrets of every heart.
- The Judgment and Its Purpose: Immediate death struck both husband and wife. This was not a human punishment but a divine act that produced 'great fear' in the church and beyond. God’s holiness was upheld, and the church was cleansed.
Five-point outline
- Context of Generosity: The early church shared possessions freely. Barnabas’s example of full giving sets the stage.
- Conspiracy of the Couple: Ananias and Sapphira agreed together to keep back part of the proceeds while pretending to give all.
- Confrontation by Peter: Peter, by revelation, confronts Ananias with the gravity of lying to the Holy Spirit. He gives Sapphira a chance to tell the truth, but she repeats the lie.
- Consequence of Death: Both fall dead at Peter’s words. The 'young men' quickly bury them, demonstrating that judgment is swift and practical.
- Impact on the Church: Great fear comes on the whole assembly. Outsiders also hear and fear. Yet the result is not destruction but growth: vv. 12-14 report more believers added.
Illustration hooks
- A pledge drive at church where someone publicly promises a large gift but privately makes a smaller one, wanting recognition without sacrifice.
- A volunteer who claims to spend more hours serving than they actually do, craving praise for devotion they haven’t given.
- A couple who agree to exaggerate their charitable contribution on a tax form, thinking no one will know, except God knows every number.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira but not punish every sinner who lies in the church today?
- Does this story mean I should be afraid of God striking me dead if I’m not completely honest in my giving?
- What about their salvation? Did they go to hell, or did the judgment only affect their bodies?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges our comfortable view of grace. Ananias and Sapphira were members of the Christian community, yet their hypocrisy brought sudden death. As you discuss, remember that God’s judgment in the early church had a specific purpose, to establish holiness at the start of a new movement. Let this story drive you not to fear but to honest love.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What exactly did Ananias and Sapphira do? List the steps of their plan from verses 1-2.
- Observation: How did Peter know about their deception? What does this say about the role of the Holy Spirit in the early church?
- Interpretation: Verse 4 says, 'You haven’t lied to men, but to God.' Why is lying to the Holy Spirit so serious? What does it reveal about the couple’s heart?
- Interpretation: The couple 'agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord' (v. 9). What does it mean to 'tempt' God in this context?
- Application: In what areas of life might we be tempted to appear more spiritual or generous than we really are? How can we guard against hypocrisy?
- Application: The result was 'great fear.' Is healthy fear of God missing in many churches today? How can this story restore a proper reverence?
- Application: Talk about a time when you were tempted to exaggerate in a situation involving church, money, or service. How does this passage invite you to live differently?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 10:1 | Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them. |
| Leviticus 10:3 | Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying, ‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” Aaron held his peace. |
| Joshua 6:1 | Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel. No one went out, and no one came in. |
| Matthew 13:47 | “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some fish of every kind, |
| Matthew 13:48 | which, when it was filled, fishermen drew up on the beach. They sat down and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. |
| John 6:37 | All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out. |
| II Timothy 2:20 | Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor and some for dishonor. |
| Joshua 7:11 | Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that Ananias and Sapphira suffered temporal death as a judgment for their deceit, but he believes God likely extended mercy to their souls. He calls their
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees Ananias and Sapphira's sin as far deeper than lying about a donation. Their real crime was hypocrisy—pretending to a holiness they did not possess, trying to deceive God and the Church under a show of virtue. This deliberate fraud against the Spirit, done without any necessity, is what drew such swift judgment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that Ananias and Sapp
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the irony that Ananias, whose name means the Lord's gracious one, was actually graceless and a hypocrite. Similarly, Sapphira's name may mean beautiful, but her actions were not. Gill notes that even the purest apostolic church was not free from hypocrites like them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes the deliberate coolness of Ananias and Sapphira's deception: they planned the lie beforehand, pretending to give the whole sale price when the gift was entirely voluntary. The sin was not in keeping back part of the money but in lying to the Holy Spirit, whom the apostles represented, implying both His distinct personality and His divinity.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the sin of Ananias and Sapphira was not merely a lie to the church but a direct assault on the Holy Spirit as a divine Person. The swift judgment affirms both the Spirit's personality and deity, showing that He dwells in the entire believing community, not only the apostles.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to the word "but" that abruptly interrupts the church's bright beginning. His point is that even in its best state, every church has hypocrites who wear the form of godliness while their hearts are not right with God.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the precise Greek wordplay: Ananias did not merely lie but attempted to deceive the Holy Spirit. The verb for "kept back" implies wrongfully setting apart for oneself, and the passive phrasing "it was agreed by you" suggests your souls were attuned to each other in this deceit.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Ananias likely was not yet a believer or baptized but was presenting himself for baptism. His sin was pretending to give the full price while keeping back part, which was a lie to the Holy Spirit. Wesley stresses that selling property was entirely voluntary, not commanded, making the deception all the more grievous.