God’s Word Translation
Acts 23:9
9The shouting became very loud. Some of the experts in Moses’ Teachings were Pharisees who argued their position forcefully. They said, “We don’t find anything wrong with this man. Maybe a spirit or an angel actually spoke 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
7After Paul said that, the Pharisees and Sadducees began to quarrel, and the men in the meeting were divided. 8(The Sadducees say that the dead won’t come back to life and that angels and spirits don’t exist. The Pharisees believe in all these things.) The shouting became very loud. Some of the experts in Moses’ Teachings were Pharisees who argued their position forcefully. They said, “We don’t find anything wrong with this man. Maybe a spirit or an angel actually spoke to him!” 10The quarrel was becoming violent, and the officer was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So the officer ordered his soldiers to drag Paul back to the barracks. 11The Lord stood near Paul the next night and said to him, “Don’t lose your courage! You’ve told the truth about me in Jerusalem. Now you must tell the truth about me 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 25:25However, I don’t think that he has done anything to deserve the death penalty. But since he made an appeal to His Majesty the Emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.
- Acts 26:31As they were leaving, they said to each other, “This man isn’t doing anything for which he deserves to die or be put in prison.”
- 1 Samuel 24:17He told David, “You are more righteous than I. You treated me well while I treated you badly.
- Proverbs 16:7When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
- Luke 23:4Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I can’t find this man guilty of any crime.”
- Acts 23:8(The Sadducees say that the dead won’t come back to life and that angels and spirits don’t exist. The Pharisees believe in all these things.)
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
- Acts 22:7I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’
- Acts 26:14All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It’s hard for ⌞a mortal like⌟ you to resist God.’
- Acts 27:23I know this because an angel from the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood by me last night.
- John 12:29The crowd standing there heard the voice and said that it had thundered. Others in the crowd said that an angel had talked to him.
- Acts 5:39However, if it’s from God, you won’t be able to stop them. You may even discover that you’re fighting against God.”
- Acts 11:17When they believed, God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So who was I to interfere with God?”
- 1 Corinthians 10:22Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?
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
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