Acts 5:5

Verse 5. An Ananias hearing these words, etc. Seeing that his guilt was known; and being charged with the enormous crime of attempting to deceive God. he had not expected to be thus exposed; and it is clear that the exposure and the charge came upon him unexpectedly and terribly, like a bolt of thunder. Fell down. Greek, Having fallen down. Gave up the ghost. This is an unhappy translation. The original means simply, he expired, or he died. See Barnes "Mt 27:50". This remarkable fact may be accounted for in this way: (1.) It is evidently to be regarded as a judgment of God for the sin of Ananias and his wife.