Paul’s Defense before the Jerusalem Mob

³⁷ As he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, “Am I allowed to say something to you?”

He replied, “You know how to speak Greek? ³⁸ Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt some time ago and led four thousand men of the Assassins into the wilderness?” ^(A)

³⁹ Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus of Cilicia,^(B) a citizen of an important city. Now I ask you, let me speak to the people.”

⁴⁰ After he had given permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great hush, he addressed them in Aramaic:^[a](C)

²² So what is to be done?^[a] They will certainly hear that you’ve come.

23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience^(A) to this day.” ² The high priest Ananias ordered those who were standing next to him to strike him on the mouth.^{(B) 3} Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You are sitting there judging me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law are you ordering me to be struck?” ^(C)

⁴ Those standing nearby said, “Do you dare revile God’s high priest?”

⁵ “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest,” replied Paul. “For it is written, You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”^{[a](D) 6} When Paul realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part were Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.^(E) I am being judged because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!” ^{(F) 7} When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection,^(G) and neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all.

⁹ The shouting grew loud, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’^(H) party got up and argued vehemently, “We find nothing evil in this man.^(I) What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ^[b](J)

¹⁰ When the dispute became violent, the commander feared that Paul might be torn apart by them and ordered the troops to go down, take him away from them, and bring him into the barracks.^{(K) 11} The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome.”^(L)

Exhortations to Godliness

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus^(A)— ²⁰ he has inaugurated^[a] for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh^(B))— ²¹ and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,^{(C) 22} let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.^(D)

²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,^(A) but the pledge^[a] of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,^{(B) 22} who has gone into heaven^(C) and is at the right hand of God^(D) with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.^(E)