Amplified Bible
Acts 23:1
1Then Paul, looking intently at the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), said, “Kinsmen, I have lived my life before God with a perfectly good conscience until this very day.”
Acts 23:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
- New International Version (NIV)Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And looking intently at the council, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”
Context of Acts 23:1
Then Paul, looking intently at the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), said, “Kinsmen, I have lived my life before God with a perfectly good conscience until this very day.” 2[At this] the high priest Ananias ordered those who stood beside him to strike Paul on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you actually sit to judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?”
Read all of Acts 23Acts 23:1 word by word
Ἀτενίσας δὲ τῷ συνεδρίῳ εἶπεν· ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ πάσῃ συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ ἄχρι ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- Paulὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
- earnestly beholdingἀτενίζωatenizō · to gazeG816
- the councilσυνέδριονsunedrion · councilG4892
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Menἀνήρanēr · manG435
- brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- have livedπολιτεύωpoliteuomai · be a citizenG4176
- in allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
- conscienceσυνείδησιςsuneidēsis · conscienceG4893
- before Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- untilἄχριachri achris · untilG891
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
Cross-references for Acts 23:1
- Acts 23:6But recognizing that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began affirming loudly in the Council chamber, “Kinsmen, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!”
- Acts 6:15Then all those who were sitting in the Council, stared [intently] at him, and they saw that Stephen’s face was like the face of an angel.
- Acts 22:5as the high priest and all the Council of the elders (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) can testify; because from them I received letters to the brothers, and I was on my way to Damascus in order to bring those [believers] who were there to Jerusalem in chains to be punished.
- Proverbs 28:1The wicked flee when no one pursues them, But the righteous are as bold as a lion.
- Acts 22:1“Brethren and fathers (kinsmen), hear my defense which I now offer to you.”
- Acts 24:16In view of this, I also do my best and strive always to have a clear conscience before God and before men.
- 1 Corinthians 4:4I am aware of nothing against myself and I feel blameless, but I am not by this acquitted [before God]. It is the Lord who judges me.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12This is our [reason for] proud confidence: our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world [in general], and especially toward you, with pure motives and godly sincerity, not in human wisdom, but in the grace of God [that is, His gracious lovingkindness that leads people to Christ and spiritual maturity].
- 2 Corinthians 4:2But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth [openly and plainly], we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
- 2 Timothy 1:3I thank God, whom I worship and serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,
- Hebrews 13:18Keep praying for us, for we are convinced that we have a good conscience, seeking to conduct ourselves honorably [that is, with moral courage and personal integrity] in all things.
- 1 Peter 3:16And see to it that your conscience is entirely clear, so that every time you are slandered or falsely accused, those who attack or disparage your good behavior in Christ will be shamed [by their own words].
Commentaries on Acts 23:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1I have lived in all good conscience - Some people seem to have been unnecessarily stumbled with this expression. What does the apostle mean by it? Why, that, while he was a Jew, he was one from principle of conscience; that what he did, while he continued Jew, he did from the same principle; that, when God opened his eyes to see the nature of Christianity, he became a Christian, because God persuaded his conscience that it was right for him to become one…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And Paul, earnestly beholding - ̓́ atenisasFixing his eyes intently on the council. The word denotes “a fixed and earnest gazing; a close observation.” See Luke 4:20. Compare the notes on Acts 3:4. Paul would naturally look with a keen and attentive observation on the council. He was arraigned before them, and he would naturally observe the appearance, and endeavor to ascertain the character of his judges. Besides, it was by this council that he had been…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Paul's defence before the council of the Jews. (1-5) Paul's defence. He receives a Divine assurance that he shall go to Rome. (6-11) The Jews conspire to kill Paul, Lysias sends him to Cesarea. (12-24) Lysias's letter to Felix. (25-35) Verses 1-5 See here the character of an honest man. He sets God before him, and lives as in his sight. He makes conscience of what he says and does, and, according to the best of his knowledge, he keeps from whatever is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1When speaking to the Jewish high council (the Sanhedrin), Paul said he had lived with a clear conscience before God. He had not broken God’s law or done what they accused him of doing.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-101. Paul, earnestly beholding the council--with a look of conscious integrity and unfaltering courage, perhaps also recognizing some of his early fellow pupils. I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day--The word has an indirect reference to the "polity" or "commonwealth of Israel," of which he would signify that he had been, and was to that hour, an honest and God-fearing member.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 23:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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