1 P ero cierto hombre llamado Ananías, con Safira, su mujer, vendió una heredad,

A man by the name of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold some land.

2 y sustrajo parte del precio, sabiéndolo también su mujer; luego llevó solo el resto y lo puso a los pies de los apóstoles.

He kept back part of the money for himself. His wife knew it also. The other part he took to the missionaries.

3 P edro le dijo: —Ananías, ¿por qué llenó Satanás tu corazón para que mintieras al Espíritu Santo y sustrajeras del producto de la venta de la heredad?

Peter said to Ananias, “Why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You kept back part of the money you got from your land.

4 R eteniéndola, ¿no te quedaba a ti?, y vendida, ¿no estaba en tu poder? ¿Por qué pusiste esto en tu corazón? No has mentido a los hombres, sino a Dios.

Was not the land yours before you sold it? After it was sold, you could have done what you wanted to do with the money. Why did you allow your heart to do this? You have lied to God, not to men.”

5 A l oír Ananías estas palabras, cayó y expiró. Y sobrevino un gran temor sobre todos los que lo oyeron.

When Ananias heard these words, he fell down dead. Much fear came on all those who heard what was done.

6 E ntonces se levantaron los jóvenes, lo envolvieron, lo sacaron y lo sepultaron.

The young men got up and covered his body and carried him out and buried him.

7 P asado un lapso como de tres horas, sucedió que entró su mujer, sin saber lo que había acontecido.

About three hours later his wife came in. She did not know what had happened.

8 E ntonces Pedro le dijo: —Dime, ¿vendisteis en tanto la heredad? Y ella dijo: —Sí, en tanto.

Peter said to her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for this amount of money?” She said, “Yes.”

9 P edro le dijo: —¿Por qué convinisteis en tentar al Espíritu del Señor? He aquí a la puerta los pies de los que han sepultado a tu marido, y te sacarán a ti.

Then Peter said to her, “How could you two have talked together about lying to the Holy Spirit? See! Those who buried your husband are standing at the door and they will carry you out also.”

10 A l instante ella cayó a los pies de él, y expiró. Cuando entraron los jóvenes, la hallaron muerta; la sacaron y la sepultaron junto a su marido.

At once she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in, they found that she was dead. They took her out and buried her beside her husband.

11 Y sobrevino gran temor sobre toda la iglesia y sobre todos los que oyeron estas cosas. Muchas señales y maravillas

Much fear came on all the church and on all who heard it. The First Church Grows

12 P or la mano de los apóstoles se hacían muchas señales y prodigios en el pueblo. Estaban todos unánimes en el pórtico de Salomón,

The missionaries did many powerful works among the people. They gathered together on Solomon’s Porch.

13 y de los demás ninguno se atrevía a juntarse con ellos; sin embargo, el pueblo los alababa grandemente.

No one from outside their own group came in with them because they were afraid. But those outside the church had respect for the followers.

14 L os que creían en el Señor aumentaban más, gran número de hombres y de mujeres;

Many more men and women put their trust in Christ and were added to the group.

15 t anto que sacaban los enfermos a las calles y los ponían en camas y camillas para que, al pasar Pedro, a lo menos su sombra cayera sobre alguno de ellos.

They brought the sick people and laid them on the streets hoping that if Peter walked by, his shadow would fall on some of them.

16 A un de las ciudades vecinas muchos venían a Jerusalén trayendo enfermos y atormentados de espíritus impuros; y todos eran sanados. Pedro y Juan son perseguidos

Many people went into Jerusalem from towns nearby. They took with them their sick people and all who were troubled with demons. All of them were healed. The Missionaries Are Put in Prison

17 E ntonces, levantándose el Sumo sacerdote y todos los que estaban con él, esto es, la secta de los saduceos, se llenaron de celos;

The head religious leader heard this. Some of the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead also heard of the people being healed. They became very jealous.

18 y echaron mano a los apóstoles y los pusieron en la cárcel pública.

They took hold of the missionaries and put them in prison.

19 P ero un ángel del Señor, abriendo de noche las puertas de la cárcel y sacándolos, dijo:

An angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison in the night and let them out. The angel said to them,

20 « Id, y puestos en pie en el Templo, anunciad al pueblo todas las palabras de esta vida.»

“Go, stand where you have been standing in the house of God. Keep on telling the people about this new life.”

21 H abiendo oído esto, entraron de mañana en el Templo y enseñaban. Entre tanto, vinieron el Sumo sacerdote y los que estaban con él, y convocaron al Concilio y a todos los ancianos de los hijos de Israel, y enviaron a la cárcel para que los trajeran.

When Peter and John heard this, they went in the house of God early in the morning and began to teach. When the head religious leader and those with him had come, they gathered the men of the court and the leaders of the Jews together. Then they sent to have the missionaries brought to them from the prison.

22 P ero cuando llegaron los guardias no los hallaron en la cárcel; entonces volvieron y dieron aviso,

When the soldiers got there, they did not find them in prison. They went back and told the court.

