Acts 2:45 (DBY)

Passage

and sold their possessions and substance, and distributed them to all, according as any one might have need.

Nearby Context

Acts 2:43 And fear was upon every soul, and many wonders and signs took place through the apostles' means.

Acts 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common,

Acts 2:45 and sold their possessions and substance, and distributed them to all, according as any one might have need.

Acts 2:46 And every day, being constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in [the] house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

Acts 2:47 praising God, and having favour with all the people; and the Lord added [to the assembly] daily those that were to be saved.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sold", "possessions", "substance", "distributed", "might", and "need". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sold" and "possessions", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 44's "And all that believed were together and..." into verse 46's "And every day being constantly in the...", so "sold" and "possessions" belong inside that flow. In Acts context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sold" and "possessions" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.