New Living Translation
Acts 23:9
9So 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.”
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
7This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees— 8for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. 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.” 10As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress. 11That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”
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 25:25But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.
- Acts 26:31As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”
- 1 Samuel 24:17And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.
- Proverbs 16:7When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.
- Luke 23:4Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”
- Acts 23:8for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these.
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
- Acts 22:7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
- Acts 26:14We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’
- Acts 27:23For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me,
- John 12:29When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
- Acts 5:39But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”
- Acts 11:17And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”
- 1 Corinthians 10:22What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are 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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