3. Жизнь первых христиан

The first Christians gathered daily in church and listened to the preaching of the apostles, and on Sundays they gathered in their homes to celebrate the Eucharist. They were all connected by such love, as if they had one heart and one soul. Many sold their estates and brought the money received for them to the apostles for distribution to the needy. So, by the way, Josiah, a Levite, originally a Cyprian, having sold his land, laid money at the feet of the apostles and, perhaps, for this feat of love received from them the name Barnabas - the son of consolation. A certain Ananias and his wife Sapphira considered themselves forced to follow the general example, sold their estate and brought money to the apostles, but hid part of it. The Apostle Peter said: “Ananias, why did you allow Satan to put the thought of the Holy Spirit in your heart and hide from the price of the land? What you owned was not yours, and what was acquired by sale was not in your power? You have not lied to men, but to God.” According to the word of the apostles, both of them were struck by death. The apostles performed many great miracles. The sick were taken out into the street and laid on their beds, so that even though the shadow of Peter passing by would overshadow any of them, all the sick and demon-possessed would be healed by the power of God through the holy apostles. This abundance of gifts of grace aroused reverent fear and, at the same time, joy and gladness in believers. They tried in their family and social relationships to fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ, as far as possible, in all their breadth, and for all times they left a model of Christian life. The high virtues of the leading Christians aroused great respect for them on the part of the people, and the number of believers multiplied daily. You might be interested in: