"}\nNow the whole group of those who believed \nwere of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any \npossessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There\n was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses\n sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles\u2019 feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There\n was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the\n name Barnabas (which means \u201cson of encouragement\u201d). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles\u2019 feet.
But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; with his wife\u2019s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles\u2019 feet. \u201cAnanias,\u201d\n Peter asked, \u201cwhy has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit\n and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While\n it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, \nwere not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have \ncontrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!\u201d Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him.
After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.\u00a0 Peter\n said to her, \u201cTell me whether you and your husband sold the land for \nsuch and such a price.\u201d And she said, \u201cYes, that was the price.\u201d\u00a0 Then\n Peter said to her, \u201cHow is it that you have agreed together to put the \nSpirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried \nyour husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.\u201d Immediately\n she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they \nfound her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her \nhusband.\u00a0 And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.
In the Old Testament, God strikes you down for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. In the New Testament, God strikes you down for being insufficiently communist. It\u2019s always something with this guy.