Acts 23:9

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]?

Acts 23:9 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 23:9

And there arose a great cry
Or noise, a loud clamour; they began to be very noisy, and to talk loud, and in high spirits, one against another:

and the Scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose;
there were Scribes in the sanhedrim, and these were some of them on the side of the Sadducees, and some on the side of the Pharisees; though, generally speaking, they agreed with the latter, and are often in Scripture mentioned with them, and for them: however, that part in this sanhedrim that were on their side rose up from their seats,

and strove;
that is, contended, disputed, and litigated the point with the Sadducees:

saying, we find no evil in this man;
why he should be hated, persecuted, and punished:

but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him;
that is, if the Holy Spirit, as the Ethiopic version reads, has inspired him, or God by an angel has revealed anything to him, who has to say anything against it? This they said in agreement with their own principles, and more for the sake of establishing them, and in opposition to the Sadducees, than in favour of Paul:

let us not fight against God;
as in ( Acts 5:39 ) . These words are not in the Alexandrian copy, nor in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions.

Acts 23:9 In-Context

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.]

11 And in the night following the Lord stood nigh to him, and said, Be thou steadfast; for as thou hast witnessed of me in Jerusalem, so it behooveth thee to witness also at Rome.