Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council,
Parallel Translations
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Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council,
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or els let these same here saye if they have founde eny evyll doinge in me whill I stonde here in the counsell:
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Or let these themselues say, if they haue found any vniust thing in mee, while I stoode in the Council,
Cross-references
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Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Whither the Tribune brought me.
Whither the Tribune brought me.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 20 Or else let these same here say, if…
20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
Ver. 20. Or else let these same here say] This is the best defence, that is thus fetched from the accusers themselves, who are apt to make the worst of everything and to aggravate faults beyond truth. This is no small prejudice to Luther’s adversaries, said Erasmus, that they cannot but say he lives honestly. And the like is recorded of Bucer, Bradford, others; the Papists could not find fault with their lives, only they taxed them for heresy; but so they could not Paul, unless they would conclude themselves also heretics, Act 24:21.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain St. Paul is willing to allow the present Jews’…
St. Paul is willing to allow the present Jews’ testimony about such things as they could know, having themselves heard and seen them; which was what passed in the council when Paul was brought before it, Act 23:1,9. The sense of a Deity was more quick upon men; and they might then be trusted under the security of an oath.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Except it be for this one voice,.... Sentence or…
Except it be for this one voice,.... Sentence or expression following, which declares his faith about the resurrection; not that he thought or owned that this was an evil in him, but that it was the only one, that any of them, the Jews, a part among them, namely, the Sadducees, could condemn, or judge to be evil in him:
that I cried, standing among them; whereby they were thrown into confusion and division among themselves: and it was this,
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touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day; see Act 23:6.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 20. Any evil doing in me while I…
Verse 20. Any evil doing in me while I stood before the council] The Jews of Asia, the most competent witnesses, though my declared enemies, and they who stirred up the persecution against me, should have been here: why are they kept back? Because they could prove nothing against me. Let these, therefore, who are here, depose, if they have found any evil in me, or proved against me, by my most virulent adversaries, when examined before them in their council at Jerusalem.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Or else - Since they are not here to…
Or else - Since they are not here to witness against me in regard to what occurred in the temple, let these here present bear witness against me, if they can, in regard to any other part of my conduct. This was a bold appeal, and it showed his full consciousness of innocence.
Let these same here say - The Jews who are here present.
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Any evil doing - Any improper conduct, or any violation of the Law.
While I stood before the council - The Sanhedrin, Act 23:1-10. As they were present there, Paul admits that they were competent to bear witness to his conduct on that occasion, and calls upon them to testify, if they could, to any impropriety in his conduct.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Or else let these . . . here say--"Or,…
Or else let these . . . here say--"Or, passing from all that preceded my trial, let those of the Sanhedrim here present say if I was guilty of aught there." No doubt his hasty speech to the high priest might occur to them, but the provocation to it on his own part was more than they would be willing to recall.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 20. These same here—Pointing at Ananias and his elders.
20. These same here—Pointing at Ananias and his elders.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 20. Or else let these same here (R. V.…
20. Or else let these same here (R. V. these men themselves) say] i.e. the Sadducees with Ananias. The assailants of St Paul were of two classes, first the Asiatic Jews, who were furious against him because of his preaching among the Gentiles in their cities, then those in Jerusalem who hated him for preaching the resurrection. He challenges them both, and when the former do not appear, he turns to the other.
if they have found any evil doing in me] The oldest MSS. have “what wrong doing they found,” omitting “in me.”
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while (Better, when) I stood before the council] Up to the moment, when in the presence of the council he had spoken of the resurrection and so produced a division in the assembly, there was no act of St Paul which had to do with any disturbance. The tumult in the temple and while he was speaking from the Tower-stairs was all caused by the Jewish mob.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (20) If they have found any evil doing in…
(20) If they have found any evil doing in me . . .—The better MSS. give, “what evil thing” (or, what wrong act) “they found in me.” This, from St. Paul’s point of view, was the one instance in which any words of his had been even the occasion of an uproar, and in them he had but proclaimed a belief which he held in common with their best and wisest teachers. So far as the proceedings before the Council were concerned, he had not even entered on the question of the Messiahship or the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Men themselves for same here, A.V.; what wrong-doing they…
Men themselves for same here, A.V.; what wrong-doing they found for if they have found any evil doing in me, A.V. and T.R.; when for while, A.V. Let these men themselves. Since the Asiatic Jews are not here to bear witness, let these men who are here speak for themselves as to what they witnessed in the Sanhedrim.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain See notes on verse 10
See notes on verse 10
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Paul finishes responding to Governor Felix about the charges brought against him.
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these same men
This refers to the members of the council who were present in Jerusalem at Paul's trial.
should say what wrong they found in me
"should say the wrong thing I did that they were able to prove"
It is concerning the resurrection of those who have died
The abstract noun "resurrection" can be stated as "God brings back to life." AT: "It is because I believe that God will bring back to life those who have died" (See: Abstract Nouns and Nominal Adjectives)
I am on trial before you today
This can be stated in active form. AT: "you are judging me today" (See: Active or Passive)
translationWords
wrong
council
resurrection
die
judge
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.