Acts - 23:4



4 Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priest?"

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Acts 23:4.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
And they that stood by said: Dost thou revile the high priest of God?
And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God?
And those who stood by said, 'The chief priest of God dost thou revile?'
And they that stood by said, Revile you God's high priest?
"Do you rail at God's High Priest?" cried the men who stood by him.
And those who were near said, Do you say such words against God's high priest?
And those who were standing nearby said, "Are you speaking evil about the high priest of God?"
The people standing near said to Paul, "Do you know that you are insulting God's high priest?"

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Those which stood by said By this it appeareth that they were all sick of one disease. [1] For why do they not rather blame Ananias, when they saw that he had quite forgotten all modesty, and that he brake out into violence and stripes after a barbarous manner? for even this did turn to the reproach of them all. [2] But this is a solemn [marked] thing among hypocrites, they look narrowly into other men's faults and wink at their own. Again, this pride is coupled with tyranny, so that their subjects, and those who are under them, may do nothing, but as for themselves, they may do whatsoever they will. So fareth it at this day in Popery, the more liberty that impure clergy doth grant to itself, and the more carelessly it waxeth wanton, and polluteth the whole world with the sins which flow thence, the more straitly do they rule and stay the tongues of the people. Therefore, if any man dare be so bold as once to whisper, a little liberty doth cause them to make outrageous outcries as it were heinous sacrilege.

Footnotes

1 - "Eadem omnes intemperie laborasse," that they all laboured under the same intemperance,

2 - "In commune illorum dedecus," to their common disgrace.

Revilest thou - Dost thou reproach or abuse the high priest of God? is remarkable that they, who knew that he was not the high priest, should have offered this language. He was, however, in the place of the high priest, and they might have pretended that respect was due to the office.

And they that stood by,.... The members of the sanhedrim that were next to the apostle; or the servants of the high priest, since they are said to stand, whereas those of that court sat: said,
revilest thou God's high priest? which seems to confirm that the apostle's words were not a bare prediction, but an imprecation, since they are charged with reproaching, reviling, and speaking evil of him; and the aggravation of which was not only that the person reviled was a priest, an high priest, but an high priest of God; though this could not have been proved, for there was now no high priest of God but Jesus Christ; the priesthood was changed and abrogated, and there were no more high priests among men of God's appointing and approving.

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