SEV Biblia, Chapter 23:9
Y se levant un gran clamor: y levantndose los escribas de la parte de los fariseos, contendían diciendo: Ningn mal hallamos en este hombre; que si espíritu le ha hablado, o ngel, no resistamos a Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 23:9
Verse 9. The scribes-arose, and strove] diemaconto, They contended forcibly-they came to an open rupture with the Sadducees; and, in order to support their own party against them, they even admitted as truth, St. Paul's account of his miraculous conversion, and therefore they said, if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, &c. He had previously mentioned that Jesus Christ had appeared to him, when on his way to Damascus; and, though they might not be ready to admit the doctrine of Christ's resurrection, yet they could, consistently with their own principles, allow that the soul of Christ might appear to him; and they immediately caught at this, as furnishing a strong proof against the doctrine of the Sadducees, who neither believed in angel nor spirit, while the Pharisees confessed both. Let us not fight against God.] These words are wanting in ABCE, several others, with the Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, later Syriac, Vulgate, and some of the fathers.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. And there arose a great cry , etc.] 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-11 - The Pharisees were correct in the faith of the Jewish church. The Sadducees were no friends to the Scripture or Divine revelation; the denied a future state; they had neither hope of eternal happiness, no dread of eternal misery. When called in question for his being Christian, Paul might truly say he was called in question for the hop of the resurrection of the dead. It was justifiable in him, by thi profession of his opinion on that disputed point, to draw off the Pharisees from persecuting him, and to lead them to protect him from this unlawful violence. How easily can God defend his own cause! Thoug the Jews seemed to be perfectly agreed in their conspiracy agains religion, yet they were influenced by very different motives. There is no true friendship among the wicked, and in a moment, and with the utmost ease, God can turn their union into open enmity. Divin consolations stood Paul in the most stead; the chief captain rescue him out of the hands of cruel men, but the event he could not tell Whoever is against us, we need not fear, if the Lord stand by us. It is the will of Christ, that his servants who are faithful, should be always cheerful. He might think he should never see Rome; but God tell him, even in that he should be gratified, since he desired to go ther only for the honour of Christ, and to do good.
Greek Textus Receptus
εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S δε 1161 CONJ κραυγη 2906 N-NSF μεγαλη 3173 A-NSF και 2532 CONJ ανασταντες 450 5631 V-2AAP-NPM οι 3588 T-NPM γραμματεις 1122 N-NPM του 3588 T-GSN μερους 3313 N-GSN των 3588 T-GPM φαρισαιων 5330 N-GPM διεμαχοντο 1264 5711 V-INI-3P λεγοντες 3004 5723 V-PAP-NPM ουδεν 3762 A-ASN κακον 2556 A-ASN ευρισκομεν 2147 5719 V-PAI-1P εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSM ανθρωπω 444 N-DSM τουτω 5129 D-DSM ει 1487 COND δε 1161 CONJ πνευμα 4151 N-NSN ελαλησεν 2980 5656 V-AAI-3S αυτω 846 P-DSM η 2228 PRT αγγελος 32 N-NSM μη 3361 PRT-N θεομαχωμεν 2313 5725 V-PAS-1P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
9. Strove. The diversion was successful. The Pharisees' hatred of the Sadducees was greater than their hatred of Christianity.What if a spirit, etc. Neither the A.V. nor Rev. give the precise form of this expression. The words form a broken sentence, followed by a significant silence, which leaves the hearers to supply the omission for themselves: "But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him - " The words which the A.V. supplies to complete the sentence, let us not fight against God, are spurious, borrowed from ch. v. 39.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
23:9 {Strove} (diemaconto). Imperfect middle of diamacomai, old Attic verb, to fight it out (between, back and forth, fiercely). Here only in the N.T. It was a lively scrap and Luke pictures it as going on. The Pharisees definitely take Paul's side. {And what if a spirit hath spoken to him or an angel?} (ei de pneuma elalesen autwi e aggelos?). this is aposiopesis, not uncommon in the N.T., as in #Lu 13:9; Joh 6:62 (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1203). See one also in #Ex 32:32.
