Acts 23
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
2And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
3Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
4And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
5Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
6But when Paul perceived that the 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: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9And 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.
10And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
11And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
12And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
14And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
15Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
16And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
17Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
18So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
19Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
20And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
21But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
22So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
23And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
24And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
25And he wrote a letter after this manner:
26Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
27This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
28And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
29Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
30And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
31Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
33Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
34And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
35I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- ὁhoG3588100× in this chapter
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
- αὐτόςautósG84632× in this chapter
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ)) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
- καίkaíG253223× in this chapter
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
- δέdéG116122× in this chapter
but, and, etc.
- ΠαῦλοςPaûlosG397216× in this chapter
(little; but remotely from a derivative of G3973 (παύω), meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle
- σύsýG477115× in this chapter
thou
- εἰςeisG151911× in this chapter
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
- εἰμίeimíG151010× in this chapter
I exist (used only when emphatic)
- οὗτοςhoûtosG37789× in this chapter
the he (she or it), i.e. this or that (often with article repeated)
- ἔπωépōG20368× in this chapter
to speak or say (by word or writing)
- πρόςprósG43148× in this chapter
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated)
- μέméG31657× in this chapter
me
- ὅτιhótiG37547× in this chapter
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
- μήτεmḗteG33836× in this chapter
not too, i.e. (in continued negation) neither or nor; also, not even
- ὅςhósG37396× in this chapter
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
- ΦαρισαῖοςPharisaîosG53306× in this chapter
a separatist, i.e. exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary
- χιλίαρχοςchilíarchosG55066× in this chapter
the commander of a thousand soldiers ("chiliarch"; i.e. colonel
- γάρgárG10635× in this chapter
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
- ἔχωéchōG21925× in this chapter
to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)
- μέλλωméllōG31955× in this chapter
to intend, i.e. be about to be, do, or suffer something (of persons or things, especially events; in the sense of purpose, duty, necessity, probability, possibility, or hesitation)
- οὖνoûnG37675× in this chapter
(adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
- περίperíG40125× in this chapter
properly, through (all over), i.e. around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period)
- ἀνήρanḗrG4355× in this chapter
a man (properly as an individual male)
- συνέδριονsynédrionG48925× in this chapter
a joint session, i.e. (specially), the Jewish Sanhedrin; by analogy, a subordinate tribunal
- τέtéG50375× in this chapter
both or also (properly, as correlation of G2532 (καί))
- τὶςtìsG51005× in this chapter
some or any person or object
- γίνομαιgínomaiG10964× in this chapter
to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)
- ἐγώegṓG14734× in this chapter
I, me
- ἕωςhéōsG21934× in this chapter
a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place)
- ἡγεμώνhēgemṓnG22324× in this chapter
a leader, i.e. chief person (or figuratively, place) of a province
- ἸουδαῖοςIoudaîosG24534× in this chapter
Judæan, i.e. belonging to Jehudah
- λέγωlégōG30044× in this chapter
properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 (ἔπω) and G5346 (φημί) generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 (ῥέω) is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 (λαλέω) means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean
- μένménG33034× in this chapter
properly, indicative of affirmation or concession (in fact); usually followed by a contrasted clause with G1161 (δέ) (this one, the former, etc.)
- μήmḗG33614× in this chapter
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 (οὐ) expects an affirmative one)) whether
- παρίστημιparístēmiG39364× in this chapter
to stand beside, i.e. (transitively) to exhibit, proffer, (specially), recommend, (figuratively) substantiate; or (intransitively) to be at hand (or ready), aid
- ὑπόhypóG52594× in this chapter
under, i.e. (with the genitive case) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the accusative case) of place (whither (underneath) or where (below) or time (when (at))
- φημίphēmíG53464× in this chapter
to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. speak or say
- ἄγωágōG714× in this chapter
properly, to lead; by implication, to bring, drive, (reflexively) go, (specially) pass (time), or (figuratively) induce
- ἀρχιερεύςarchiereúsG7494× in this chapter
the high-priest (literally, of the Jews, typically, Christ); by extension a chief priest
- ἑαυτοῦheautoûG14383× in this chapter
him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc.