The Meaning of Acts 5:5 Explained

Acts 5:5

KJV: And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

YLT: and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things,

Darby: And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard it.

ASV: And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Ananias  hearing  these  words  fell down,  and gave up the ghost:  and  great  fear  came  on  all  them that heard  these things. 

What does Acts 5:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Peter identified Ananias" sin, but God judged it (cf. Matthew 16:19). Luke did not record exactly how Ananias died even though he was a physician. His interest was solely in pointing out that he did die immediately because of his sin. The Greek word ekpsycho ("breathed his last") occurs in the New Testament here and only where God strikes someone in judgment ( Acts 5:10; Acts 12:23; cf. Judges 4:21, LXX, where Sisera was the victim). Ananias" sin resulted in premature physical death. It was a sin unto death (cf. 1 John 5:16; 1 Corinthians 11:30).
We should not interpret the fact that God rarely deals with sinners this way as evidence that He cannot or should not. He does not out of mercy. He dealt with Ananias and Sapphira, Achan, Nadab and Abihu, and others severely when He began to deal with various groups of believers. He did so for those who would follow in the train of those judged to illustrate how important it is for God"s people to be holy (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:6). Furthermore God always deals more severely with those who have greater privilege and responsibility (cf. Luke 12:48; 1 Peter 4:17).

Context Summary

Acts 5:1-11 - Lying To The Holy Spirit
The Spirit of God is the source of generous and liberal giving. It is a poor substitute to set up bazaars, and fairs, and ice cream suppers. When the Church is filled with the Holy Spirit, her pockets will be easily emptied before His gracious, thawing presence. Let the sun arise in the heavens, and the frozen streams are instantly liberated and begin to sing on their way to transform wildernesses into gardens.
Mark the contrast between Ananias and Barnabas. The same phrases are applied to each. The sin of Ananias was not in keeping back part of the purchase money, but in pretending to have brought all to the Apostle. He wished to pose as a saint, and at the same time to line his own nest. In the act of consecration, we must not allow one corner for Satan or selfishness to possess, because instantly we shall have to concede the right of way, and a thoroughfare will be opened, along which all manner of contraband may be smuggled in. Peter had no doubt as to the personality of the Holy Spirit. You cannot lie to an influence! Note the interchange of Holy Spirit and God in Acts 4:3-4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 5

1  After that Ananias and Sapphira his wife,
3  at Peter's rebuke had fallen down dead;
12  and that the rest of the apostles had wrought many miracles;
14  to the increase of the faith;
17  the apostles are again imprisoned;
19  but delivered by an angel bidding them preach openly to all;
21  when, after their teaching accordingly in the temple,
29  and before the council,
33  they are in danger to be killed;
34  but through the advice of Gamaliel, they are kept alive, and are only beaten;
41  for which they glorify God, and cease no day from preaching

Greek Commentary for Acts 5:5

Hearing [ακουων]
Present active participle of ακουω — akouō while hearing. [source]
Fell down [πεσων]
Second aorist active participle of πιπτω — piptō fell all of a sudden while listening. Gave up the ghost (εχεπσυχεν — exepsuxen). First aorist active indicative of εκπσυχω — ekpsuchō late verb in lxx and Hippocrates, to breathe out, to expire. In the N.T. only here, Acts 5:10; Acts 12:23. It is needless to blame Peter for the death of Ananias. He had brought the end upon himself. It was the judgment of God. Physically the nervous shock could have caused the collapse. [source]
Gave up the ghost [εχεπσυχεν]
First aorist active indicative of εκπσυχω — ekpsuchō late verb in lxx and Hippocrates, to breathe out, to expire. In the N.T. only here, Acts 5:10; Acts 12:23. It is needless to blame Peter for the death of Ananias. He had brought the end upon himself. It was the judgment of God. Physically the nervous shock could have caused the collapse. [source]
Gave up the ghost [ἐξέψυξε]
Used by Luke only. A rare word, occurring in the Septuagint, and in medical writers. See Ezekiel 21:7, “Every spirit shall faint. ” See, also, on failing, Luke 21:26. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 5:5

