KJV: Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
YLT: and Paul said, 'I did not know, brethren, that he is chief priest: for it hath been written, Of the ruler of thy people thou shalt not speak evil;'
Darby: And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.
ASV: And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.
| Ἔφη | Was saying |
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Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: φημί Sense: to make known one’s thoughts, to declare. |
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| ὁ | - |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Παῦλος | Paul |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: Παῦλος Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles. |
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| ᾔδειν | I was aware |
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Parse: Verb, Pluperfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: οἶδα Sense: to see. |
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| ἀδελφοί | brothers |
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Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Plural Root: ἀδελφός Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother. |
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| ὅτι | that |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| ἐστὶν | he is |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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| ἀρχιερεύς | high priest |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἀρχιερεύς Sense: chief priest, high priest. |
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| γέγραπται | it has been written |
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Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular Root: γράφω Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters. |
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| ὅτι | - |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| Ἄρχοντα | [The] ruler |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: ἄρχων Sense: a ruler, commander, chief, leader. |
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| τοῦ | of the |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| λαοῦ | people |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: λαός Sense: a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language. |
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| σου | of you |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular Root: σύ Sense: you. |
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| ἐρεῖς | you shall speak |
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Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to utter, speak, say. |
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| κακῶς | evil [of] |
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Parse: Adverb Root: κακῶς Sense: miserable, to be ill. |
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Greek Commentary for Acts 23:5
Second past perfect of οιδα oida used as an imperfect. The Greek naturally means that Paul did not know that it was the high priest who gave the order to smite his mouth. If this view is taken, several things may be said by way of explanation. The high priest may not have had on his official dress as the meeting was called hurriedly by Lysias. Paul had been away so long that he may not have known Ananias on sight. And then Paul may have had poor eyesight or the high priest may not have been sitting in the official seat. Another way of explaining it is to say that Paul was so indignant, even angry, at the command that he spoke without considering who it was that gave the order. The Greek allows this idea also. At any rate Paul at once recognizes the justice of the point made against him. He had been guilty of irreverence against the office of high priest as the passage from Exodus 22:18 (lxx) shows and confesses his fault, but the rebuke was deserved. Jesus did not threaten (1 Peter 2:23) when smitten on the cheek (John 18:22), but he did protest against the act and did not turn the other cheek. [source]