Actes 5:4

Louis Segond

S'il n'eût pas été vendu, ne te restait-il pas? Et, après qu'il a été vendu, le prix n'était-il pas à ta disposition? Comment as-tu pu mettre en ton coeur un pareil dessein? Ce n'est pas à des hommes que tu as menti, mais à Dieu.

Parallel Translations

La Bible David Martin (1744)
Si tu l'eusses gardée, ne te demeurait-elle pas? et étant vendue, n'était-elle pas en ta puissance? Pourquoi as-tu formé un tel dessein dans ton cœur? tu n'as pas menti aux hommes mais à Dieu.

La Bible Ostervald (1996)
Si tu l'eusses gardée, ne te demeurait-elle pas? et l'ayant vendue, son prix n'était-il pas en ton pouvoir? Comment as-tu résolu cette action dans ton cour? Ce n'est pas aux hommes que tu as menti, mais à Dieu.

Darby's French Translation
Si elle fût restée non vendue, ne te demeurait-elle pas? Et vendue, n'était-elle pas en ton pouvoir? Comment t'es-tu proposé cette action dans ton coeur? Tu n'as pas menti aux hommes, mais à Dieu.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

was it not thine: Exodus 35:21, Exodus 35:22, Exodus 35:29, 1 Chronicles 29:3, 1 Chronicles 29:5, 1 Chronicles 29:9, 1 Chronicles 29:17, 1 Corinthians 8:8, 1 Corinthians 9:5-17, Philemon 1:14

why: Acts 8:21, Acts 8:22, Joshua 7:25, Joshua 7:26, Job 15:35, Psalms 7:14, Isaiah 59:4, Ezekiel 38:10, *marg. James 1:15

thou hast: Acts 5:3, Exodus 16:8, Numbers 16:11, 1 Samuel 8:7, 2 Kings 5:25-27, Psalms 139:4, Luke 10:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:9 - I know Exodus 8:29 - deal Exodus 20:17 - is thy neighbour's Leviticus 6:2 - lie Leviticus 19:11 - lie one Leviticus 27:16 - of a field 1 Kings 22:22 - a lying spirit 2 Kings 5:22 - My master 2 Chronicles 1:11 - this was Job 15:12 - thine heart Psalms 139:3 - and art acquainted Ecclesiastes 5:5 - General Isaiah 32:6 - and his heart Isaiah 33:11 - conceive Isaiah 59:13 - lying Matthew 9:4 - Wherefore Matthew 26:72 - with Mark 7:21 - out Acts 2:44 - had Acts 5:9 - to tempt Ephesians 4:25 - putting 1 Timothy 6:9 - which

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own,.... Before it was sold, it was his own proper estate; he had the sole propriety in it, and could have kept it, or disposed of it as he pleased: he was not obliged to sell it, he might have kept it as his own property; for selling of possessions at this time was a voluntary thing; it was what no man was forced to; it was a pure act of liberality, and what was not enjoined by the apostles; every man was left to his liberty.

And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? that is, the price for which it was sold: before he had declared that he sold it, in order to give the whole of it to the church, had brought it to the apostles as the whole; it was in his own power to dispose of, as he pleased, whether to give the whole, or a part of it, or it. He might have kept it all if he had thought fit, or have given what portion he pleased.

Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? for though Satan had an hand in it, and greatly solicited him to it, and spirited him up to do it, yet in conjunction with his own heart; and perhaps it began there, which Satan helped forward. It was not so of Satan as to excuse the wickedness of his heart. It was owing partly to the sin of covetousness, which reigned in him, and partly to a desire of vain glory, and being thought a very religious man, that he acted such a part, and was so notoriously guilty of lying and hypocrisy.

Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God; that is, not to men only, for he had lied to the apostles; but to God also, to the Holy Ghost, who is truly and properly God, of which this passage is a full proof; and it was owing to his omniscience, which is a peculiar attribute of deity, that this wicked man, and this fraud of his, were discovered.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whiles it remained - As long as it remained unsold. This place proves that there was no “obligation” imposed on the disciples to sell their property. They who did it, did it voluntarily; and it does not appear that it was done by all, or expected to be done by all.

And after it was sold ... - Even after the property was sold, and Ananias had the money, still there was no obligation on him to devote it in this way. He had the disposal of it still. The apostle mentions this to show him that his offence was especially aggravated. He was not “compelled” to sell his property - he had not even the poor pretence that he was “obliged” to dispose of it, and was “tempted” to withhold it for his own use. It was “all” his, and might have been retained if he had chosen.

Thou hast not lied unto men - Unto people “only,” or, it is not your “main” and “chief” offence that you have attempted to deceive people. It is true that Ananias “had” attempted to deceive the apostles, and it is true, also, that this was a crime; but still, the principal magnitude of the offence was that he had attempted to deceive “God.” So small was his crime as committed against “men” that it was lost sight of by the apostles, and the great, crowning sin of attempting to deceive “God” was brought fully into view. Thus, David also saw his sin as committed against “God” to be so enormous that he lost sight of it as an offence to man, and said, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight,” Psalms 51:4.

But unto God - It has been “particularly” and “eminently” against God. This is true, because:

1. He had professedly “devoted” it to God. The act, therefore, had express and direct reference to him.

(2)It was an attempt to deceive him. It implied the belief of Ananias that God would not detect the crime, or see the motives of the heart.

(3)It is the prerogative of God to judge of sincerity and hypocrisy; and this was a case, therefore, which came under his special notice. Compare Psalms 139:1-4. The word “God” here is evidently used in its plain and obvious sense as denoting the “supreme divinity,” and the use of the word here shows that the Holy Spirit is “divine.” The whole passage demonstrates, therefore, one of the important doctrines of the Christian religion, that the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Father and the Son, and yet is divine.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 5:4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? — Acts 5:2; Acts 5:2, and Acts 2:44; Acts 2:44.