And 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.

And by fraud kept back part of the price of the land, his wife being privy thereunto: and bringing a certain part of it, laid it at the feet of the apostles.

and put aside for himself part of the price, his wife also being privy to it; and having brought a certain part, laid it at the feet of the apostles.

and did keep back of the price, his wife also knowing, and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid it.

with her full knowledge and consent, dishonestly kept back part of the price which he received for it, though he brought the rest and gave it to the Apostles.

And kept back part of the price, his wife having knowledge of it, and took the rest and put it at the feet of the Apostles.

and he was deceitful about the price of the field, with his wife's consent. And bringing only part of it, he placed it at the feet of the Apostles.

and, with her connivance, kept back some of the proceeds. He brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet.

And kept back - The word used here means properly "to separate, to part:" and then it means to "separate surreptitiously or clandestinely for our own use" a part of public property, as taxes, etc. It is used but three times in the New Testament, Acts 5:3, and in Titus 2:10, where it is rendered "purloining." Here it means that they "secretly" kept back a part, while "professedly" devoting all to God.
His wife also being privy to it - His wife "knowing it," and evidently concurring in it.
And laid it at the apostles' feet - This was evidently an act professedly of devoting all to God. Compare Acts 4:37; also Acts 5:8-9. That this was his "profession," or "pretence," is further implied in the fact that Peter charges him with having "lied" unto God, Acts 5:3-4.

Kept back part of the price - Ananias and Sapphira were evidently persons who professed faith in Christ with the rest of the disciples. While all were making sacrifices for the present necessity, they came forward among the rest, pretending to bring all the money they had got for a possession, κτημα, (of what kind we know not), which they had sold. A part of this price, however, they kept back, not being willing to trust entirely to the bounty of Providence, as the others did; thinking probably, that, as the whole was their own, they had a right to do with it as they pleased. And so they had: they were under no necessity to sell their possession; but the act of selling it for the ostensible purpose of bringing it into the common stock, left them no farther control over it, nor property in it; and their pretense, that the money which they brought was the whole produce of the sale, was a direct lie in itself, and an attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit, under whose influence they pretended to act. This constituted the iniquity of their sin.

And (a) 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.
(a) Craftily took away.

And kept back part of the price,.... At which the possession was sold; he reserved it for his own use, after he had given out that he sold it for the service of the church:
his wife also being privy to it; to this private reserve:
and brought a certain part; whether the greater part, or an equal part, half of it, or a lesser part; some little part of it, so the phrase seems to signify, is not certain:
and laid it at the apostles' feet; as the rest did, thereby to make a show of charity, and cover the deceit.

ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. (Acts 5:1-11)
kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it--The coolness with which they planned the deception aggravated the guilt of this couple.
brought a certain part--pretending it to be the whole proceeds of the sale.

Kept back part of the price. Like many others, of their own accord they sold a possession for the benefit of the church. They were not compelled to sell it, or when sold to give the money, or to give all. Their sin was not withholding a part, but lying about it. (1) They gave from the wrong motives, not for the Lord, but for human praise. (2) There was hypocrisy and falsehood.
His wife being privy to it. Hence equally guilty. There was a guilty conspiracy between them.
Brought a certain part. Pretending it was all. His was a deliberate, public lie.

And bringing a certain part - As if it had been the whole: perhaps saying it was so.