TEXT: BIB   |   AUDIO: MISLR - MISC - DAVIS - FOCHT   |   VIDEO: BIB - COMM

HELPS: KJS - KJV - ASV - DBY - DOU - WBS - YLT - HEB - BBE - WEB - NAS - SEV - TSK - CRK - WES - MHC - GILL - JFB

King James Bible - Acts 5:4

---

SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:4

Reteni�ndola, ¿no se te quedaba a ti? Y vendida, ¿no estaba en tu potestad? ¿Por qu� pusiste esto en tu coraz�n? No has mentido a los hombres, sino a Dios.

---

Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 5:4

Verse 4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own?] See the note on ver. 2, and see that also on chap. ii. 44.

---

John Gill's Bible Commentary

Ver. 4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own , etc.] Before it was sold, it was his own proper estate; he had the sole propriety in it, and could have kept it, or disposed of it as he pleased: he was not obliged to sell it, he might have kept it as his own property; for selling of possessions at this time was a voluntary thing; it was what no man was forced to; it was a pure act of liberality, and what was not enjoined by the apostles; every man was left to his liberty. And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power ? that is, the price for which it was sold: before he had declared that he sold it, in order to give the whole of it to the church, had brought it to the apostles as the whole; it was in his own power to dispose of, as he pleased, whether to give the whole, or a part of it, or it. He might have kept it all if he had thought fit, or have given what portion he pleased. Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart ? for though Satan had an hand in it, and greatly solicited him to it, and spirited him up to do it, yet in conjunction with his own heart; and perhaps it began there, which Satan helped forward. It was not so of Satan as to excuse the wickedness of his heart. It was owing partly to the sin of covetousness, which reigned in him, and partly to a desire of vain glory, and being thought a very religious man, that he acted such a part, and was so notoriously guilty of lying and hypocrisy. Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God ; that is, not to men only, for he had lied to the apostles; but to God also, to the Holy Ghost, who is truly and properly God, of which this passage is a full proof; and it was owing to his omniscience, which is a peculiar attribute of deity, that this wicked man, and this fraud of his, were discovered.

---

Matthew Henry Commentary

Verses 1-11 - The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was, that they were ambitious of being thought eminent disciples, when they were not true disciples Hypocrites may deny themselves, may forego their worldly advantage i one instance, with a prospect of finding their account in somethin else. They were covetous of the wealth of the world, and distrustful of God and his providence. They thought they might serve both God an mammon. They thought to deceive the apostles. The Spirit of God in Peter discerned the principle of unbelief reigning in the heart of Ananias. But whatever Satan might suggest, he could not have filled the heart of Ananias with this wickedness had he not been consenting. The falsehood was an attempt to deceive the Spirit of truth, who s manifestly spoke and acted by the apostles. The crime of Ananias wa not his retaining part of the price of the land; he might have kept it all, had he pleased; but his endeavouring to impose upon the apostle with an awful lie, from a desire to make a vain show, joined with covetousness. But if we think to put a cheat upon God, we shall put fatal cheat upon our own souls. How sad to see those relations wh should quicken one another to that which is good, hardening one anothe in that which is evil! And this punishment was in reality mercy to vas numbers. It would cause strict self-examination, prayer, and dread of hypocrisy, covetousness, and vain-glory, and it should still do so. I would prevent the increase of false professors. Let us learn hence ho hateful falsehood is to the God of truth, and not only shun a direc lie, but all advantages from the use of doubtful expressions, an double meaning in our speech.

---

Greek Textus Receptus

ουχι 3780 PRT-I μενον 3306 5723 V-PAP-NSN σοι 4671 P-2DS εμενεν 3306 5707 V-IAI-3S και 2532 CONJ πραθεν 4097 5685 V-APP-NSN εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF ση 4674 S-2DSF εξουσια 1849 N-DSF υπηρχεν 5225 5707 V-IAI-3S τι 5101 I-ASN οτι 3754 CONJ εθου 5087 5639 V-2AMI-2S εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF καρδια 2588 N-DSF σου 4675 P-2GS το 3588 T-ASN πραγμα 4229 N-ASN τουτο 5124 D-ASN ουκ 3756 PRT-N εψευσω 5574 5662 V-ADI-2S ανθρωποις 444 N-DPM αλλα 235 CONJ τω 3588 T-DSM θεω 2316 N-DSM

---

Vincent's NT Word Studies

4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own (ouci menon soi emene). A play on the words. Lit., remaining, did it not remain to thee? Rev., very happily, whiles it remained, did it not remain thine own?

Conceived (eqou). Lit., put or fixed. Wherefore didst thou fix this deed in thy heart? - i.e, resolve upon it.

---

Robertson's NT Word Studies

5:4 {Whiles it remained} (menon). Present active participle of mend, unsold, Peter means. {After it was sold} (praqen). First aorist passive of pipraskw, to sell. {How is that thou hast conceived} (ti hoti eqou). _Quid est quod_. See #Lu 2:49. See also #Ac 5:9. Second aorist middle indicative second person singular of tiqemi. The devil filled his heart (verse #3), but all the same Ananias did it too and is wholly responsible.