Acts 23:8

8 For Sadducees say, that no rising again of dead men is, neither angel, neither spirit; but Pharisees acknowledge ever either. [Forsooth Sadducees say, to be no rising again of dead, neither angel, neither spirit; forsooth Pharisees acknowledge both.]

Acts 23:8 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 23:8

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection
Of the dead, being ignorant of the Scriptures, and the power of God; see ( Matthew 22:23 Matthew 22:29 ) .

neither angel nor spirit;
the Ethiopic version reads, "nor Holy Spirit": but the sense seems to be, that they did not believe any such species of beings as angels, nor indeed any spirits whatever, which were immaterial or immortal; for as for the spirit or soul of man, they took that to be only the temperament of the body, and that it died with it, and did not exist in any separate state after this life: for so Josephus ^F24 says, that they deny the permanence of the soul, and rewards and punishments in the invisible state. And, according to the Talmudic ^F25 writers, they denied that there was any other world than this:

but the Pharisees confess both;
the resurrection of the dead, and that there are spirits, both angels and the souls of men, which are immortal. Josephus, in the place before referred to, says, that they hold that every soul is incorruptible or immortal; and that they held the resurrection of the dead, is manifest from the Talmud ^F26, and other writings of theirs; the Syriac version renders it, "the Pharisees confess all these things"; to which agree the Arabic and Ethiopic versions.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 10. sect. 19.
F25 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 54. 1. & Gloss. in ib. & Pirke Abot R. Nathan, c. 5.
F26 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 90. 2.

Acts 23:8 In-Context

6 But Paul knew, that one part was of Sadducees, and the other of Pharisees; and he cried in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am deemed of the hope and of the again-rising of dead men. [Forsooth Paul witting, for one part was of Sadducees, and the tother of Pharisees, he cried in the council, Men brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; of the hope and again-rising of dead I am deemed.]

7 And when he had said this thing, dissension was made betwixt [made between] the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was parted.

8 For Sadducees say, that no rising again of dead men is, neither angel, neither spirit; but Pharisees acknowledge ever either. [Forsooth Sadducees say, to be no rising again of dead, neither angel, neither spirit; forsooth Pharisees acknowledge both.]

9 And a great cry was made. And some of the Pharisees rose up [rised up], and fought, saying, We find nothing of evil in this man; what if a spirit, either an angel spake to him [what if a spirit spake to him, or angel]?

10 And when great dissension was made, the tribune dreaded, lest Paul should be drawn to pieces of them; and he commanded knights to go down, and to take him from the middle of them, and to lead him into the castles. [+And when great dissension was made, the tribune dreading, lest Paul should be drawn to pieces of them, commanded knights to go down, and to snatch him from the middle of them, and to lead him into castles.]