Acts 23:6 Meaning and Explanation
“But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Seeing the council split between Sadducees and Pharisees, Paul declares himself a Pharisee on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead.
What Does Acts 23:6 Mean?
The Sanhedrin sat in two parties: Sadducees, the priestly aristocracy who denied any resurrection, and Pharisees, who confessed it and looked for it. Paul, a Pharisee trained under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3; 26:5), names the true issue beneath his arrest: "the hope and resurrection of the dead." This is no mere courtroom maneuver — the risen Jesus is the substance of everything he preaches (Acts 26:6-8).
For Paul, resurrection is not an abstraction but a Person met on the Damascus road. To be tried "of the hope" is to be tried for believing that God raised Jesus from the dead, "the firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Corinthians 15:20). Every believer's hope hangs on the same fact: because He lives, those who sleep in Him will rise.
Acts 23:6 in the Original Language
anastasis (ἀνάστασις), 'resurrection' -- literally a standing up again, the rising of the dead to life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 23:6
What does Acts 23:6 mean?
Seeing the council split between Sadducees and Pharisees, Paul declares himself a Pharisee on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead.