Christian Standard Bible
Acts 23:9
9The shouting grew loud, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party got up and argued vehemently, “We find nothing evil in this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
Acts 23:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended sharply, "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”
Context of Acts 23:9
7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all. The shouting grew loud, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party got up and argued vehemently, “We find nothing evil in this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10When the dispute became violent, the commander feared that Paul might be torn apart by them and ordered the troops to go down, take him away from them, and bring him into the barracks. 11The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome.”
Read all of Acts 23Acts 23:9 word by word
Ἐγένετο δὲ κραυγὴ μεγάλη· καὶ ἀναστάντες τινὲς τῶν γραμματέων τοῦ μέρους τῶν Φαρισαίων διεμάχοντο λέγοντες· οὐδὲν κακὸν εὑρίσκομεν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τούτῳ· εἰ δὲ πνεῦμα ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ ἢ ἄγγελοςRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- there aroseγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- cryκραυγήkraugē · shoutingG2906
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- the scribesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the scribesγραμματεύςgrammateus · scribeG1122
- of the Pharisees’ΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
- partμέροςmeros · partG3313
- aroseἀνίστημιanistēmi · to ariseG450
- and stroveδιαμάχομαιdiamachomai · to contend sharplyG1264
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- We findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- noοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- a spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- orἤē · orG2228
- an angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- hath spokenλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- to himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- let usθεομαχέωtheomacheō · to fight GodG2313
- notμήmē · notG3361
Cross-references for Acts 23:9
- Acts 25:25I found that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
- Acts 26:31and when they had left they talked with each other and said, “This man is not doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”
- 1 Samuel 24:17and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.
- Proverbs 16:7When a person’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
- Luke 23:4Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no grounds for charging this man.”
- Acts 23:8For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all.
- Acts 9:4Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
- Acts 22:7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
- Acts 26:14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
- Acts 27:23For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me
- John 12:29The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
- Acts 5:39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.
- Acts 11:17If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?”
- 1 Corinthians 10:22Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
Commentaries on Acts 23:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The scribes - arose, and strove - , They contended forcibly - they came to an open rupture with the Sadducees; and, in order to support their own party against them, they even admitted as truth, St. Paul's account of his miraculous conversion, and therefore they said, if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, etc. He had previously mentioned that Jesus Christ had appeared to him, when on his way to Damascus; and, though they might not be ready to admit…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9A great cry - A great clamor and tumult. The scribes - The learned men. They would naturally be the chief speakers. Of the Pharisees‘ part - Who were Pharisees, or who belonged to that party. The scribes were not a distinct sect, but might be either Pharisees or Sadducees. We find no evil in this man - No opinion which is contrary to the Law of Moses; no conduct in spreading the doctrine of the resurrection which we do not approve. The importance of this…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 The Pharisees were correct in the faith of the Jewish church. The Sadducees were no friends to the Scripture or Divine revelation; they denied a future state; they had neither hope of eternal happiness, nor dread of eternal misery. When called in question for his being a Christian, Paul might truly say he was called in question for the hope of the resurrection of the dead. It was justifiable in him, by this profession of his opinion on that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10Paul's statement divided the Sanhedrin (23:6). The Pharisees supported Paul against the Sadducees. The disagreement was so intense that the commander rescued Paul and took him back to the fortress of Antonia.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-96-9. when Paul perceived--from the discussion which plainly had by this time arisen between the parties. that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out--raising his voice above both parties. I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee--The true reading seems to be, "the son of Pharisees," that is, belonging to a family who from father to son had long been such. of the hope and resurrection of the dead--that is, not the vague hope of…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 23:9
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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries