Acts 5 · Verse 2

Acts 5:2

And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 5:2, King James Version

Acts 5:2 in other translations

BSBWith his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
WEBand kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
ASVand kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
YLTand did keep back of the price--his wife also knowing--and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid it.
DARBYand put aside for himself part of the price, his wife also being privy to it; and having brought a certain part, laid it at the feet of the apostles.
BBEAnd kept back part of the price, his wife having knowledge of it, and took the rest and put it at the feet of the Apostles.
WebsterAnd kept back part of the price, (his wife also being privy to it) and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

What does Acts 5:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ac 5:1-11. Ananias and Sapphira.

"The first trace of a shade upon the bright form of the young Church. Probably among the new Christians a kind of holy rivalry had sprung up, every one eager to place his means at the disposal of the apostles" [Olshausen]. Thus might the new-born zeal of some outrun their abiding principle, while others might be tempted to seek credit for a liberality which was not in their character. 2. kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it--The coolness with which they planned the deception aggravated the guilt of this couple. brought a certain part--pretending it to be the whole proceeds of the sale.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

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, Acts 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. Acts 4:37, 5:8,9. That this was his profession, or pretence, is further implied in the fact that Peter charges him with having lied unto God, Acts 5:3,4.

(a) "brought a certain part" Acts 4:34,37

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Kept back part of the price - Ananias and Sapphira were evidently persons who professed faith in Christ with the rest of the disciples. While all were making sacrifices for the present necessity, they came forward among the rest, pretending to bring all the money they had got for a possession, κτημα, (of what kind we know not), which they had sold. A part of this price, however, they kept back, not being willing to trust entirely to the bounty of Providence, as the others did; thinking probably, that, as the whole was their own, they had a right to do with it as they pleased. And so they had: they were under no necessity to sell their possession; but the act of selling it for the ostensible purpose of bringing it into the common stock, left them no farther control over it, nor property in it; and their pretense, that the money which they brought was the whole produce of the sale, was a direct lie in itself, and an attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit, under whose influence they pretended to act. This constituted the iniquity of their sin.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 5:1-11

The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was, that they were ambitious of being thought eminent disciples, when they were not true disciples. Hypocrites may deny themselves, may forego their worldly advantage in one instance, with a prospect of finding their account in something else. They were covetous of the wealth of the world, and distrustful of God and his providence. They thought they might serve both God and mammon…

Read the full comment on Acts 5:1-11 →

Acts 5:2 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνοσφίσατοenosphisatohe kept backG3557
ἀπὸapofromG575
τῆςtēstheG3588
τιμῆς,timēsproceeds,G5092
συνειδυίηςsuneiduiēsalready being awareG4894
καὶkaialsoG2532
τῆςtēstheG3588
γυναικόςgunaikoswifeG1135
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνέγκαςenegkashaving broughtG5342
μέροςmerosa portionG3313
τιticertainG5100
παρὰparaatG3844
τοὺςtoustheG3588
πόδαςpodasfeetG4228
τῶνtōnof theG3588
ἀποστόλωνapostolōnapostlesG652
ἔθηκεν.¶ethēkenhe laid [it].G5087

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 5:2

  • Acts 4:37

    Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

  • 2 Peter 2:14-15

    Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

  • Acts 4:34-35

    Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

  • Joshua 7:11-12

    Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

  • Acts 5:3

    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?

  • Matthew 6:2-3

    Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

  • 2 Kings 5:21-25

    So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. …

  • John 12:6

    This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

  • Malachi 3:8-9

    Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

  • Malachi 1:14

    But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

  • Matthew 23:5

    But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

  • 1 Timothy 6:10

    For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
kept.
Jos 7:11,12; 2Ki 5:21-25; Mal 1:14; 3:8,9; Joh 12:6; 1Ti 6:10
2Pe 2:14,15
his.
9
laid.
4:34,35,37; Mt 6:2,3; 23:5; Php 2:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 5:1

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

  • Acts 5:2

    And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

  • Acts 5:3

    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?

Read all of Acts 5

Acts 5:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y defraudó del precio, sabiéndolo también su mujer; y trayendo una parte, púsola á los pies de los apóstoles.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et, de connivence avec sa femme, mit de côté une partie du prix, et, en apportant une partie, la mit aux pieds des apôtres.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und schaffte von dem Kaufpreis beiseite, wovon auch das Weib wußte; und er brachte einen gewissen Teil und legte ihn nieder zu den Füßen der Apostel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et fraudavit de pretio agri, conscia uxore sua: et afferens partem quamdam, ad pedes Apostolorum posuit.