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

Paul looked at the group of Jewish leaders and he said to them, ‘My Jewish friends, God knows that I have nothing to be ashamed about today. I have always respected God's Laws.’ 2The most important priest, who was called Ananias, heard Paul's words. He said to the men who were near Paul, ‘Hit that man on his mouth!’ 3Paul said to him, ‘God will certainly hit you! You are a hypocrite! You are sitting there and you are judging me. You are asking if I obey the Law of God. But you yourself do not obey the Law! You should not have said, “Hit that man!” ’

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

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 23:6Then Paul saw that there were some Sadducees and also some Pharisees in the meeting. So he shouted out to the whole group of Jewish leaders, ‘My brothers, I am a Pharisee! My father was also a Pharisee. I believe that dead people will certainly rise and they will live again. That is the reason why you are judging me today.’
• Acts 6:15All the Jewish leaders who sat there in the meeting looked carefully at Stephen. They saw that his face was very bright, like the face of an angel.
• Acts 22:5The most important priest and all the group of Jewish leaders can tell you that this is true. They gave me letters for the Jewish leaders in Damascus. So I travelled to Damascus to take hold of the believers in that city. I wanted to tie them up and bring them back to Jerusalem. Then the leaders here could punish them.’
• Proverbs 28:1A wicked person runs away even when nobody is chasing him. But a righteous person is as brave as a lion.
• Acts 22:1Paul said to the crowd, ‘Please, listen to me, you Jewish leaders and all you other people who are Jews like me. I want to explain to you what has happened here.’
• Acts 24:16Because of that, I always try to do what is right. I do not want to do anything bad against God or against other people.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4I am sure in my own mind that I have not done anything wrong. But that does not make me right. Only the Lord himself can judge me.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We can be proud of how we have lived in this world. We have been careful to be honest and good with everyone. And we have been like that with you even more. We are sure in our own minds that this is true. We have not tried to be clever in a human way. But we have lived in the way that God has helped us to live.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2We refuse to do anything secretly that we might be ashamed of. We do not tell lies. We do not change God's message to deceive people. No. We tell God's true message clearly. God himself sees that we teach people in an honest way. Everyone should understand that we only do what is right.
• 2 Timothy 1:3Like my ancestors, I serve God in a good way, that I know is right. When I pray to God, at night and during the day, I always remember to pray for you. And I thank God for you.
• Hebrews 13:18Pray to God for us. We are sure in our minds that we have done nothing wrong. We always want to do only what is right.
• 1 Peter 3:16But when you tell them, be kind and polite. Do only what you know is right. Then those people will see that you live in a good way because you believe in Christ. When they say bad things against you they will become ashamed.

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
• Paul, Saul
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Band
• Conspiracy
• Cry
• James
• Tiller
• Acts of the Apostles

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