Darby Bible
Acts 23:5
5And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.
Acts 23:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”
Context of Acts 23:5
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? 4And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God? And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people. 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. 7And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.
Read all of Acts 23Acts 23:5 word by word
ἔφη τε ὁ Παῦλος· οὐκ ᾔδειν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀρχιερεύς· γέγραπται γὰρ ἄρχοντα τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς.¶Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Acts 23:5
- Acts 24:17And after a lapse of many years I arrived, bringing alms to my nation, and offerings.
- Exodus 22:28Thou shalt not revile the judges, nor curse a prince amongst thy people.
- Ecclesiastes 10:20Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
- 2 Peter 2:10and specially those who walk after the flesh in [the] lust of uncleanness, and despise lordship. Bold [are they], self-willed; they do not fear speaking injuriously of dignities:
- Jude 1:8Yet in like manner these dreamers also defile [the] flesh, and despise lordship, and speak railingly against dignities.
Commentaries on Acts 23:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest - After all the learned labor that has been spent on this subject, the simple meaning appears plainly to be this: - St. Paul did not know that Ananias was high priest; he had been long absent from Jerusalem; political changes were frequent; the high priesthood was no longer in succession, and was frequently bought and sold; the Romans put down one high priest, and raised up another, as political reasons…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Then said Paul, I wist not - I know not; I was ignorant of the fact that he was high priest. Interpreters have been greatly divided on the meaning of this expression. Some have supposed that Paul said it in irony, as if he had said, “Pardon me, brethren, I did not consider that this was the high priest. It did not occur to me that a man who could conduct thus could be God‘s highest. Others have thought (as Grotius) that Paul used these words for the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5It is unclear why Paul did not recognize the high priest. Paul responded by quoting Exodus 22:28, showing respect for the high priest's position.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. I wist not ... that he was the high priest--All sorts of explanations of this have been given. The high priesthood was in a state of great confusion and constant change at this time (as appears from Josephus), and the apostle's long absence from Jerusalem, and perhaps the manner in which he was habited or the seat he occupied, with other circumstances to us unknown, may account for such a speech. But if he was thrown off his guard by an insult which…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 23:5
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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