Paul before the Sanhedrin

23 Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin[fn] [and] said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”

2 At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near [Paul] to strike him on the mouth.

3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike [you], you whitewashed wall! You sit [here] to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”

4 But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”

5 “Brothers,” Paul replied, I was not aware that he was [the] high priest, for it is written Do not speak evil [about the] ruler of your people.’[fn]”

6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, [the] son of a Pharisee. [It is] because of [my] hope in the resurrection of [the] dead [that] I am on trial.”

7 As soon as he had said [this], a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For [the] Sadducees say [that] there is neither a resurrection nor angels nor spirits, but [the] Pharisees acknowledge them all.

9 A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up [and] contended sharply “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 [The] dispute grew so violent [that] the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces He ordered the soldiers to go down [and] remove him by force and bring [him] into the barracks.

11 The following night the Lord stood near [Paul] [and] said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”