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Acts 5:3

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

But Peter said, 'Ananias, why did you let Satan convince you to lie to the Holy Spirit and hold back some of the money from selling your land?'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Peter called out Ananias for letting Satan talk him into lying to God about his donation.

📚 Historical Context

In the early days of the Christian church, as recorded in the Book of Acts, the believers were practicing radical sharing of possessions to support one another after the Holy Spirit's outpouring at Pentecost. Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a piece of land but chose to withhold part of the proceeds while falsely claiming they had given the full amount to the apostles, which was seen as an act of deception against the community. This event highlights the high value placed on honesty and transparency in the fledgling church, where lying to the apostles was equivalent to lying to God Himself.

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