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Paul Before the Sanhedrin

30 The next day, because the commanding officer[a] wanted to know the true reason[b] Paul[c] was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council[d] to assemble. He then brought[e] Paul down and had him stand before them.

23 Paul looked directly[f] at the council[g] and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience[h] before God to this day.” At that[i] the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near[j] Paul[k] to strike[l] him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall![m] Do[n] you sit there judging me according to the law,[o] and in violation of the law[p] you order me to be struck?” Those standing near him[q] said, “Do you dare insult[r] God’s high priest?” Paul replied,[s] “I did not realize,[t] brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’”[u]

Then when Paul noticed[v] that part of them were Sadducees[w] and the others Pharisees,[x] he shouted out in the council,[y] “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection[z] of the dead!” When he said this,[aa] an argument[ab] began[ac] between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)[ad] There was a great commotion,[ae] and some experts in the law[af] from the party of the Pharisees stood up[ag] and protested strongly,[ah] “We find nothing wrong[ai] with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 When the argument became[aj] so great the commanding officer[ak] feared that they would tear Paul to pieces,[al] he ordered the detachment[am] to go down, take him away from them by force,[an] and bring him into the barracks.[ao]

11 The following night the Lord[ap] stood near[aq] Paul[ar] and said, “Have courage,[as] for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”[at]

Footnotes

  1. Acts 22:30 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
  2. Acts 22:30 tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”
  3. Acts 22:30 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  4. Acts 22:30 tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
  5. Acts 22:30 tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.
  6. Acts 23:1 tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  7. Acts 23:1 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
  8. Acts 23:1 tn BDAG 846 s.v. πολιτεύομαι 3 has “W. a double dat. συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God Ac 23:1.”
  9. Acts 23:2 tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.
  10. Acts 23:2 tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”
  11. Acts 23:2 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  12. Acts 23:2 tn Or “hit” (“strike” maintains the wordplay with the following verse). The action was probably designed to indicate a rejection of Paul’s claim to a clear conscience in the previous verse.
  13. Acts 23:3 sn You whitewashed wall. This was an idiom for hypocrisy—just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (L&N 88.234; see also BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). Paul was claiming that the man’s response was two-faced (Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27-28). See also Deut 28:22.
  14. Acts 23:3 tn Grk “And do.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  15. Acts 23:3 tn The law refers to the law of Moses.
  16. Acts 23:3 tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”sn In violation of the law. Paul was claiming that punishment was given before the examination was complete (m. Sanhedrin 3:6-8). Luke’s noting of this detail shows how quickly the leadership moved to react against Paul.
  17. Acts 23:4 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
  18. Acts 23:4 tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidoreō) “to speak in a highly insulting manner—‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”sn Insult God’s high priest. Paul was close to violation of the Mosaic law with his response, as the citation from Exod 22:28 in v. 5 makes clear.
  19. Acts 23:5 tn Grk “said.”
  20. Acts 23:5 tn Or “know.”
  21. Acts 23:5 sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.
  22. Acts 23:6 tn BDAG 200 s.v. γινώσκω 4 has “to be aware of someth., perceive, notice, realize”; this is further clarified by section 4.c: “w. ὅτι foll….Ac 23:6.”
  23. Acts 23:6 sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.
  24. Acts 23:6 sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.
  25. Acts 23:6 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
  26. Acts 23:6 tn That is, concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected. Grk “concerning the hope and resurrection.” BDAG 320 s.v. ἐλπίς 1.b.α states, “Of Israel’s messianic hope Ac 23:6 (. καὶ ἀνάστασις for . τῆς ἀν. [obj. gen] as 2 Macc 3:29 . καὶ σωτηρία).” With an objective genitive construction, the resurrection of the dead would be the “object” of the hope.
  27. Acts 23:7 tn The participle εἰπόντος (eipontos) has been translated temporally.
  28. Acts 23:7 tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).
  29. Acts 23:7 tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”
  30. Acts 23:8 tn BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφότεροι 2 has “all, even when more than two are involved…Φαρισαῖοι ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀ. believe in them all 23:8.” On this belief see Josephus, J. W. 2.8.14 (2.163); Ant. 18.1.3 (18.14).sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
  31. Acts 23:9 tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).
  32. Acts 23:9 tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
  33. Acts 23:9 tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  34. Acts 23:9 tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness—‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
  35. Acts 23:9 sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.
  36. Acts 23:10 tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenēs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).
  37. Acts 23:10 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (chiliarchos) literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.
  38. Acts 23:10 tn Grk “that Paul would be torn to pieces by them.” BDAG 236 s.v. διασπάω has “of an angry mob μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν that Paul would be torn in pieces by them Ac 23:10.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been converted to an equivalent active construction in the translation.
  39. Acts 23:10 tn Normally this term means “army,” but according to BDAG 947 s.v. στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, sing. Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.
  40. Acts 23:10 tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”
  41. Acts 23:10 tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
  42. Acts 23:11 sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.
  43. Acts 23:11 tn Grk “standing near Paul, said.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  44. Acts 23:11 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  45. Acts 23:11 tn Or “Do not be afraid.”
  46. Acts 23:11 sn Like Jesus went to Jerusalem, Paul would now go to Rome. This trip forms the concluding backdrop to Acts. This is the second notice about going to Rome (see Acts 19:21 for the first).

