the Fourth Week of Advent
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Murdock Translation
Acts 5
1 And a certain man whose name was Ananias, with his wife whose name was Sapphira, sold his field,2 and carried away [fn] of the price and concealed it, his wife consenting; and he brought [fn] of the money, and laid [fn] before the feet of the legates. 3 And Simon said to him: Ananias, why hath Satan so filled thy heart, that thou shouldst lie against the Holy Spirit, and conceal of the money of the price of the field?4 Was it not thine own before it was sold? And when sold, again thou hadst authority over the price of it. Why hast thou set thy heart to do this purpose? Thou hast not lied against men, but against God.5 And when Ananias heard these words, he fell down, and died. And great fear was upon all them that heard [fn] . 6 And the young men among them arose, and gathered him up, and carried [fn] out, and buried him. 7 And when three hours had passed, his wife also came in, without knowing what had occurred.8 Simon said to her: Tell me, if ye sold the field for this price? And she said: Yes, for this price.9 Simon said to her: Since ye have been equals in tempting the Spirit of the Lord, lo, the feet of the buriers of thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out.10 And immediately she fell before their feet, and died. And those young men came in, and found her dead; and they took up, carried forth, and buried her by the side of her husband.11 11 And great fear was on all the assembly, and on all them that heard [fn] .
12 And there were many signs and prodigies wrought by the legates among the people. And they were all assembled together in the porch of Solomon.13 And of the others, no one ventured to come near them; but the people magnified them.14 And the more were those added who feared the Lord, a multitude both of men and of women.15 So that they brought out into the streets the sick, laid on beds, that when Simon should pass, at least his shadow might cover them.16 And many came to them from other cities around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who had unclean spirits; and they were all cured.
17 And the high priest was filled with indignation, and all those with him who were of the doctrine of the Sadducees.18 And they laid hands on the legates, and took and bound them in prison.19 Then the angel of the Lord, by night, opened the door of the prison, and let them out; and said to them:20 Go, stand in the temple, and speak to the people all these words of life.21 And in the morning, they went and entered into the temple, and taught. And the high priest and those with him, convoked their associates and the Elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to bring forth the legates.22 And when those sent by them went, they found them not in the prison; and they returned and came back,23 and said: We found the prison carefully closed, and also the keepers standing before the doors; and we opened, but found no one there.24 And when the chief priests and rulers of the temple heard these words, they were astonished at them; and they studied what this could mean.25 And one came and informed them: Those men, whom ye shut up in the prison, lo, they are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
26 Then went the rulers with attendants, to bring them without violence; for they feared, lest the people should stone them.27 And when they had brought them, they placed them before the whole council; and the high priest began to say to them:28 Did we not strictly charge you, to teach no person in this name? And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine; and ye would bring the blood of this man upon us.29 And Simon, with the legates, answered and said to them: God is to be obeyed, rather than men.30 The God of our fathers hath raised up that Jesus, whom ye slew when ye hanged him on a tree.31 Him hath God established as a head and vivifier; and hath exalted him to his own right hand, so that he might give repentance and remission of sins to Israel.32 And we are the witnesses of these things; and also the Holy Spirit, whom God giveth to them that believe in him.33 And when they heard these things, they burned with indignation, and thought of putting them to death.34 Then rose up one of the Pharisees whose name was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, and honored by all the people; and he directed them to put the legates aside for a short time.35 And he said, to them: Men, sons of Israel, take heed to yourselves, and consider what ye ought to do in regard to these men.36 For before this time, rose up Theudas, and said of himself, that he was some great one; and there went after him about four hundred men. And he was slain; and they who went after him, were dispersed and became as nothing.37 And after him, rose up Judas a Galilean, in the days when the people were enrolled for the capitation tax; and he seduced much people after him. And he died, and all they that went after him were dispersed.38 And now, I say to you: Desist from these men, and let them lone. For if this device and this work originate from men, they will dissolve and come to nothing.39 But if it be from God, it is not in your power to frustrate it: that ye may not be found placing yourselves in opposition to God. And they, assented to him.40 And they called the legates, and scourged them, and commanded them not to teach in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.41 And they went from before them, rejoicing that they were worthy to suffer abuse on account of that name.42 And they ceased not to teach daily, in the temple and at home, and to preach concerning our Lord Jesus Messiah.
