Ananias and Sapphira
Category: Failure of integrity
Could endure: Give honestly and humbly.
“All the believers were one in heart and mind.” (Acts 4:32)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 12:22; 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Chose wrongly: Lied about their gift.
“Ananias… kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.” (Acts 5:1–2)
Cross-Refs: Joshua 7:1; Proverbs 14:5.
Endured (negatively): Fell dead under God’s judgment.
“When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died.” (Acts 5:5)
Cross-Refs: Ecclesiastes 5:6; 1 Corinthians 10:8–10.
Why (wrong motive): Hypocrisy, desire for reputation.
“You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” (Acts 5:4)
Cross-Refs: Jeremiah 17:9; Galatians 6:3.
Result: Fear seized the whole church.
“Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.” (Acts 5:11)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 13:11; Hebrews 10:31.
Simon the Sorcerer
Category: Failure of purity in motive
Could endure: Believe sincerely, receive the Spirit’s gift freely.
“Repent… and be baptized, every one of you.” (Acts 2:38)
Cross-Refs: Isaiah 55:1; Romans 10:9.
Chose wrongly: Tried to buy the Holy Spirit’s power.
“Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:19)
Cross-Refs: 2 Kings 5:15–16; Matthew 10:8.
Endured (negatively): Rebuked sharply.
“May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!” (Acts 8:20)
Cross-Refs: Isaiah 55:2; 1 Timothy 6:9–10.
Why (wrong motive): Greed, desire for fame.
“Your heart is not right before God.” (Acts 8:21)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 21:27; James 4:3.
Result: Warned to repent, left as a cautionary example.
“Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord.” (Acts 8:22)
Cross-Refs: Revelation 2:5; 2 Corinthians 7:10.
Jewish Opposition to the Gospel
Category: Failure of faith
Could endure: Receive Messiah and His Spirit.
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21)
Cross-Refs: Joel 2:32; Romans 10:13.
Chose wrongly: Persecuted apostles, resisted the Spirit.
“You stiff-necked people!… You always resist the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 7:51)
Cross-Refs: Matthew 23:37; 1 Thessalonians 2:15.
Endured (negatively): Scattered, brought judgment on themselves.
“They covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.” (Acts 7:57–58)
Cross-Refs: Jeremiah 7:25–26; Matthew 21:43.
Why (wrong motive): Pride, jealousy, hardness of heart.
“The high priest and all his associates… were filled with jealousy.” (Acts 5:17)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 27:4; John 11:48.
Result: Gospel spread beyond them.
“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” (Acts 8:4)
Cross-Refs: Romans 11:11; Acts 13:46.
Herod Agrippa I
Category: Failure of humility
Could endure: Give glory to God.
“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another.” (Isaiah 42:8)
Cross-Refs: Daniel 4:37; Psalm 115:1.
Chose wrongly: Accepted worship as a god.
“They shouted, ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man.’” (Acts 12:22)
Cross-Refs: Daniel 5:23; Revelation 13:4.
Endured (negatively): Struck down by an angel.
“Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.” (Acts 12:23)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 16:18; Galatians 6:7.
Why (wrong motive): Pride, love of human praise.
“This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” (Acts 12:22)
Cross-Refs: John 12:43; 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
Result: Death, while God’s word advanced.
“But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.” (Acts 12:24)
Cross-Refs: Job 20:7; Matthew 24:35.