A man dressed as deacon in a white robe with a gold sash across his chest walks to the podium and says:
This is a reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 5.

“Another man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira likewise sold a piece of property. With the connivance of his wife he put aside a part of the proceeds for himself; the rest he took and laid at the feet of the apostles. Peter exclaimed: ‘Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart so as to make you lie to the Holy Spirit and keep for yourself some of the proceeds from that field? Was it not yours so long as it remained unsold? Even when you sold it, was not the money still yours? How could you ever concoct such a scheme? You have lied not to men but to God!’ At the sound of those words, Ananias fell dead. Great fear came upon all who heard of it. Some of the young men came forward, wrapped up the body, and carried it out for burial. Three hours later Ananias’ wife came in, unaware of what had happened. Peter said to her, ‘Tell me, did you sell that piece of property for such and such an amount? ‘ She answered, ‘Yes, that was the sum.’ Peter replied, ‘How could you two scheme to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? The footsteps of the men who have just buried your husband can be heard at the door. They stand ready to carry you out too.’ With that she fell dead at his feet. The young men came in, found her dead, and carried her out for burial beside her husband. Great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard of it.”

The man who was dressed as a deacon closes his bible and leaves.

Characters:
Simon Bar-Jona
John
Joseph
Jacob, a Captain
Alexander, an officer of the Senate
Caiaphas, an officer of the Council
Annas, a High Priest
Gamaliel, a Pharisee
Two young men
Two guards
Sadducees

Act 1

Scene 1: Simon’s House

Joseph. A Captain from the Council came to my house this morning and asked about Ananias and Sapphira.

Simon. What did you tell him?

Joseph. Just that they were dead and that your young men had buried them.

Simon. Nothing else?

Joseph. I didn’t know anything else. I wasn’t there. I didn’t even know Ananias or his wife that well. We only talked once, after I gave you the money for my property. Ananias just wanted to know if I had given you all of the money from the sale of my property. I said that I had. I didn’t see them again. You said they died and that your young men buried them outside. What else do I know? What else could I have told the Captain? (more…)