Book of Common Prayer

The Romans Take Paul Before The Sanhedrin

³⁰ And on the next day, wanting to know the certainty as to why he was being accused by the Jews, he released^[a] him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to come together. And having brought Paul down, he stood him before them. 23 ¹ And Paul, having looked-intently at the Sanhedrin, said, “Men, brothers, I have conducted-myself ^[b] with all good conscience before God up to this day”. ² And the high priest Ananias^[c] commanded the ones standing near him to strike his mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you— whitewashed wall! Do You indeed sit there judging me according to the Law, and violating-the-Law, order that I be struck?” ⁴ And the ones standing near said, “Are you reviling the high priest of God?” ⁵ And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it has been written [in Ex 22:28] that ‘You shall not speak badly of a ruler of your people’”.

Paul Divides The Assembly Over The Question of The Resurrection

⁶ And Paul, having known that the one part of them was of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees, was crying-out in the Sanhedrin, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am being judged concerning the hope^[d] and resurrection of the dead”. ⁷ And he having said this, a dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees took place, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For Sadducees say that there is not a resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit— but Pharisees confess all^[e] three. ⁹ And a great clamor took place. And having stood up, some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part were battling, saying, “We are finding no evil in this man. And what if a spirit did speak to him, or an angel?”

The Romans Take Paul Away

¹⁰ And while a great dispute was taking place, the commander— having feared that Paul might be torn-to-pieces by them— ordered the troop^[f], having gone down, to snatch him out of the midst of them and bring him to the barracks.

That Night The Lord Appears To Paul And Says He Will Also Testify In Rome

¹¹ And on the following^[g] night, the Lord, having stood near him, said, “Take-courage. For as you solemnly-testified in Jerusalem as to the things concerning Me, so you must also testify in Rome”.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic To Prove He Has Authority To Forgive Sins

2 And having entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that He was at home^[a]. ² And many were gathered together, so that the house was no longer having-room, not even the places at the door. And He was speaking the word to them. ³ And they come bringing to Him a paralytic being picked-up by four men. ⁴ And not being able to bring him to Him because of the crowd, they unroofed the roof where He was. And having dug out an opening, they lower the cot on-which the paralytic was lying-down. ⁵ And Jesus, having seen their faith, says to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven”. ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why is this One speaking in this manner? He is blaspheming. Who is able to forgive sins except One— God?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, having known^[b] in His spirit that they were reasoning in this manner within themselves, says to them “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier— to say to the paralytic ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say ‘Arise, and pick-up your cot and walk’? ¹⁰ But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”— He says to the paralytic, ¹¹ “I say to you, arise, pick up your cot and go to your house”. ¹² And he arose, and immediately having picked-up the cot, went out in front of everyone, so that everyone was astonished^[c] and glorifying God, saying that “We never saw anything like this”.