KJV: And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
YLT: And there came a great cry, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part having arisen, were striving, saying, 'No evil do we find in this man; and if a spirit spake to him, or a messenger, we may not fight against God;'
Darby: And there was a great clamour, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part rising up contended, saying, We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel ...
ASV: And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?
| Ἐγένετο | Arose |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular Root: γίνομαι Sense: to become, i. |
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| κραυγὴ | a clamor |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular Root: κραυγή Sense: a crying, outcry, clamour. |
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| μεγάλη | great |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular Root: μέγας Sense: great. |
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| ἀναστάντες | having risen up |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: ἀναπηδάω Sense: to cause to rise up, raise up. |
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| τινὲς | some |
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Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: τὶς Sense: a certain, a certain one. |
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| τῶν | of the |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| γραμματέων | scribes |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: γραμματεύς Sense: a clerk, scribe, esp. |
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| τοῦ | of the |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| μέρους | party |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: μέρος Sense: a part. |
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| Φαρισαίων | Pharisees |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: Φαρισαῖος Sense: A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. |
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| διεμάχοντο | they were contending |
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Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural Root: διαμάχομαι Sense: to fight out. |
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| λέγοντες | saying |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: λέγω Sense: to say, to speak. |
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| Οὐδὲν | Nothing |
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Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular Root: οὐδείς Sense: no one, nothing. |
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| κακὸν | evil |
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Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular Root: κακός Sense: of a bad nature. |
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| εὑρίσκομεν | we find |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: εὑρίσκω Sense: to come upon, hit upon, to meet with. |
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| ἀνθρώπῳ | man |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular Root: ἄνθρωπος Sense: a human being, whether male or female. |
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| τούτῳ | this |
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Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Singular Root: οὗτος Sense: this. |
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| εἰ | What if |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: εἰ Sense: if, whether. |
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| δὲ | now |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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| πνεῦμα | a spirit |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular Root: πνεῦμα Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast. |
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| ἐλάλησεν | has spoken |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἀπολαλέω Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound. |
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| αὐτῷ | to him |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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| ἄγγελος | an angel |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἄγγελος Sense: a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God. |
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| θεομαχῶμεν⧽ | let us fight against God |
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Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Plural Root: θεομαχέω Sense: to fight against God. |
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Greek Commentary for Acts 23:9
Imperfect middle of διαμαχομαι diamachomai 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. [source]
This is aposiopesis, not uncommon in the N.T., as in Luke 13:9; John 6:62 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1203). See one also in Exodus 32:32. [source]
The diversion was successful. The Pharisees' hatred of the Sadducees was greater than their hatred of Christianity. [source]
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 Acts 5:39. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 23:9
Aposiopesis, sudden breaking off for effect (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1203). See it also in Mark 11:32; Acts 23:9. Trench (Parables) tells a story like this of intercession for the fig tree for one year more which is widely current among the Arabs today who say that it will certainly bear fruit this time. [source]