Deuteronomy 23:22

23:22 If you refrain from making a vow, it will not be sinful.

Proverbs 20:25

20:25 It is a snare ¹  for a person ²  to rashly cry, ³  “Holy!”

and only afterward to consider ⁴  what he has vowed. ⁵ 

Acts 5:4

5:4 Before it was sold, ⁶  did it not ⁷  belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money ⁸  not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? ⁹  You have not lied to people ¹⁰  but to God!”

[20:25]  ¹ sn It would be a “snare” because it would lead people into financial difficulties; Leviticus 27 talks about foolish or rash vows.

[20:25]  ² tn Heb “a man.”

[20:25]  ³ tn The verb is from לוּע (lu’) or לָעַע (la’a’); it means “to talk wildly” (not to be confused with the homonym “to swallow”). It occurs here and in Job 6:3.

[20:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “reflect on.” The person is to consider the vows before making them, to ensure that they can be fulfilled. Too many people make their vow or promise without thinking, and then later worry about how they will fulfill their vows.

[20:25]  ⁵ tn Heb “the vows” (so NASB); CEV “promises.”

[5:4]  ⁶ tn Grk “Remaining to you.”

[5:4]  ⁷ tn The negative interrogative particle οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply to this question and the following one (“And when it was sold, was it not at your disposal?”).

[5:4]  ⁸ tn Grk “it”; the referent of the pronoun (the money generated from the sale of the land) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:4]  ⁹ tn Grk “How is it that you have [or Why have you] placed this deed in your heart?” Both of these literal translations differ from the normal way of expressing the thought in English.

[5:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “to men.” If Peter’s remark refers only to the apostles, the translation “to men” would be appropriate. But if (as is likely) the action was taken to impress the entire congregation (who would presumably have witnessed the donation or been aware of it) then the more general “to people” is more appropriate, since the audience would have included both men and women.