“Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,”
There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales — the result of koinōnia is the elimination of poverty (chreia, need, lack, deficiency). The mechanism: those with property (chorion, land, field; oikos, house) sold (poleō, sell) and brought (prospherō, bring, carry, present) the proceeds. The phrase 'from time to time' (kata to ti eichos, according as anyone had need) shows responsiveness to actual need, not coercive redistribution.
Church Fathers on Acts 4:34
And great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked. Acts 4:34 Their feeling was just as if they were under the paternal roof, all for awhile sharing alike. It is not to be said, that though indeed they maintained the rest, yet they did it with the feeling that the means whereof they maintained them were still their own. No, the admirable circumstance is this, that they first alienated their property, and so maintained the rest, on purpose that the…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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