ARCHIVES
DIVISION
Jerusalem District
| Name | ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA |
| Aliases | THE DECEIVING COUPLE / WHO LIED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT / STRUCK DOWN IN THE CHURCH |
| Status | DECEASED / FELL DEAD FOR THEIR LIE / A WARNING TO THE EARLY CHURCH |
| Birth | UNRECORDED | Marks & Identifiers | A MARRIED PAIR WHO CONSPIRED TO DECEIVE |
| Place of Birth | JERUSALEM | Hair | UNRECORDED |
| Tribe | UNRECORDED | Eyes | UNRECORDED |
| Parentage | UNRECORDED | People | THE EARLY CHURCH AT JERUSALEM |
| Occupation | MEMBERS OF THE FIRST CHURCH | Species | HUMAN |
| Affiliation | THE EARLY CHURCH | Calling | THE COUPLE WHO LIED FOR THE PRAISE OF MEN |
| Primary Mission | GIVE HONESTLY BEFORE GOD AND THE CHURCH | Known Signs | THE WITHHELD PRICE / THE LIE TO THE SPIRIT |
| Covenant Role | A WARNING OF HYPOCRISY IN THE CHURCH | Divine Access | DIRECT / JUDGED BY GOD THROUGH PETER |
| Divine Encounter Level | DIRECT | Discipular Classification | THE DECEIVING COUPLE |
| Covenant Status | HYPOCRISY IN THE CHURCH | Known Miracles | NONE RECORDED |
| Divine Commission | CONDEMNED | Threat Assessment | THEIR OWN GREED AND PRETENSE |
| Mission Status | JUDGED / BOTH FELL DEAD | Archive Category | APOSTOLIC / HYPOCRISY |
What they did with the money: KEPT BACK PART, BUT CLAIMED TO GIVE ALL
Peter's word about their sin: YOU HAVE NOT LIED TO MEN BUT TO GOD
In the early church at Jerusalem the believers shared everything, and many sold lands and houses and laid the proceeds at the apostles' feet, so that none was in need.
A man named Ananias, with the knowledge of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, kept back part of the price for himself, and brought the rest, pretending it was the whole amount.
Peter said the property and its price had been his own to keep; his sin was not in giving less, but in the lie meant to win praise. He had not lied to men but to God, to the Holy Spirit. At these words Ananias fell down and died, and great fear came upon all.
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked whether they had sold the land for so much, and she affirmed the false price.
He told her the feet of those who buried her husband were at the door, and she too fell down and died. They carried her out and buried her beside him, and great fear came upon the whole church and all who heard.
EYES ONLYRestricted // Sacred Record
- God sees the heart behind the gift; hypocrisy before Him is deadly.
- We give as we are able, but we must never pretend to be more than we are.
- Lying to win the praise of others is, in truth, lying to God.
