Acts 23:15
in Acts 23Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him.
KJV
Now 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.
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This verse in Acts 23
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Ye, with the council - With the concurrence or request of the Sanhedrin. It was only by such a request that they had any hope that the chief captain would remove Paul from the castle. Signify to the chief captain - Send a message or request to him. That he bring him down unto you - That he bring him from the castle to the usual place of the meeting of the Sanhedrin. As this was at some distance from the castle of Antonia, where Paul was, they supposed it would be easy to waylay him and take his life.
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.
This site's exposition
on the pretext of examining his case more carefully
Albert Barnes explains why the council was needed. Only a request from the Sanhedrin could bring Paul out of the Roman barracks. John Chrysostom calls the scheme the work of bandits, since lawful accusers would have laid a charge before the commander in open court.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
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."
"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.
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.
Now therefore ye with the council,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The narrative bears unmistakable internal marks of truth. or ever he come near--Their plan was to assassinate him on his way down from the barracks to the council. The case was critical, but He who had pledged His word to him that he should testify for Him at Rome provided unexpected means of defeating this well-laid scheme.
And we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him - We shall lie in wait, and despatch him before he can reach the chief captain. The plan was well and deeply laid; and nothing but an especial providence could have saved Paul.
The words behind it
32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| νῦν | nun | Now | G3568 → | 145 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ὑμεῖς | humeis | you yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐμφανίσατε | emphanisate | do make a report | G1718 → | 10 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χιλιάρχῳ | chiliarcho | commander | G5506 → | 21 times |
| σὺν | sun | along with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συνεδρίῳ, | sunedrio | Council, | G4892 → | 22 times |
| ὅπως | hopos | so that | G3704 → | 52 times |
| καταγάγῃ | katagage | he may bring down | G2609 → | 9 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| μέλλοντας | mellontas | being about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| διαγινώσκειν | diaginoskein | to examine | G1231 → | |
| ἀκριβέστερον | akribesteron | more earnestly | G197 → | 4 times |
| τὰ | ta | the [things] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| περὶ | peri | about | G4012 → | 332 times |
| αὐτοῦ· | autou | him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἡμεῖς | hemeis | we ourselves | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πρὸ | pro | before | G4253 → | 47 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐγγίσαι | engisai | drawing near | G1448 → | 42 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἕτοιμοί | hetoimoi | ready | G2092 → | |
| ἐσμεν | esmen | we are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνελεῖν | anelein | to execute | G337 → | 24 times |
| αὐτόν.¶ | auton | him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
νῦνNow
nunG3568 →145 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
ὑμεῖςyou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
ἐμφανίσατεdo make a report
emphanisateG1718 →10 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
χιλιάρχῳcommander
chiliarchoG5506 →21 times
σὺνalong with
sunG4862 →128 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
συνεδρίῳ,Council,
sunedrioG4892 →22 times
ὅπωςso that
hoposG3704 →52 times
καταγάγῃhe may bring down
katagageG2609 →9 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
μέλλονταςbeing about
mellontasG3195 →109 times
διαγινώσκεινto examine
diaginoskeinG1231 →
ἀκριβέστερονmore earnestly
akribesteronG197 →4 times
τὰthe [things]
taG3588 →19766 times
περὶabout
periG4012 →332 times
αὐτοῦ·him;
autouG846 →5565 times
ἡμεῖςwe ourselves
hemeisG3165 →1936 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
πρὸbefore
proG4253 →47 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
ἐγγίσαιdrawing near
engisaiG1448 →42 times
αὐτὸνof him
autonG846 →5565 times
ἕτοιμοίready
hetoimoiG2092 →
ἐσμενwe are
esmenG1510 →2333 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀνελεῖνto execute
aneleinG337 →24 times
αὐτόν.¶him.
autonG846 →5565 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
Proverbs 4:16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
it leads to
- Psalms 36:4
Even on his bed he plots wickedness; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he fails to reject evil.
- Micah 2:1
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.
- Proverbs 1:16
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 57:20
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.
- Psalms 36:4
Through
Proverbs 1:16For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
it leads to
- Isaiah 59:7
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
- Proverbs 6:18
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
- Isaiah 59:7
Through
Isaiah 59:7Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
it leads to
- Proverbs 6:17
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
- Romans 3:15–17
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
- Proverbs 6:17
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.