· Translation: KJV

Acts 5:8Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." She said, "Yes, for so much."

The setting

Jerusalem, ~33 AD. Peter looks directly at Sapphira and asks the exact price question, giving her one final chance to tell the truth about their land sale...

The emotion here: recording with tragic awareness that mercy was offered but refused

The original word

nai (ναί) — yes, her final word sealing her judgment with simple affirmation

Why it matters

Peter's question was a legal test — giving opportunity for repentance was required under Jewish law

Read with care

What most readers miss in Acts 5:8

Peter's question is phrased to give her an easy out — he could have asked 'Did you lie?' but asked about the price instead

Common misconceptionPeople think Peter was entrapping Sapphira, but he was actually giving her a gracious opportunity to confess that Ananias had refused to take.

Bible Genome reading

Acts 5:8 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerPeter
Eraearly_church
Primary emotionanxious
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability40%
Memorability50%
Crisis relevance80%
Standalone50%
Themes:questioningdeception

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Acts 5

Acts 5:8 comes from the book of Acts, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Peter. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include questioning, deception. Notable phrases: tell me whether; for so much.

Your reflection

What does Acts 5:8 mean to you, today?

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