Acts 23:4

The men who were standing near Paul rebuked him. They said, “Are not you (sg) afraid to insult God’s servant, our supreme priest?”

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?

In Context

3Then Paul said to Ananias, “God will punish you (sg) for that, you hypocrite [MET]! You sit there and judge me, using the laws that God gave Moses. But you yourself disobey those laws, because you commanded me to be struck { these men to strike me} without having proved that I have done anything that is wrong!”

5Paul replied, “My fellow Jews, I am sorry that I said that. I did not know that the man who told one of you to hit me is the high priest. If I had known that, I would not have insulted our supreme priest, because I know that it is written { that Moses wrote} in our Jewish law, ‘Do not speak evil of any of your rulers!’”

Read all of Acts 23

Matthew Henry on Acts 23:2-6

Paul's Second Defence. 1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. 3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? 4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? 5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that… Read the whole commentary →

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