Acts 22:30-Acts 23:11 - Paul Before The Council

30 The commander wanted to find out for sure what the Jews were accusing Paul of. The next day he had Paul's chains taken off and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council to meet. Then he took Paul and made him stand before them.

1 Paul looked straight at the Council and said: Fellow Israelites! My conscience is perfectly clear about the way in which I have lived before God to this very day. 2 The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Paul said to him: God will strike you, white washed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the Law, and against law command me to be struck?

4 Those who stood near him said, Do you revile the high priest of God?

5 Then Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest. It is written: You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people. 6 When Paul saw that part of them were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin: Men! Brothers! I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I am being judged because of the hope and resurrection of the dead. 7 When he said this dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The crowd was divided. 8 The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit. The Pharisees believe both.

9 There arose a great cry. The scribes who were on the Pharisees' side arose and spoke, We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God. 10 The dispute became so violent the commander was afraid they would pull Paul to pieces. He commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him from among them by force, and to bring him into the barracks.

11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said: Be of good courage, Paul, for just as you testified about me in Jerusalem, so you also must bear witness at Rome.