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 Living Translation (NLT)Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”

Context of Acts 23:1

Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” 2And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

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 23:6But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
• Acts 6:15And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
• Acts 22:5as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.
• Proverbs 28:1The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.
• Acts 22:1“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.”
• Acts 24:16This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
• 2 Timothy 1:3I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,
• Hebrews 13:18Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.
• 1 Peter 3:16having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be 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
• Band
• Conspiracy
• Cry
• James
• Tiller
• Acts of the Apostles
• Ananias (1)
• Citizenship

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