Acts 23:5

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.
• 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.’ ”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“I’m sorry, brothers. I didn’t realize he was the high priest,” Paul replied, “for the Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any of your rulers.’”

Context of Acts 23:5

3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” 4Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!” 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.’” 6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

Acts 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenτεte · and/bothG5037
• saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• Paulὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• I wistεἴδωeidō · to perceive: knowG1492
• notοὐou · noG3756
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• he wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the high priestἀρχιερεύςarchiereus · high-priestG749
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• Thou shaltἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• evilκακῶςkakōs · badlyG2560
• of the rulerἄρχωνarchōn · rulerG758
• of thyσύsu · youG4771
• peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992

Cross-references for Acts 23:5

• Acts 24:17“After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.
• Exodus 22:28“Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
• Ecclesiastes 10:20Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
• 2 Peter 2:10This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;
• Jude 1:8In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.

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

• Ananias
• Citizens
• Court
• Defense
• Paul
• Priest
• Quotations and Allusions
• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• Paul
• Paul, Saul
• High priest
• Ananias
• Band
• Conspiracy
• Cry
• James
• Thorn in the flesh
• Tiller

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