Acts 23:4

4 Those standing near him asked, "You dare to insult God's high priest?"

Acts 23:4 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 23:4

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.

Acts 23:4 In-Context

2 The high priest Ananias ordered those standing beside Paul to strike him in the mouth.

3 Then Paul said to him, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit and judge me according to the Law, yet disobey the Law by ordering that I be struck."

4 Those standing near him asked, "You dare to insult God's high priest?"

5 Paul replied, "Brothers, I wasn't aware that he was the high priest. It is written, You will not speak evil about a ruler of your people."

6 Knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, Paul exclaimed in the council, "Brothers, I'm a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I am on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!"