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

Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!” 2Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth. 3But Paul said to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”

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 23:6Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”
• Acts 6:15At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.
• Acts 22:5The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.
• Proverbs 28:1The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.
• Acts 22:1“Brothers and esteemed fathers,” Paul said, “listen to me as I offer my defense.”
• Acts 24:16Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
• 2 Timothy 1:3Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
• Hebrews 13:18Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do.
• 1 Peter 3:16But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

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