Why Have You Lied to God? Divine Ownership and Integrity in Acts 5:4

οὐχὶ μένον σοι ἔμενε καὶ πραθὲν ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ὑπῆρχε; τί ὅτι ἔθου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο; οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ

In this solemn confrontation from Acts 5:4, Peter rebukes Ananias for his deception—not merely against people, but against God. The Greek phrasing draws attention to both the freedom Ananias had and the severity of his decision to misrepresent his gift. This verse emphasizes personal responsibility, divine sovereignty, and the weight of spiritual hypocrisy.

Grammatical Foundations

οὐχὶ μένον σοι ἔμενε—“While it remained, did it not remain yours?”

• οὐχὶ—emphatic form of οὐ, introducing a rhetorical question expecting a “yes.”
• μένον—present active participle, neuter singular from μένω, “remaining.”
• σοι—dative singular, “to you,” indicating possession or benefit.
• ἔμενε—imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular from μένω, “it remained.”

καὶ πραθὲν ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ὑπῆρχε;—“And when sold, was it not under your authority?”

• πραθὲν—aorist passive participle, neuter singular from πιπράσκω, “having been sold.”
• ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ—“in your authority”; ἐξουσία refers to power or right of control.
• ὑπῆρχε—imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular from ὑπάρχω, “it was.”

τί ὅτι ἔθου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο;—“Why is it that you placed this thing in your heart?”

• τί ὅτι—an emphatic expression; literally “why that…?”, equivalent to “Why is it that…?”
• ἔθου—aorist middle indicative, 2nd person singular from τίθημι, “you placed” or “you resolved.”
• ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου—“in your heart,” symbolizing internal intent and will.
• τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο—“this thing,” referring to the deceitful act.

οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ—“You have not lied to men, but to God.”

• ἐψεύσω—aorist middle indicative, 2nd person singular from ψεύδομαι, “you lied.”
• ἀνθρώποις—dative plural, “to men.”
• ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ—strong contrast; “but to God.”

Exegetical and Theological Implications

Peter’s response emphasizes that the issue was not withholding money but pretending full generosity. The first rhetorical question affirms that the property was indeed Ananias’s to control—before and after sale. The problem lies in what he “placed in his heart” (ἔθου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ): a premeditated lie.

More gravely, Peter asserts that the deception was not against people but against God. This links the Holy Spirit with divine personhood (see Acts 5:3), reinforcing Trinitarian theology. Ananias’s sin thus becomes a spiritual breach, not just a social or ethical one.

Linguistic and Historical Perspectives

ἐξουσία in this context implies not only authority but moral agency. Ananias was not coerced—his failure came from a deliberate internal decision. The phrase τί ὅτι is rare and emphatic, demanding moral reflection.

The verb ψεύδομαι echoes Septuagintal themes of covenantal breach and falsehood, especially in prophetic indictments. Lying to God here echoes Old Testament narratives like Achan (Joshua 7), where hidden sin provokes divine judgment within the covenant community.

Table: Verbal and Structural Features in Acts 5:4

The Verse as a Paradigm of Koine Greek Richness

Acts 5:4 uses Koine Greek to lay bare the anatomy of deception and divine accountability. Rhetorical questions, participles of ownership and control, and sharp contrastive clauses build a narrative that exposes not just what Ananias did, but why it was wrong. His lie may have seemed directed at men—but the Greek leaves no doubt: the offense pierced heaven.