The Meaning of Acts 9:23 Explained

Acts 9:23

KJV: And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

YLT: And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him,

Darby: Now when many days were fulfilled, the Jews consulted together to kill him.

ASV: And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  after  that many  days  were fulfilled,  the Jews  took counsel  to kill  him: 

What does Acts 9:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 9:23-31 - Welcomed As A Brother
He who feeds on Scripture must wax strong. The new convert started at once to testify of the Savior. We have no right to keep to ourselves the great treasures that we have discovered, but must copy the lepers of 2 Kings 7:9. He probably showed from a comparison between the predictions of the Old Testament and the facts of our Lord's life, that the key exactly fitted the wards of the ancient lock, and so proved its genuineness.
Those many days in Acts 9:23 probably include the three years spent in Arabia, Galatians 1:17. It was as though Paul wanted time and solitude for quiet thought. We may suppose that he went to Sinai, and there amid the silences of the school where Moses had studied before him, he received of the Lord Jesus that which also he was commissioned to pass on to the Church. From Arabia, he returned to Damascus; then happened Acts 9:24-25. Finally he came to Jerusalem, where he had the opportunity of comparing his teaching with that of the Apostles, Galatians 1:18-24. A vision led him to leave Jerusalem, Acts 22:17-21. While at Tarsus, he probably founded the churches in Cilicia, Acts 15:23; Acts 15:41. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 9

1  Saul, going toward Damascus, is stricken down to the earth,
8  and led blind to Damascus;
10  is called to the apostleship;
18  and is baptized by Ananias
20  He preaches Christ boldly
23  The Jews lay wait to kill him;
29  so do the Grecians, but he escapes both
31  The church having rest, Peter heals Aeneas;
36  and restores Tabitha to life

Greek Commentary for Acts 9:23

When many days were fulfilled [ως επληρουντο ημεραι ικαναι]
Imperfect passive indicative of πληροω — plēroō old and common verb, were in process of being fulfilled. How “many” (considerable, ικαναι — hikanai common word for a long period) Luke does not say nor does he say that Saul spent all of this period in Damascus, as we know from Galatians 1:16-18 was not the case. Paul there states definitely that he went away from Damascus to Arabia and returned there before going back to Jerusalem and that the whole period was about “three years” which need not mean three full years, but at least portions of three. Most of the three years was probably spent in Arabia because of the two explosions in Damascus (before his departure and on his return) and because he was unknown in Jerusalem as a Christian on his arrival there. It cannot be argued from the frequent lacunae in the Acts that Luke tells all that was true or that he knew. He had his own methods and aims as every historian has. We are at perfect liberty to supplement the narrative in the Acts with items from Paul‘s Epistles. So we must assume the return of Saul from Arabia at this juncture, between Acts 9:22, Acts 9:23, when Saul resumed his preaching in the Jewish synagogues with renewed energy and grasp after the period of mature reflection and readjustment in Arabia. [source]
Took counsel together [συνεβουλευσαντο]
First aorist (effective) middle indicative of συνβουλευω — sunbouleuō old and common verb for counselling Things had reached a climax. It was worse than before he left for Arabia. Paul was now seeing the fulfilment of the prophecy of Jesus about him (Acts 9:16). To kill him (ανελειν αυτον — anelein auton). Second aorist (effective) active infinitive of αναιρεω — anaireō to take up, to make away with, to kill (Luke 23:32; Acts 12:1, etc.). The infinitive expresses purpose here as is done in Acts 9:24 by οπως — hopōs and the aorist active subjunctive of the same verb (ανελωσιν — anelōsin). Saul now knew what Stephen had suffered at his hands as his own life was in peril in the Jewish quarter of Damascus. It was a picture of his old self. He may even have been scourged here (2 Corinthians 11:24). [source]
To kill him [ανελειν αυτον]
Second aorist (effective) active infinitive of αναιρεω — anaireō to take up, to make away with, to kill (Luke 23:32; Acts 12:1, etc.). The infinitive expresses purpose here as is done in Acts 9:24 by οπως — hopōs and the aorist active subjunctive of the same verb Saul now knew what Stephen had suffered at his hands as his own life was in peril in the Jewish quarter of Damascus. It was a picture of his old self. He may even have been scourged here (2 Corinthians 11:24). [source]
To kill []
See on Luke 23:32. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 9:23

