Acts 23:1

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

And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day. 2But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten?

Acts 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

• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• councilσυνέδριονsunedrion · councilG4892
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• conscienceσυνείδησιςsuneidēsis · conscienceG4893
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250

Cross-references for Acts 23:1

• Acts 23:6But Paul, knowing that the one part [of them] were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of [the] dead.
• Acts 6:15And all who sat in the council, looking fixedly on him, saw his face as [the] face of an angel.
• Acts 22:5as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the elderhood: from whom also, having received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus to bring those also who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, to be punished.
• Proverbs 28:1The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.
• Acts 22:1Brethren and fathers, hear my defence which I now make to you.
• Acts 24:16For this cause I also exercise [myself] to have in everything a conscience without offence towards God and men.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4For I am conscious of nothing in myself; but I am not justified by this: but he that examines me is the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity before God, (not in fleshly wisdom but in God's grace,) we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly towards you.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2But we have rejected the hidden things of shame, not walking in deceit, nor falsifying the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men before God.
• 2 Timothy 1:3I am thankful to God, whom I serve from [my] forefathers with pure conscience, how unceasingly I have the remembrance of thee in my supplications night and day,
• Hebrews 13:18Pray for us: for we persuade ourselves that we have a good conscience, in all things desirous to walk rightly.
• 1 Peter 3:16having a good conscience, that [as to that] in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ.

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

• Conscience
• Court
• Defense
• Integrity
• Obedience
• Paul
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• God
• Paul
• Band
• Conspiracy
• Cry
• James
• Tiller
• Acts of the Apostles
• Ananias (1)
• Citizenship

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