Neville Goddard on Acts 5:1-11 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Acts 5 in context

Scripture Focus

1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

10Then 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.

11And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

Acts 5:1-11

Biblical Context

Ananias and Sapphira secretly lie about the price of a sold property, and Peter confronts them; both die, illustrating the gravity of deceit and the holiness of truthful discipleship.

Neville's Inner Vision

Picture the scene as a mirror of your own inner life. Ananias and Sapphira are not only two people in history; they are your lower thoughts and their quiet agreement to withhold part of your inner 'land'—your gifts, desires, and potential—while pretending to offer the whole price to the outer world. The lie you tell is not to men but to the Holy Ghost within, to the I AM that you truly are. When you let Satan fill the heart, you abandon the creative flow of life by clinging to partial truth, and the energy of your consciousness is split. Peter’s charge—‘thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God’—reminds you that truth in consciousness cannot be diluted; withholding creates a breach with your inner altar. The resulting fear and sudden consequence are the psyche’s way of awakening you to integrity. Seen thus, the tale reveals the potency of complete inner honesty and the necessity of aligning every thought, motive, and offering with the I AM—thus transforming judgment into discernment, and constraint into freedom in your own life.

Practice This Now

Practice: In your imagination, sell a thing you value and place the whole 'price' at the feet of the I AM, declaring, 'From this moment I give all of me to truth.' Then feel the relief of honesty flowing through you.