Luke 7:6 Worthy [ἱκανός]
Lit., sufficient. Compare Matthew 3:11, “worthy to bear and 2 Corinthians 3:5, “not that we are sufficient ( ἱκανοί )but our sufficiency ( ἱκανότης ) is of God.” It is also used in the sense of much, many, long. See Luke 7:12; Luke 8:27, Luke 8:32; Luke 20:9; Acts 9:23. [source]
Acts 12:2 Killed with the sword [ανειλεν μαχαιρηι]
The verb is a favourite one with Luke (Acts 2:33; Acts 5:33, Acts 5:36; Acts 7:28; Acts 9:23-29; Acts 10:39, etc.). Instrumental case and Ionic form of μαχαιρα — machaira The Jews considered beheading a shameful death as in the case of the Baptist (Matthew 14:10). [source]
Acts 9:23 When many days were fulfilled [ως επληρουντο ημεραι ικαναι]
Imperfect passive indicative of πληροω — plēroō old and common verb, were in process of being fulfilled. How “many” (considerable, ικαναι — hikanai common word for a long period) Luke does not say nor does he say that Saul spent all of this period in Damascus, as we know from Galatians 1:16-18 was not the case. Paul there states definitely that he went away from Damascus to Arabia and returned there before going back to Jerusalem and that the whole period was about “three years” which need not mean three full years, but at least portions of three. Most of the three years was probably spent in Arabia because of the two explosions in Damascus (before his departure and on his return) and because he was unknown in Jerusalem as a Christian on his arrival there. It cannot be argued from the frequent lacunae in the Acts that Luke tells all that was true or that he knew. He had his own methods and aims as every historian has. We are at perfect liberty to supplement the narrative in the Acts with items from Paul‘s Epistles. So we must assume the return of Saul from Arabia at this juncture, between Acts 9:22, Acts 9:23, when Saul resumed his preaching in the Jewish synagogues with renewed energy and grasp after the period of mature reflection and readjustment in Arabia. [source]
Acts 9:43 Many days [hēmeras hikanas)]
See note on Acts 9:23. Luke is fond of the phrase and uses it for time, number, size. It might be “ten days, ten months, or ten years” (Page). [source]
Romans 15:23 Many [ἱκανῶν]
See on worthy, Luke 7:6. The primary meaning is sufficient, and hence comes to be applied to number and quantity; many, enough, as Mark 10:46; Luke 8:32; Acts 9:23, etc. So, long, of time (Acts 8:11; Acts 27:9). Worthy, i.e., sufficient for an honor or a place (Mark 1:7; Luke 7:6; 1 Corinthians 15:9). Adequate (2 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 3:5). Qualified (2 Timothy 2:2). Here the sense might be expressed by for years enough. [source]
Galatians 1:17 Into Arabia [εις Αραβιαν]
This visit to Arabia has to come between the two visits to Damascus which are not distinguished in Acts 9:22. In Acts 9:23 Luke does speak of “considerable days” and so we must place the visit to Arabia between Acts 9:22, Acts 9:23. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 9:23 mean?

When now had passed days many plotted together the Jews to kill him
Ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦντο ἡμέραι ἱκαναί συνεβουλεύσαντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἐπληροῦντο  had  passed 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πληρόω  
Sense: to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full.
ἡμέραι  days 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ἱκαναί  many 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: ἱκανός  
Sense: sufficient.
συνεβουλεύσαντο  plotted  together 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: συμβουλεύω  
Sense: to give counsel.
Ἰουδαῖοι  Jews 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
ἀνελεῖν  to  kill 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀναιρέω  
Sense: to take up, to lift up (from the ground).