Acts 5:10
Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
Original Language Analysis
παρὰ
at
G3844
παρὰ
at
Strong's:
G3844
Word #:
4 of 23
properly, near; i.e., (with genitive case) from beside (literally or figuratively), (with dative case) at (or in) the vicinity of (objectively or subj
τοὺς
G3588
τοὺς
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
5 of 23
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
αὐτῆς
her
G846
αὐτῆς
her
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
7 of 23
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
8 of 23
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
12 of 23
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
αὐτῆς
her
G846
αὐτῆς
her
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
15 of 23
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
17 of 23
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ἐξενέγκαντες
carrying her forth
G1627
ἐξενέγκαντες
carrying her forth
Strong's:
G1627
Word #:
18 of 23
to bear out (literally or figuratively)
πρὸς
her by
G4314
πρὸς
her by
Strong's:
G4314
Word #:
20 of 23
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
21 of 23
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Historical Context
That young men 'found her dead' before touching her prevented them from ritual impurity through contact with dead body. Her burial beside Ananias followed Jewish custom of family tombs while serving as perpetual warning. Early church fathers cited this account extensively as warning against hypocrisy.
Questions for Reflection
- What does equal judgment for both conspirators teach about individual accountability before God?
- How should this passage affect your view of sin's seriousness in Christian community?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Sapphira's death - 'Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost' - mirrored her husband's, confirming divine judgment pattern. The Greek 'parachrēma' (straightway) emphasizes immediacy. The phrase 'at his feet' - where she should have humbly confessed - she instead died in deception. The young men finding her dead 'carried her forth, and buried her by her husband' suggests joint grave, eternally linking them in judgment as they were linked in sin. This parallel judgment emphasized that both bore equal guilt.