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Acts 23:8

New Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Acts 23:8 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
Acts 23:8 — American Standard Version

Context — Acts 23

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5And 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.
6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.
8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
9And 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?
10And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.
11And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
← Acts 23:7Acts 23:9 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, etc.] Of the dead, being ignorant of the Scriptures, and the power of God; (see <402223> Matthew 22:23,29). neither angel nor spirit; the Ethiopic version reads, “nor Holy Spirit”: but the sense seems to be, that they did not believe any such species of beings as angels, nor indeed any spirits whatever, which were immaterial or immortal; for as for the spirit or soul of man, they took that to be only the temperament of the body, and that it died with it, and did not exist in any separate state after this life: for so Josephus f1150 says, that they deny the permanence of the soul, and rewards and punishments in the invisible state. And,…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“the Sadducees say . . . there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit--(See on Luk 20:37). the scribes . . . of the Pharisees' part . . . strove, saying, We find no evil in this man, but--as to those startling things which he brings to our ears. if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him--referring, perhaps, to his trance in the temple, of which he had told them (Act 22:17). They put this favorable construction upon his proceedings for no other reason than that they had found him one of their own party. They care not to inquire into the truth of what he alleged, over and above their opinions, but only to explain it away as something not worth raising a noise about. (The following…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“For the Sadducees say - They believe. No resurrection - Of the dead. By this doctrine they also understood that there was no future state, and that the soul did not exist after death. See the notes on Matthew 22:23. Neither angel - That there are no angels. They deny the existence of good or bad angels. See the notes on Matthew 3:7. Nor spirit - Nor soul. That there is nothing but matter. They were materialists, and supposed that all the operations which we ascribe to mind could be traced to some modification of matter. The Sadducees, says Josephus (Jewish Wars, book ii. chapter 8, section 14), “take away the belief of the immortal duration of the soul, and the punishments and rewards in…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The Pharisees confess both - Both the resurrection, and the existence of angels and separate spirits. Acts 23:9”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Act 4:1; Mat 22:23; Mar 12:18; Luk 20:27 Acts 23:9”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification