Acts 23

Acts · Chapter 23

Acts 23:1

1And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.2And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.3Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?4And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?5Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.7And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.9And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.10And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.11And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.12And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.13And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.14And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.15Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.16And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.17Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.18So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.19Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?20And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.21But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.22So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.23And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;24And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.25And he wrote a letter after this manner:26Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.27This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.28And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:29Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.30And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.31Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.32On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:33Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.34And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;35I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
Having looked intentlyἈτενίσαςAtenisasG0816
to gaze

ἀτενίζω (atenizō) ἀτενίζω (ἀτενής, strained, intent; τείνω), [in LXX: I Est.6:28, 3Ma.2:26 * ;] to look fixedly, gaze (MM, see word): with dative of person(s), gaze upon: Luk.4:20 22:56, Act.3:12 10:4 14:9 23:1; before εἰς, with accusative of person(s), Act.3:4 6:15 13:9; metaphorically, Act.1:10 7:55 11:6, 2Co.3:7 3:13.† (AS)

thenδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

PaulΠαῦλοςPaulosG3972G
Paul

Παῦλος (Paulos) Παῦλος, -ου, ὁ (Lat. Paulus), 1. Sergius Paulus: Act.13:7. 2. the Apostle Paul (cf. Σαῦλος): Act.13:9, and frequently throughout Ac., Rom.1:1, 1Co.1:1, al., 2Pe.3:15. (AS)

CouncilσυνεδρίῳsunedriōG4892
council

συνέδριον (sunedrion) συνέδριον, -ου, τό (σύν + ἕδρα, a seat) [in LXX: Pro.11:13 15:22, Jer.15:17 (סוֹד), Psa.26:4 (מַת), Pro.22:10 (דִּין) Pro.26:26 (קָהָל); Pro.24:7 27:22 31:23, 2Ma.14:5, 4Ma.17:17 * ;] 1. a council (Plat., Xen., al.; LXX; in π., σ. τ. πρεσβυτέρων, Deiss., BS, 156): of a local Jewish tribunal, Mat.10:17, Mrk.13:9. …

he said;εἶπεν·eipenG2036
to say

εἶπον (eipon) εἶπον, 2 aorist of obsolete present ἔπω (cf. Veitch), used as aorist of λέγω, which see (AS)

MenἄνδρεςandresG0435G
man

ἀνήρ (anēr) ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ, frequently אֱנוֹשׁ, also אָדָם, etc. ;] a man, Lat. vir. 1. As opposite to a woman, Act.8:12, 1Ti.2:12; as a husband, Mat.1:16, Jhn.4:16, Rom.7:2, Tit.1:6. 2. As opposite to a boy or infant, 1Co.13:11, Eph.4:13, Jas.3:2. 3. In appos. with a noun or adj., as ἀ. ἁμαρτωλός, Luk.5:8; ἀ. προφήτης, 24:19; frequently in terms of address, as ἀ. ἀδελφοί, Act.1:16; and esp. with gentilic names, as ἀ. Ἰουδαῖος, Act.22:3; ἀ. Ἐφέσιοι, 19:35. 4. In general, a man, a male person: = τις, Luk.8:41, Act.6:11. …

brothers,ἀδελφοί,adelphoiG0080
brother

ἀδελφός (adelphos) ἀδελφός, -οῦ, ὁ (ἀ- copul., δελφύς, womb), in cl., a brother, born of the same parent or parents. [In LXX (Hort, Ja., 102f.), for אָח ;] 1. lit. of a brother (Gen.4:2, al.). 2. Of a neighbour (Lev.19:17). 3. Of a member of the same nation (Exo.2:14, Deu.15:3). In NT in each of these senses (1. Mat.1:2, al.; 2. Mat.7:3; 3. Rom.9:3) and also, …

I myselfἐγὼegōG1473
I/we

ἐγώ (egō) ἐγώ, genitive, etc., ἐμοῦ, ἐμοί, ἐμέ (enclitic μου, μοι, με), pl. ἡμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς, of person(s) pron. I. (a) The nom. is usually emphatic, when expressed as subjc, as in Mat.3:11, Mrk.1:8, Luk.3:16, al. But often there is no apparent emphasis, as Mat.10:16, Jhn.10:17; ἰδοὺ ἐ. (= Heb. הִנֵּנִי, cf. 1Ki.3:8), Act.9:10; ἐ. (like Heb. אֲנִי), I am, Jhn.1:23 (LXX), Act.7:32 (LXX). …

