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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Acts 23:2

And the high priest Ananias This was Ananias the son of Nebedæus. (Joseph. Ant. xx. 5, 2.) In the time of the Emperor Claudius he had been suspended from his office for some offence and sent to Rome (Ant. xx. 6, 2) but afterwards seems to have been held in great reputation in Jerusalem (Ant. xx. 9, 2).

to smite him on the mouth No doubt St Paul's address, before the high priest gave this order, had extended much beyond the single sentence which St Luke records, and he only preserves for us that which appears to have moved the anger of the authorities, by his claim to have led a life of which in God's sight he was not ashamed. The action was intended to put a stop to what would be counted the presumptuous language of St Paul.

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See also Acts 23:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Acts 23:2. _THE HIGH PRIEST, ANANIAS_] There was a high priest of this name, who was sent a prisoner to Rome by Quadratus, governor of Syria, to give an account of the part he took in the quarr...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS - This Ananias was doubtless the son of Nebedinus (Josephus, _Antiq._, book 20, chapter 5, section 3), who was high priest when Quadratus, who preceded Felix, was president...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ACTS 22:30 TO ACTS 23:10. PAUL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN. This is a difficult section, and does not advance the action. Unless the proceedings took place in Greek, the tribune would scarcely secure his obj...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE STRATEGY OF PAUL (Acts 23:1-10)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Paul fixed his gaze on the Sanhedrin and said, "Brethren, I have lived before God with a completely pure conscience up to this day." The high priest Ananias ordered those who stood by him to strike hi...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ANANIAS. Son of Nedebaeus. He was murdered by. band of the Sicarii some years after, being caught in an aqueduct where he had concealed himself (Josephus, _Antiquities_ XX. v..; vi..; ix..; Wars, II....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Ὁ ΔῈ�, _and the high priest Ananias_. This was Ananias the son of Nebedæus (Joseph. _Ant._ xx. 5. 2). In the time of the Emperor Claudius he had been suspended from his office for some offence and sen...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Acts 23:1-10. ST PAUL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN. DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _PAUL'S DEFENSE BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN ACTS 23:1-5:_ Paul appeared before the Sanhedrin to try to resolve the charge of profaning the Temple. He pictured again his religious situation before becoming a...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    Ό ΆΡΧΙΕΡΕ ΆΝΑΝΊΑΣ (G749; G367) первосвященник Анания. Это был сын Неведея и, как саддукей, занимал пост в 47-58 г. н.э., затем был удален с поста. Он был известен своими жадностью, богатством и жесток...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS— He was the son of _Nebedoeus,_ and by his station head of the sanhedrim. He had before this been sent in chains to Rome, to give an account to Claudius Caesar of his behaviour...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    e. Paul addresses the council. Acts 23:1-10. Acts 23:1 And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. Acts 23:2 And the...

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    See notes on verse 1...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth - a method of silencin...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    21 Here we have the cause of Israel's apostasy laid bare. They were to be a channel of blessing to the other nations, but, instead, they kept all Jehovah's gifts to themselves and refused to share the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ST. PAUL SENT TO CÆESAREA 1. St. Paul often asserts his good conscience before God and man: see Acts 22:3; Acts 24:16....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ANANIAS] is not the same as Annas (Acts 4:6). He was the son of Nebedæus, and held the high priesthood from 47-59 a.d. His rapacity and violence were notorious. To smite him] because, being a prisoner...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE ACTS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 23 PAUL SPEAKS TO THE *SANHEDRIN, 23:1-11 V1 Paul looked straight at the *Sanhedrin. He said, ‘My brothers, my conscience feels good about how...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS. — See Note on Acts 22:5. The son of Nebedæus was conspicuous for his cruelty and injustice, and had been sent to Rome as a prisoner to take his trial before Claudius (A.D. 52)...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    Ἀναν.: not the Ananias of Acts 4:7; Luke 3:2; John 18:13, but the son of Nebedæus, appointed to his office by Herod of Chalcis, high priest from _c._ 47 59. He was sent to Rome on account of the compl...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    DIVIDING HIS PERSECUTORS Acts 23:1 The behavior of the judge was quite unworthy of his office, but Paul's epithet cannot be defended. The best of men are but men at the best. Paul was thrown off his...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    By action of the Roman governor, Paul was arraigned before the Jewish Sanhedrin. Hardly had he commenced before he was interrupted and insulted. It was a most trying ordeal for the apostle. It is easi...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Paul's Second Defense As he stood before the council, or Sanhedrin, Paul told them he had lived in good until that very time (Compare 1 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Timothy 1:3). At this, Ananias commanded the...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (2) And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. (2) Hypocrites are forced at length to betray themselves by their violence....