30 But de on the ho next epaurion day , wanting boulomai to know ginōskō · ho for sure asphalēs · ho what tis was the accusation katēgoreō being made against him by hypo the ho Jews Ioudaios, he released lyō him autos and kai ordered keleuō the ho chief archiereus priests and kai all pas the ho council synedrion to meet synerchomai, and kai he brought katagō · ho Paul Paulos down and set histēmi him before eis them autos.

23 Looking atenizō intently at · de the ho council synedrion, · ho Paul Paulos said legō, “ My brothers anēr, I egō have lived politeuomai in all pas good agathos conscience syneidēsis before ho God theos up achri to this houtos · ho day hēmera.” At that the ho · de high archiereus priest Ananias Hananias ordered epitassō those ho standing paristēmi near him autos to strike typtō him autos on the ho mouth stoma. Then tote · ho Paul Paulos said legō to pros him autos, “ God theos is about mellō to strike typtō you sy, · ho you whitewashed koniaō wall toichos! Do you sy indeed kai sit kathēmai judging krinō me egō according kata to the ho law nomos yet kai contrary paranomeō to the law order keleuō me egō to be struck typtō?” Those ho · de standing paristēmi near him said legō, “Dare you insult loidoreō God’ s theos · ho high archiereus priest ?” · ho And te Paul Paulos said phēmi, · ho I did not ou realize oida, brothers adelphos, that hoti he was eimi high archiereus priest ; for gar it is written graphō, ‘ You shall legō not ou speak legō evil kakōs about legō the ruler archōn of ho your sy people laos.’”

Now de when Paul Paulos perceived ginōskō · ho that hoti · ho one heis part meros were eimi Sadducees Saddoukaios and de the ho other heteros Pharisees Pharisaios, he cried krazō out in en the ho council synedrion, “ My brothers anēr, I egō am eimi a Pharisee Pharisaios, a son hyios of Pharisees Pharisaios. It is regarding peri my hope elpis · kai of a resurrection anastasis for the dead nekros that I egō am on trial krinō.” When legō he autos said legō this houtos, · de an argument stasis broke ginomai out between the ho Pharisees Pharisaios and kai the Sadducees Saddoukaios, and kai the ho assembly plēthos was divided schizō. ( For gar the Sadducees Saddoukaios say legō that there is eimi no resurrection anastasis, nor mēte angel angelos nor mēte spirit pneuma, but de the Pharisees Pharisaios confess homologeō · ho them all amphoteroi.) Then de there arose ginomai a great megas uproar kraugē, and kai certain tis of the ho scribes grammateus of the ho party meros of the ho Pharisees Pharisaios stood up anistēmi and protested diamachomai vigorously , saying legō, “ We find heuriskō nothing oudeis evil kakos in en · ho this houtos man anthrōpos. What if ei · de a spirit pneuma or ē an angel angelos has spoken laleō to him autos?” 10 And de when ginomai the argument stasis became ginomai violent polys, the ho commanding officer chiliarchos, afraid phobeomai that Paul Paulos would be torn diaspaō apart · ho by hypo them autos, commanded keleuō the ho soldiers strateuma to go down katabainō and take harpazō him autos away from ek among mesos them autos by force and te bring agō him into eis the ho barracks parembolē.

11 The ho · de following epeimi night nyx the ho Lord kyrios stood ephistēmi by him autos and said legō, “ Take tharseō courage , for gar as hōs you have testified diamartyromai to the ho facts about peri me egō in eis Jerusalem Ierousalēm, so houtōs must dei you sy also kai testify martyreō in eis Rome Rhōmē.”