Acts 22:30-23:11

New American Standard Bible 1995

³⁰ But on the next day, ^(A)wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he ^(B)released him and ordered the chief priests and all ^(C)the ^[a]Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

Paul before the Council

23 Paul, looking intently at ^(D)the ^[b]Council, said, “^(E)Brethren, ^(F)I have ^[c]lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” ² The high priest ^(G)Ananias commanded those standing beside him ^(H)to strike him on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, ^(I)you whitewashed wall! Do you ^(J)sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” ⁴ But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” ⁵ And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘^(K)You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

⁶ But perceiving that one group were ^(L)Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in ^(M)the ^[d]Council, “^(N)Brethren, ^(O)I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for ^(P)the hope and resurrection of the dead!” ⁷ As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For ^(Q)the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. ⁹ And there occurred a great uproar; and some of ^(R)the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “^(S)We find nothing wrong with this man; ^(T)suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰ And as a great dissension was developing, the ^[e]commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into ^(U)the barracks.

¹¹ But on ^(V)the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “^(W)Take courage; for ^(X)as you have ^(Y)solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”