Acts 5
Acts 5:1
But a certain man named Hananiah, with Shapirah, his wife, sold a possession,
Acts 5:2
and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the emissaries’ feet.
Acts 5:3
But Peter said, Hananiah, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Acts 5:4
While you kept it, didnt it remain your own? After it was sold, wasnt it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You havent lied to men, but to God.
Acts 5:5
Hananiah, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.
Acts 5:6
The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.
Acts 5:7
About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
Acts 5:8
Peter answered her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much. She said, Yes, for so much.
Acts 5:9
But 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.
Acts 5:10
She 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.
Acts 5:11
Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.
Acts 5:12
By the hands of the emissaries many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
Acts 5:13
None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them.
Acts 5:14
More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.
Acts 5:15
They even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some of them.
Acts 5:16
Multitudes also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed.
Acts 5:17
But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,
Acts 5:18
and laid hands on the emissaries, and put them in public custody.
Acts 5:19
But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said,
Acts 5:20
Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Acts 5:21
When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
Acts 5:22
But the officers who came didnt find them in the prison. They returned and reported,
Acts 5:23
We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!
Acts 5:24
Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.
Acts 5:25
One came and told them, Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.
Acts 5:26
Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.
Acts 5:27
When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,
Acts 5:28
saying, Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this mans blood on us.
Acts 5:29
But Peter and the emissaries answered, We must obey God rather than men.
Acts 5:30
The God of our fathers raised up Yeshua, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.
Acts 5:31
God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
Acts 5:32
We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.
Acts 5:33
But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and determined to kill them.
Acts 5:34
But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Torah, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the emissaries out for a little while.
Acts 5:35
He said to them, You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.
Acts 5:36
For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing.
While there is a chronology problem, it is possible that Josephus refers to the same Theudas,
“NOW it came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it; and many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them; who, falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. This was what befell the Jews in the time of Cuspius Fadus’s government…And besides this, the sons of Judas of Galilee were now slain; I mean of that Judas who caused the people to revolt, when Cyrenius came to take an account of the estates of the Jews, as we have showed in a foregoing book. ”
Acts 20.5.1
Theudas was a prototype of the false Messiah, who is connected to Esav, who is noted also noted to have four hundred men:
“The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau. Not only that, but he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him.”
Genesis 32:6