Acts 23:1-15

23:1 Paul looked directly ¹  at the council ²  and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience ³  before God to this day.” 23:2 At that ⁴  the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near ⁵  Paul ⁶  to strike ⁷  him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! ⁸  Do ⁹  you sit there judging me according to the law, ¹⁰  and in violation of the law ¹¹  you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him ¹²  said, “Do you dare insult ¹³  God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, ¹⁴  “I did not realize, ¹⁵  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ¹⁶ 

23:6 Then when Paul noticed ¹⁷  that part of them were Sadducees ¹⁸  and the others Pharisees, ¹⁹  he shouted out in the council, ²⁰  “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection ²¹  of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, ²²  an argument ²³  began ²⁴  between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 23:8 (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) ²⁵  23:9 There was a great commotion, ²⁶  and some experts in the law ²⁷  from the party of the Pharisees stood up ²⁸  and protested strongly, ²⁹  “We find nothing wrong ³⁰  with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became ³¹  so great the commanding officer ³²  feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, ³³  he ordered the detachment ³⁴  to go down, take him away from them by force, ³⁵  and bring him into the barracks. ³⁶ 

23:11 The following night the Lord ³⁷  stood near ³⁸  Paul ³⁹  and said, “Have courage, ⁴⁰  for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, ⁴¹  so you must also testify in Rome.” ⁴² 

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came, ⁴³  the Jews formed ⁴⁴  a conspiracy ⁴⁵  and bound themselves with an oath ⁴⁶  not to eat or drink anything ⁴⁷  until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ⁴⁸  23:14 They ⁴⁹  went ⁵⁰  to the chief priests ⁵¹  and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath ⁵²  not to partake ⁵³  of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council ⁵⁴  request the commanding officer ⁵⁵  to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine ⁵⁶  his case ⁵⁷  by conducting a more thorough inquiry. ⁵⁸  We are ready to kill him ⁵⁹  before he comes near this place.” ⁶⁰ 

[23:1]  ¹ tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:1]  ² tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1]  ³ tn BDAG 846 s.v. πολιτεύομαι 3 has “W. a double dat. συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God Ac 23:1.”

[23:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2]  ⁵ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2]  ⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2]  ⁷ tn Or “hit” (‘strike’ maintains the wordplay with the following verse). The action was probably designed to indicate a rejection of Paul’s claim to a clear conscience in the previous verse.

[23:3]  ⁸ sn You whitewashed wall. This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (L&N 88.234; see also BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). Paul was claiming that the man’s response was two-faced (Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27-28). See also Deut 28:22.

[23:3]  ⁹ tn Grk “And do.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[23:3]  ¹⁰ tn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[23:3]  ¹¹ tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”

[23:4]  ¹² tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4]  ¹³ tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidorew) “to speak in a highly insulting manner – ‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”

[23:5]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “said.”

[23:5]  ¹⁵ tn Or “know.”

[23:5]  ¹⁶ sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.

[23:6]  ¹⁷ tn BDAG 200 s.v. γινώσκω 4 has “to be aware of someth., perceive, notice, realize”; this is further clarified by section 4.c: “w. ὅτι foll….Ac 23:6.”

[23:6]  ¹⁸ sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6]  ¹⁹ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6]  ²⁰ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6]  ²¹ tn That is, concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected. Grk “concerning the hope and resurrection.” BDAG 320 s.v. ἐλπίς 1.b.α states, “Of Israel’s messianic hope Ac 23:6 (ἐ. καὶ ἀνάστασις for ἐ. τῆς ἀν. [obj. gen] as 2 Macc 3:29 ἐ. καὶ σωτηρία).” With an objective genitive construction, the resurrection of the dead would be the “object” of the hope.

[23:7]  ²² tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7]  ²³ tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7]  ²⁴ tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8]  ²⁵ tn BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφότεροι 2 has “all, even when more than two are involved…Φαρισαῖοι ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀ. believe in them all 23:8.” On this belief see Josephus, J. W. 2.8.14 (2.163); Ant. 18.1.3 (18.14).

[23:9]  ²⁶ tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).

[23:9]  ²⁷ tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9]  ²⁸ tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9]  ²⁹ tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness – ‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.

[23:9]  ³⁰ sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.

[23:10]  ³¹ tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).

[23:10]  ³² tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.

[23:10]  ³³ tn Grk “that Paul would be torn to pieces by them.” BDAG 236 s.v. διασπάω has “of an angry mob μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν that Paul would be torn in pieces by them Ac 23:10.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been converted to an equivalent active construction in the translation.

[23:10]  ³⁴ tn Normally this term means “army,” but according to BDAG 947 s.v. στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, sing. Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.

[23:10]  ³⁵ tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”

[23:10]  ³⁶ tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[23:11]  ³⁷ sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.

[23:11]  ³⁸ tn Grk “standing near Paul, said.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:11]  ³⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:11]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “Do not be afraid.”

[23:11]  ⁴¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[23:11]  ⁴² sn Like Jesus went to Jerusalem, Paul would now go to Rome. This trip forms the concluding backdrop to Acts. This is the second notice about going to Rome (see Acts 19:21 for the first).

[23:12]  ⁴³ tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “forming a conspiracy, bound.” The participle ποιήσαντες (poihsantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:12]  ⁴⁵ tn L&N 30.72 has ‘some Jews formed a conspiracy’ Ac 23:12”; BDAG 979 s.v. συστροφή 1 has “Judeans came together in a mob 23:12. But in the last pass. the word may also mean – 2. the product of a clandestine gathering, plot, conspiracy” (see also Amos 7:10; Ps 63:3).

[23:12]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “bound themselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” On such oaths see m. Shevi’it 3:1-5. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[23:12]  ⁴⁷ tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[23:13]  ⁴⁸ tn L&N 30.73 defines συνωμοσία (sunwmosia) as “a plan for taking secret action someone or some institution, with the implication of an oath binding the conspirators – ‘conspiracy, plot.’ …‘there were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy’ Ac 23:13.”

[23:14]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[23:14]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14]  ⁵¹ sn They went to the chief priests. The fact that the high priest knew of this plot and did nothing shows the Jewish leadership would even become accomplices to murder to stop Paul. They would not allow Roman justice to take its course. Paul’s charge in v. 3 of superficially following the law is thus shown to be true.

[23:14]  ⁵² tn Or “bound ourselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” The pleonastic use ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν (literally “we have cursed ourselves with a curse”) probably serves as an intensifier following Semitic usage, and is represented in the translation by the word “solemn.” On such oaths see m. Nedarim 3:1, 3.

[23:14]  ⁵³ tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:15]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:15]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “decide.” BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω has “ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ to make a more thorough examination of his case Ac 23:15.”

[23:15]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15]  ⁵⁸ tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15]  ⁵⁹ sn “We are ready to kill him.” Now those Jews involved in the conspiracy, along with the leaders as accomplices, are going to break one of the ten commandments.

[23:15]  ⁶⁰ tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.