Luke 21:26 Failing [ἀποψυχόντων]
Only here in New Testament. The word originally means to leave off breathing; to swoon. Thus Homer, when Laertes recognizes Ulysses:“He threwRound his dear son his arms. The hardy chief, Ulysses, drew him fainting ( ἀποψύχοντα ) to his heart.”Odyssey, xxiv., 846.So also Sophocles, of Hector dragged behind Achilles' chariot:“He breathed out his life ( ἀπέψυξεν βίον ).Ajax, 1031.Matthew alone uses the simple verb, ψύχω , to breathe or blow. See on wax cold, Matthew 24:12. Luke uses four compounds of this simple verb, all of which are peculiar to him. Compare cool, Luke 16:24; refreshing, Acts 3:19; gave up the ghost, Acts 5:5, Acts 5:10. [source]
Acts 12:23 Eaten of worms [σκωληκόβρωτος]
Only here in New Testament. Of Pheretima, queen of Cyrene, distinguished for her cruelties, Herodotus says: “Nor did Pheretima herself end her days happily. For on her return to Egypt from Libya, directly after taking vengeance on the people of Barca, she was overtaken by a most horrid death. Her body swarmed with worms, which ate her flesh while she was still alive” (iv., 205). The term, as applied to disease in the human body, does not occur in any of the medical writers extant. Theophrastus, however, uses it of a disease in plants. The word σκώληξ is used by medical writers of intestinal worms. Compare the account of the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, the great persecutor of the Jews. “So that the worms rose up out of the body of this wicked man, and whiles he lived in sorrow and pain, his flesh fell away, and the filthiness of his smell was noisome to all his army” (Acts href="/desk/?q=ac+5:5&sr=1">Acts 5:5. [source]
Acts 12:23 Because [αντ ων]
Αντι — Anti with the genitive of the relative pronoun, “in return for which things.” He accepted the impious flattery (Hackett) instead of giving God the glory. He was a nominal Jew. He was eaten of worms (γενομενος σκωληκοβρωτος — genomenos skōlēkobrōtos). Ingressive aorist middle participle, “becoming worm-eaten.” The compound verbal adjective (σκωληχ — skōlēx worm, βρωτος — brōtos eaten, from βιβρωσκω — bibrōskō) is a late word (II Macc. Acts 9:9) of the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, used also of a tree (Theophrastus), here only in the N.T. The word σκωληχ — skōlēx was used of intestinal worms and Herodotus (IV. 205) describes Pheretima, Queen of Cyrene, as having swarms of worms which ate her flesh while still alive. Josephus (Ant. XIX. 8, 2) says that Herod Agrippa lingered for five days and says that the rotting of his flesh produced worms, an item in harmony with the narrative in Luke. Josephus gives further details, one a superstitious sight of an owl sitting on one of the ropes of the awning of the theatre while the people flattered him, an omen of his death to him. Luke puts it simply that God smote him. Gave up the ghost Effective aorist active of εκπσυχω — ekpsuchō to breathe out, late verb, medical term in Hippocrates, in the N.T. only in Acts 5:5, Acts 5:10; Acts 12:23. Herod was carried out of the theatre a dying man and lingered only five days. [source]
Acts 12:23 Gave up the ghost [εχεπσυχεν]
Effective aorist active of εκπσυχω — ekpsuchō to breathe out, late verb, medical term in Hippocrates, in the N.T. only in Acts 5:5, Acts 5:10; Acts 12:23. Herod was carried out of the theatre a dying man and lingered only five days. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 5:5 mean?

Hearing now - Ananias the words these having fallen down he breathed his last And came fear great upon all those hearing
Ἀκούων δὲ Ἁνανίας τοὺς λόγους τούτους πεσὼν ἐξέψυξεν καὶ ἐγένετο φόβος μέγας ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας

Ἀκούων  Hearing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἁνανίας  Ananias 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἁνανίας  
Sense: a certain Christian at Jerusalem, the husband of Sapphira Acts 5:–6.
λόγους  words 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
τούτους  these 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
πεσὼν  having  fallen  down 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πίπτω 
Sense: to descend from a higher place to a lower.
ἐξέψυξεν  he  breathed  his  last 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐκψύχω  
Sense: to expire, to breathe out one’s life.
ἐγένετο  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
φόβος  fear 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: φόβος  
Sense: fear, dread, terror.
μέγας  great 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
τοὺς  those 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀκούοντας  hearing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.