Paul Before the Sanhedrin

30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews.(A) So the next day he released him(B) and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin(C) to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.

23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin(D) and said, “My brothers,(E) I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience(F) to this day.” At this the high priest Ananias(G) ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.(H) Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!(I) You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”(J)

Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”

Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’[a](K)

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees(L) and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers,(M) I am a Pharisee,(N) descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.”(O) When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,(P) and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)

There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees(Q) stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,”(R) they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”(S) 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.(T)

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!(U) As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”(V)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 23:5 Exodus 22:28

Paul is Brought before the Jewish Council

30 The next day, since the tribune[a] wanted to find out exactly what Paul[b] was being accused of by the Jews, he released him and ordered the high priests and the entire Council[c] to meet. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.

Paul Defends Himself

23 Paul looked straight at the Council[d] and said, “Brothers, with a clear conscience I have done my duty before God up to this very day.”

Then the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near him to strike him on the mouth. At this Paul told him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall![e] How can you sit there and judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?”

The men standing near him asked, “Do you mean to insult God’s high priest?”

Paul answered, “I didn’t realize, brothers, that he is the high priest. After all, it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’”[f]

When Paul saw that some of them were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he shouted in the Council,[g] “Brothers, I’m a Pharisee and a descendant[h] of Pharisees. I’m on trial concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected.”

After he said that, an angry quarrel broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided, because the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection and that there is no such thing as an angel or spirit, but the Pharisees believe in all those things.

There was a great deal of shouting until some of the scribes who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and argued forcefully, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

10 The quarrel was becoming violent, and the tribune was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he ordered the soldiers to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks. 11 That night the Lord stood near Paul[i] and said, “Have courage! For just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, you must testify in Rome, too.”

Footnotes

  1. Acts 22:30 Lit. he
  2. Acts 22:30 Lit. he
  3. Acts 22:30 Or Sanhedrin
  4. Acts 23:1 Or Sanhedrin
  5. Acts 23:3 I.e. hypocrite
  6. Acts 23:5 Cf. Exod 22:28
  7. Acts 23:6 Or Sanhedrin
  8. Acts 23:6 Or son
  9. Acts 23:11 Lit. him