the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Contemporary English Version
Acts 2:45
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They sold what they didn't need and helped those who were in need.
and they began selling their property and possessions and were dividing them up with all, as anyone might have need.
and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
And exchanging their goods and property for money, they made division of it among them all, as they had need.
and sold their possessions and substance, and distributed them to all, according as any one might have need.
and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need.
They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, as any one had need.
They sold their lands and other property, and distributed the proceeds among all, according to every one's necessities.
And solde their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as euery man had need.
And they sold possessions and goods and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
They solde their goodes and possessions, and parted them out amonge all, acordinge as euery ma had nede.
so that they sold their possessions and goods, and distributed the money to every one as his occasions required.
And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need.
and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.
and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need.
and solde their possessions and goodes and departed them to all men as every man had nede.
and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according to as any man had need.
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men], as every man had need.
and the possessions and the goods they were selling, and were parting them to all, according as any one had need.
They would sell their land and the things they owned and then divide the money and give it to anyone who needed it.
and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need.
Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.
in fact, they sold their property and possessions and distributed the proceeds to all who were in need.
And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
And they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all me, as euery one had need.
And those who had possessions sold them and divided to each man according to his need.
They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceedsto distribute them">[fn] to anyone who was in need.Isaiah 58:7;">[xr]
And they who had property sold it, and divided to each according to that which he needed.
And they who had a possession, sold it, and divided to each one as he had need.
They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.
As anyone had need, they sold what they owned and shared with everyone.
and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.
they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
and, their possessions and goods, were they selling and distributing them unto all, in so far as anyone had need.
Their possessions and goods they sold and divided them to all, according as every one had need.
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
And they began selling their possessions and property, and distributing these things to all, to the degree that anyone had need.
And solde their possessions & goodes, and parted them to all men, as euery man had neede.
They sold their land and the things they owned. Then they divided the money and gave it to those who needed it.
and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need.
They would sell their property and possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed.
Thei selden possessiouns and catel, and departiden tho thingis to alle men, as it was nede to ech.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
sold: Acts 4:34-37, Acts 5:1, Acts 5:2, Acts 11:29, Luke 12:33, Luke 12:34, Luke 16:9, Luke 18:22, Luke 19:8
parted: Psalms 112:9, Proverbs 11:24, Proverbs 11:25, Proverbs 19:17, Ecclesiastes 11:1, Ecclesiastes 11:2, Isaiah 58:7-12, 2 Corinthians 9:1, 2 Corinthians 9:9, 1 Timothy 6:18, 1 Timothy 6:19, James 2:14-16, James 5:1-5, 1 John 3:17
Reciprocal: Exodus 10:26 - cattle Deuteronomy 15:11 - Thou shalt 2 Chronicles 24:10 - rejoiced 2 Chronicles 35:8 - his princes Ecclesiastes 10:19 - but Matthew 19:21 - go Mark 10:21 - sell Luke 14:13 - call Luke 21:4 - all Acts 4:35 - distribution Acts 6:1 - the daily 2 Corinthians 8:2 - the abundance Hebrews 6:10 - which
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And sold their possessions and goods..... Their houses and lands, their fields and vineyards, their goods, moveable or immoveable:
and parted them to all men; that were of their society, not to others:
as every man had need: the rich sold their estates, and divided them among the poor, or gave them such a portion thereof as their present exigencies required. This was done by Jews, and by Jews only; who, when they embraced the Gospel of Christ, were informed that the destruction of their city, and nation, was at hand; and therefore they sold their estates before hand, and put them to this use; which was necessary to be done, both for the support of the Gospel in Judea, and for the carrying and spreading of it among the Gentiles: but is not to be drawn into a precedent, or an example in after times; nor is ever any such thing proposed to the Christian churches, or exhorted to by any of the apostles.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And sold - That is, they sold as much as was necessary in order to procure the means of providing for the needs of each other.
Possessions - Property, particularly real estate. This word, κτήματα ktēmata, refers properly to their fixed property, as lands, houses, vineyards, etc. The word rendered “goods,” ὑπάρξεις huparxeis, refers to their personal or movable “property.”
And parted them to all - They distributed them to supply the needs of their poorer brethren, according to their necessities.
As every man had need - This expression limits and fixes the meaning of what is said before. The passage does not mean that they sold all their possessions, or that they relinquished their title to all their property, but that they so far regarded all as common as to be willing to part with it if it was needful to supply the needs of the others. Hence, the property was laid at the disposal of the apostles, and they were desired to distribute it freely to meet the needs of the poor, Acts 4:34-35.
This was an important incident in the early propagation of religion, and it may suggest many useful reflections:
1. We see the effect of religion. The love of property is one of the strongest affections which people have. There is nothing that will overcome it but religion. That will; and one of the first effects of the gospel was to loosen the hold of Christians on property.
2. It is the duty of the church to provide for the needs of its poor and needy members. There can be no doubt that property should now be regarded as so far common as that the needs of the poor should be supplied by those who are rich. Compare Matthew 26:11.
3. If it be asked why the early disciples evinced this readiness to part with their property in this manner, it may be replied:
- That the apostles had done it before them. The family of the Saviour had all things common.
(2)It was the nature of religion to do it.
(3)The circumstances of the persons assembled on this occasion were such as to require it. They were many of them from distant regions, and probably many of them of the poorer class of the people in Jerusalem. In this they evinced what should be done in behalf of the poor in the church at all times.
4. If it be asked whether this was done commonly among the early Christians, it may be replied that there is no evidence that it was. It is mentioned here, and in Acts 4:32-37, and Acts 5:1-7. It does not appear that it was done even by all who were afterward converted in Judea; and there is no evidence that it was done in Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, Philippi, Rome, etc. That the effect of religion was to make people liberal and willing to provide for the poor there can be no doubt. See 2 Corinthians 8:19; 2Co 9:2; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Galatians 2:10. But there is no proof that it was common to part with their possessions and to lay them at the feet of the apostles. Religion does not contemplate, evidently, that people should break up all the arrangements in society, but it contemplates that those who have property should be ready and willing to part with it for the help of the poor and needy.
5. If it be asked, then, whether all the arrangements of property should be broken up now, and believers have all things in common, we are prepared to answer “No.” Because:
- This was an extraordinary case.
(2)It was not even enjoined by the apostles on them.
(3)It was practiced nowhere else.
(4)It would be impracticable. No community where all things were held in common has long prospered. It has been attempted often, by pagans, by infidels, and by fanatical sects of Christians. It ends soon in anarchy, licentiousness, idleness, and profligacy; or the more cunning secure the mass of the property, and control the whole. Until all people are made alike, there could be no hope of such a community; and if there could be, it would not be desirable. God evidently intended that people should be excited to industry by the hope of gain; and then he demands that their gains shall be devoted to his service. Still, this was a noble instance of Christian generosity, and evinced the power of religion in loosing the hold which people commonly have on the world. It rebukes also those professors of religion, of whom, alas, there are many, who give nothing to benefit either the souls or bodies of their fellow-men.