in allπάσῃpasēG3956
all

πᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. …

conscienceσυνειδήσειsuneidēseiG4893
conscience

συνείδησις (suneidēsis) συν-είδησις, -εως, ἡ (συνεῖδον), [in LXX: Ecc.10:20 (מַדָּע), Wis.17:11, Sir.42:18 א * ;] 1. consciousness: with genitive obj., Heb.10:2, 1Pe.2:19. 2. In ethical sense, innate discernment, self-judging consciousness, conscience (Stoics and late writers): Rom.2:15 9:1, 1Co.10:29, 2Co.1:12 4:2 5:11, 1Ti.4:2, Heb.9:14; σ. ἀγαθή, Act.23:1, 1Ti.1:5 1:19, 1Pe.3:16 3:21; ἀσθενής, 1Co.8:7 8:10; ἀσθενοῦσα, 1Co.8:12; ἀπρόσκοπος, Act.24:16; καθαρά, 1Ti.3:9, 2Ti.1:3; καλή, Heb.13:18; πονηρά, Heb.10:22; ὁ νοῦς καὶ ἡ σ., Tit.1:15; διὰ τὴν σ., Rom.13:5, 1Co.10:25 10:27-28; κατὰ σ., Heb.9:9; ὑπὸ (τῆς) σ., J …

goodἀγαθῇagathēaG0018
good

ἀγαθός (agathos) ἀγαθός, -ή, -όν, [in LXX chiefly for טוֹב ;] in general, good, in physical and in moral sense, used of persons, things, acts, conditions, etc., applied to that which is regarded as "perfect in its kind, so as to produce pleasure and satisfaction, . . . that which, in itself good, is also at once for the good and the advantage of him who comes in contact with it" (Cremer, 3): γῆ, Luk.8:8; δένδρον, Mat.7:18; καρδία, Luk.8:15; δόσις, Jas.1:17; μέρις, Luk.10:42; ἔργον (frequently in Pl.), Php.1:6; ἐλπίς, 2Th.2:16; θησαυρός, Mat.12:35; μνεία, 1Th.3:6 (cf. 2Ma.7:20); as subst., τὸ ἀ, that which is …

have lived as a citizenπεπολίτευμαιpepoliteumaiG4176
be a citizen

πολιτεύω (politeuō) πολιτεύω more frequently as depon., -ομαι, and so in LXX and NT (πολίτης), [in LXX: Est.8:13, 2Ma.6:1 2Mac 11:25, 3Ma.3:4 3Mac 3:1-30; 4Ma.4:1-26 * ;] to be a citizen, live as a citizen: metaphorically, of conduct as based on heavenly citizenship, Act.23:1, Php.1:27.† (AS)

to GodθεῷtheōG2316
God

θεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; …

untoἄχριachriG0891
until

ἄχρι (achri) ἄχρι (and Epic ἄχρις, bef. vowel (see MM, see word), Rom.11:25 T, Gal.3:19 T, WH, mg., Heb.3:13); 1. adv., utterly (Hom.). 2. Prep. with genitive, until, unto, as far as; (a) of time Act.3:21 22:22, Rom.1:13 5:13, 1Co.4:11, 2Co.3:14, Gal.4:2, Php.1:6; ἄ. καιροῦ, Luk.4:13, Act.13:11; ἄ. ἧς ἡμέρας, Mat.24:38, Luk.1:20 17:27, Act.1:2 (τῆς ἡ. ἧς), Act.1:22; ἄ. ταύτης τ. ἡμέρας (τ. ἡ. ταύτης), Act.2:29 23:1 26:22; ἄ. ἡμερων πέντε, Act.20:6; ἄ. αὐγῆς, Act.20:11; ἄ. τοῦ νῦν, Rom.8:22, Php.1:5; ἄ. τέλους, Heb.6:11, Rev.2:26; …

thisταύτηςtautēsG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

day.ἡμέρας.hēmerasG2250
day

ἡμέρα (hēmera) ἡμέρα, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly (very freq.) for יוֹם ;] day; 1. as distinct from night: genitive ἡμέρας, by day (WM, §30, 11), Rev.21:25; ἡ. κ. νυκτός (ν. κ. ̔ἡ.), Act.9:24, 1Th.2:9, 2Th.3:8, Rev.4:8 (BL, §36, 13); ἡμέρας μέσης, at mid-day, Act.26:13; accusative durat., τ. ἡμέρας, Luk.21:37; ὅλην τὴν ἡ., Rom.8:36; ἐν ἡμέρα, Jhn.11:9, Rom.13:13; ἡμέρας ὁδός, a day's journey, Luk.2:44; ἡ. γίνεται, Lk 4:42 22:66; κλίνει, Luk.9:12, al.; metaphorically, Jhn.9:4, Rom.13:12, 1Th.5:4, 5 8, 2Pe.1:19. …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.