23 d iciendo: «Por cierto, la cárcel hemos hallado cerrada con toda seguridad, y los guardas afuera de pie ante las puertas; pero cuando abrimos, a nadie hallamos dentro.»

The soldiers said, “We found the door of the prison locked and the soldiers watching the doors. When we opened the door, we found no one inside.”

24 C uando oyeron estas palabras el Sumo sacerdote y el jefe de la guardia del Templo y los principales sacerdotes, dudaban en qué vendría a parar aquello.

When the religious leaders and the leader of the house of God heard this, they were much troubled as to what might happen.

25 P ero viniendo uno, les dio esta noticia: «Los hombres que pusisteis en la cárcel están en el Templo y enseñan al pueblo.»

Then someone came and told them, “The men you put in prison are now standing in the house of God and teaching the people.”

26 E ntonces fue el jefe de la guardia con los guardias y los trajo sin violencia, porque temían ser apedreados por el pueblo.

The leader of the house of God took his men and got them. They did not hurt the missionaries because they were afraid the people would throw stones at them.

27 C uando los trajeron, los presentaron en el Concilio, y el Sumo sacerdote les preguntó,

They brought the missionaries in and made them stand in front of the court. The head religious leader said,

28 d iciendo: —¿No os mandamos estrictamente que no enseñarais en ese nombre? Pero ahora habéis llenado Jerusalén de vuestra doctrina, y queréis echar sobre nosotros la sangre de ese hombre.

“We told you not to teach about Christ! See! You are spreading this teaching over all Jerusalem. Now you are making it look as if we are guilty of killing this Man.” The Missionaries Speak the Truth

29 R espondiendo Pedro y los apóstoles, dijeron: —Es necesario obedecer a Dios antes que a los hombres.

Then Peter and the missionaries said, “We must obey God instead of men!

30 E l Dios de nuestros padres levantó a Jesús, a quien vosotros matasteis colgándolo en un madero.

The God of our early fathers raised up Jesus, the One you killed and nailed to a cross.

31 A éste, Dios ha exaltado con su diestra por Príncipe y Salvador, para dar a Israel arrepentimiento y perdón de pecados.

God raised this Man to His own right side as a leader and as the One Who saves from the punishment of sin. He makes it possible for the Jews to be sorry for their sins. Then they can turn from them and be forgiven.

32 N osotros somos testigos suyos de estas cosas, y también el Espíritu Santo, el cual ha dado Dios a los que lo obedecen.

We have seen these things and are telling about them. The Holy Spirit makes these things known also. God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him.” Gamaliel Speaks in Court

33 E llos, oyendo esto, se enfurecían y querían matarlos.

The religious leaders became angry when they heard this. They planned to kill the missionaries.

34 E ntonces levantándose en el Concilio un fariseo llamado Gamaliel, doctor de la Ley, venerado de todo el pueblo, mandó que sacaran fuera por un momento a los apóstoles,

Gamaliel was a man of the religious leaders’ court. He was a proud religious law-keeper and a teacher of the Law. He was respected by all the people. He stood up and said that the missionaries should be sent outside for a short time.

35 y luego dijo: —Israelitas, mirad por vosotros lo que vais a hacer respecto a estos hombres,

Then Gamaliel said to the court, “Jewish men, be careful what you plan to do with these men.

36 p orque antes de estos días se levantó Teudas, diciendo que era alguien. A éste se unió un número como de cuatrocientos hombres, pero él murió, y todos los que lo obedecían fueron dispersados y reducidos a nada.

Remember that many years ago a man called Theudas made himself out to be someone great. He had about 400 followers. He was killed. His followers were divided and nothing came of his teaching.

37 D espués de éste se levantó Judas, el galileo, en los días del censo, y llevó en pos de sí a mucho pueblo. Pereció también él, y todos los que lo obedecían fueron dispersados.

After him, Judas of the country of Galilee gathered many followers. It was the time for every person to have his name written in the books of the nation. This Judas was killed also. All his followers were divided and went away.

38 Y ahora os digo: Apartaos de estos hombres y dejadlos, porque si este consejo o esta obra es de los hombres, se desvanecerá;

I say to you now, stay away from these men and leave them alone. If this teaching and work is from men, it will come to nothing.

39 p ero si es de Dios, no la podréis destruir; no seáis tal vez hallados luchando contra Dios.

If it is from God, you will not be able to stop it. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”

40 E stuvieron de acuerdo con él. Entonces llamaron a los apóstoles y, después de azotarlos, les ordenaron que no hablaran en el nombre de Jesús; y los pusieron en libertad.

The court agreed with Gamaliel. So they called the missionaries in and beat them. They told them they must not speak in the name of Jesus. Then they were sent away.

41 E llos salieron de la presencia del Concilio, gozosos de haber sido tenidos por dignos de padecer afrenta por causa del Nombre.

So the missionaries went away from the court happy that they could suffer shame because of His Name.

42 Y todos los días, en el Templo y por las casas, incesantemente, enseñaban y predicaban a Jesucristo.

Every day in the house of God and in the homes, they kept teaching and preaching about Jesus Christ.