Acts 5:2

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,"

Key Reflection

Ananias and Sapphira's act of retaining part of the sale price demonstrated a lack of complete surrender to the community and God, leading to their immediate judgment by the Holy Spirit. This incident underscores the importance of integrity and honesty in following Christ’s example of total commitment.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 2. And kept back. The word here used means, properly, to separate, to part; and then it means to separate surreptitiously or clandestinely for our own use a part of public property, as taxes, etc. It is used ut three times in the New Testament, Ac 5:3; Tit 2:10, where it is rendered purloining. Here it means that they secretly kept back a part, while professedly devoting all to God. His wife also being privy to it. His wife knowing it, and evidently concurring in it. And laid it at the apostles' feet. This was evidently an act professedly of devoting all to God. Comp. Ac 4:37; 5:8,9.

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