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    THE HIGH PRIEST 1-6. Paul hears the order to smite him on the mouth, but did not know who spake. When it turned out to be the high priest, he apologized. In the gospel dispensation (1 Peter 2), we see...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day. (2) And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smi...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The closing Chapter s from 21 to the end of the book are devoted to an episode full of interest and profit Paul's course from Jerusalem to Rome. And here we find ourselves in an atmosphere considerabl...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    − 2._And the chief priest. _Luke’s narration seemeth not to agree with the usual history; for Josephus writeth thus concerning the high priests of that time, that Quadratus, deputy [proconsul] of Syri...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Paul addresses the council with the gravity and dignity of an upright man accustomed to walk with God. It is not a testimony borne to them for their good; but the appeal of a good conscience to their...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS,.... This could not be the same with Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, but rather Ananus his son; though this is more generally thought to be Ananias the son of Nebedae...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Ver. 2. _To smite him on the mouth_] So when Henry Zutphen, martyr, was bound hard to a ladder and cast into th...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And Paul, earnestly beholding the council_ At whose bar he was placed; manifesting a clear conscience by his very countenance; and likewise waiting to see whether any of them was minded to ask him an...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    SMITE HIM ON THE MOUTH; by this he would indicate that Paul had uttered a falsehood....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS COMMANDED THEM THAT STOOD BY HIM TO SMITE HIM ON THE MOUTH....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE HEARING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SANHEDRIN. Paul rebukes the high priest:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    In this hearing the chief captain did not take the place of an adjudicator, nor was there any other judicial authority present to keep order. Paul then takes advantage of the occasion to speak earnest...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    AND THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS COMMANDED THOSE WHO STOOD BY HIM TO STRIKE HIM ON THE MOUTH. 1. Now the high priest, leader of this council, commands that Paul be struck in the mouth. 2. Not because his...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "The high priest Ananias": The reader should be aware that this is not the Ananias who was with Caiaphas in the gospels, rather this is Ananias, son of Nedebaeus, who received the office from Herod of...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 See here the character of an honest man. He sets God before him, and lives as in his sight. He makes conscience of what he says and does, and, according to the best of his knowledge, he keeps fro...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THEM THAT STOOD BY HIM; the officers, probably. TO SMITE HIM ON THE MOUTH; thus Micaiah was smote by Zedekiah the false prophet, 1 KINGS 22:24, and Jeremiah by Pashur, JEREMIAH 20:2; and our blessed L...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian On Modesty Is he not withal "smiting them upon the mouth,"[147] Acts of Andrew and Matthias And as he was praying, the devil walked behind, and said to the multitudes: Strike him on the...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Acts 23:2 And G1161 priest G749 Ananias G367 commanded G2004 (G5656) by G3936 (G5761) him G846 strike...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to smite him on the mouth.' The chairman of the council, the High Priest Ananias, then commanded that he be smitten on the mouth. This was...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Acts 23:2. AND THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS. We can imagine the wrath of the haughty prelate at the first words of the accused. What unheard of presumption that this Paul, a renegade and outcast, the enemy...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    ANANIAS (Hανανιας). Not the one in Luke 3:2; John 18:13; Acts 4:7, but the son of Nebedaeus, nominated high priest by Herod, King of Chalcis, A.D. 48 and till A.D. 59. He was called to Rome A.D. 52...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Paul before the Sanhedrin. The conspiracy to kill Paul and its defeat. Paul sent to Felix. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Paul, Ananias, Pharisees, Sadduces, Paul's sister's son, centurion, chief...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Acts 23:2. _Smite him on the mouth._ Ananias the highpriest commanded this, when he heard Paul profess a good conscience, and determined to persevere in preaching Christ. So Ahab commanded Micaiah to...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    TO STRIKE HIM ON THE MOUTH. This is not the Annas of Acts 4:7, but the son of Nebedaeus, whom Herod had appointed to be high priest. He served from 47 - 59 A.D. He flares up in anger when Paul claims...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren._ PAUL BEFORE THE COUNCIL 1. The history of apostolic missions is finished; but before the parchment is rolled up, the line of one l...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 23:1. EARNESTLY BEHOLDING, or _looking steadfastly on,_ describes the eager, anxious gaze with which the apostle was accustomed to scan those to whom he spoke—perhaps arising f...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ACTS 23:1 _Looking steadfastly on _for _earnestly beholding, _A.V.; _brethren _for _men and brethren, _A.V._; I have lived before God, _etc., for _I have lived, _etc., _before God, _A.V. L...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And so Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day (Acts 23:1). Paul was indeed a remarkable man. As Paul is writing to...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 22:24; Acts 24:1; Jeremiah 20:2; John 18:22; Micah 5:1;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Ananias. He is described as a revengeful and rapacious tyrant. We are told that he reduced the inferior priests almost to starvation by defrauding them of their tithes, and sent his creatures to the t...

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