Acts 23:9

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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. “We see nothing wrong with him,” they shouted. “Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him.”

Context of Acts 23:9

7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) 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?” 10The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. 11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

Acts 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 25:25I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome.
• Acts 26:31After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”
• 1 Samuel 24:17“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
• Proverbs 16:7When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
• Luke 23:4Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
• Acts 23:8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
• Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
• Acts 22:7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
• Acts 26:14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
• Acts 27:23Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me
• John 12:29The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
• Acts 5:39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
• Acts 11:17So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
• 1 Corinthians 10:22Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

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

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Diplomacy
• Immortality
• Strife
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Band
• Conspiracy
• Cry
• James
• Tiller
• Acts of the Apostles
• Cry, Crying
• Eschatology of the Old Testament

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