Acts 23:14
in Acts 23They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
KJV
And 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.
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This verse in Acts 23
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThey say that they "bound themselves with an oath," meaning that they would renounce their faith in God if they did not carry out what they had planned. Thus, if they made a false promise, they were under an oath as deceivers; if they had …
This site's exposition
bound ourselves with a solemn oath
on Acts 23:14-15
The plotters ask the chief priests and elders to petition the commander on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. The plan draws the temple leadership into a plot to murder, the same leaders who had heard Pharisee scribes declare Paul innocent.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"We have bound ourselves," they say, "under a curse, that we will not eat nor drink." What is all this zeal? "That he may bring him down," it says, "unto you, as though ye would enquire into his case more perfectly." Has he not twice made a speech unto you? has he not said that he is a Pharisee? What would ye have over and above this? So reckless were they and afraid of nothing, not tribunals, not laws: such their hardihood which shrunk from nothing. They both declare their purpose, and announce the way of carrying it into effect.
And yet they ought to have come to the tribune, ought to have laid a charge, and assembled a court of justice: for these are not the doings for priests, but for captains of banditti, these are not the doings for rulers, but for ruffians. They endeavor also to corrupt the ruler: but it was providentially ordered, to the intent that he also should learn of their plot. For not only by their having nothing to say, but also by their secret attempt, they convicted themselves that they were naught.
For such is the nature of that nation: when there needs concerting together for a good object, not even two concur with each other: but when it is for an evil object, the entire people does it. And they admit the rulers also as accomplices. "And 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. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the tribune 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."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
What a mean, what an ill opinion had they of their priests, when they could apply to them on such an errand as this! And yet, vile as the proposal was which was made to them (for aught that appears), the priests and elders consented to it, and at the first work, without boggling at it in the least, promised to gratify them.
And they came to the chief priests, and elders,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And they came ... - Probably by a deputation. To the chief priests and elders - The members of the Great Council, or Sanhedrin. It is probable that the application was made to the party of the Sadducees, as the Pharisees had shown their determination to defend Paul. They would have had no prospect of success had they attacked the castle, and they therefore devised this mode of obtaining access to Paul, where they might easily despatch him. Under a great curse - Greek: “We have anathematized ourselves with an anathema.” We have made the vow as solemn as possible.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἵτινες | oitines | who | G3748 → | 144 times |
| προσελθόντες | proselthontes | having come | G4334 → | 86 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχιερεῦσιν | archiereusin | chief priests | G749 → | 122 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρεσβυτέροις | presbuterois | elders | G4245 → | 65 times |
| εἶπαν· | eipan | said; | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ἀναθέματι | anathemati | With an oath | G331 → | |
| ἀνεθεματίσαμεν | anethematisamen | we have bound | G332 → | 4 times |
| ἑαυτοὺς | he'autous | ourselves | G1438 → | 322 times |
| μηδενὸς | medenos | nothing | G3367 → | 90 times |
| γεύσασθαι | geusasthai | to eat | G1089 → | 15 times |
| ἕως | he'os | until | G2193 → | 146 times |
| οὗ | hou | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἀποκτείνωμεν | apokteinomen | we may kill | G615 → | 74 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλον. | paulon | Paul. | G3972 → | 158 times |
οἵτινεςwho
oitinesG3748 →144 times
προσελθόντεςhaving come
proselthontesG4334 →86 times
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχιερεῦσινchief priests
archiereusinG749 →122 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
πρεσβυτέροιςelders
presbuteroisG4245 →65 times
εἶπαν·said;
eipanG2036 →925 times
ἀναθέματιWith an oath
anathematiG331 →
ἀνεθεματίσαμενwe have bound
anethematisamenG332 →4 times
ἑαυτοὺςourselves
he'autousG1438 →322 times
μηδενὸςnothing
medenosG3367 →90 times
γεύσασθαιto eat
geusasthaiG1089 →15 times
ἕωςuntil
he'osG2193 →146 times
οὗthat
houG3739 →1405 times
ἀποκτείνωμενwe may kill
apokteinomenG615 →74 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
Παῦλον.Paul.
paulonG3972 →158 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 23:12When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
it leads to
- Acts 23:30
When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.
- Isaiah 8:9–10
Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered!
- Acts 23:21
Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they…
- Psalms 2:1–3
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
- Psalms 31:13
For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.
- Acts 23:30
Through
Micah 7:3Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together.
it leads to
- Micah 3:11
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster…
- Proverbs 4:16–17
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
- Micah 3:11
Through
Hosea 4:9And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 5:31
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?
- Jeremiah 5:31
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 49; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.