Acts 23:1

CHAPTER XXIII.

Paul defending himself before the high priest, he commands him

to be smitten on the mouth, 1, 2.

Paul sharply reproves him, and, being reproved for this by one

of the attendants, accounts for his conduct, 3-5.

Seeing that the assembly was composed of Pharisees and

Sadducees, and that he could expect no justice from his judges,

he asserts that it was for his belief in the resurrection that

he was called in question, on which the Pharisees declare in

his favour, 6-9.

A great dissension arises, and the chief captain, fearing lest

Paul should be pulled to pieces, brings him into the castle,

10.

He is comforted by a dream, 11.

More than forty persons conspire his death, 12-15.

Paul's sister's son, hearing of it, informs the captain of the

guard, 16-22.

He sends Paul by night, under a strong escort of horse and

foot, to Caesarea, to Felix, and with him a letter, stating

the circumstances of the case, 23-33.

They arrive at Caesarea, and Felix promises him a hearing when

his accusers shall come down, 34, 35.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII.

Verse Acts 23:1. I have lived in all good conscience] Some people seem to have been unnecessarily stumbled with this expression. What does the apostle mean by it? Why, that, while he was a Jew, he was one from principle of conscience; that what he did, while he continued Jew, he did from the same principle; that, when God opened his eyes to see the nature of Christianity, he became a Christian, because God persuaded his conscience that it was right for him to become one; that, in a word, he was sincere through the whole course of his religious life, and his conduct had borne the most unequivocal proofs of it. The apostle means, therefore, that there was no part of his life in which he acted as a dishonest or hypocritical man; and that he was now as fully determined to maintain his profession of Christianity as he ever was to maintain that of Judaism, previously to his acquaintance with the Christian religion.