Reference: Sanhedrin or Sanhedrim
Morish
The Greek word is ?????????, 'a sitting together': it is always translated 'council' in the A.V. There appears to be no Hebrew equivalent to the name. The Jews trace its origin to the seventy elders chosen to assist Moses, Nu 11:16-17; but nothing is said of such a council in the time of the kingdom; and it is probable that it was instituted in the time of the Maccabees. The early writers do not say how it was composed; from the N.T. we find it consisted of the chief priests, or heads of the twenty-four courses, the elders, lawyers, and the scribes. It was the highest court of the Jews, acting 'in all causes, and over all persons, ecclesiastical and civil.' Its decisions were binding on Jews everywhere. Its powers were curtailed by Herod and afterwards by the Romans, who prevented the Jews from putting any one to death legally. Joh 18:31. The Lord, Lu 22:66; Peter and John, Ac 4:1-23; 5:17-41; Stephen, Ac 6:12-15; and Paul, Ac 22:30; 23:1-10; were arraigned before the Sanhedrin.
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And the LORD said unto Moses, "Gather unto me seventy of the elders of Israel, which thou knowest that they are the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them unto the tabernacle of witness, and let them stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there, and take of the spirit which is upon thee and put upon them, and they shall bear with thee in the burden of the people, and so shalt thou not bear alone.
And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people, and the high priests and scribes, came together, and led him into their council saying,
Then said Pilate unto them, "Take ye him unto you, and judge him after your own law." Then the Jews said unto him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death."
As they spake unto the people, the priests and the ruler of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, taking it grievously that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from death. read more. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold until the next day. For it was now eventide. Howbeit, many of them, which heard the words, believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. And it chanced on the morrow that their rulers, and elders, and scribes: as Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest: were gathered together at Jerusalem, and set the other before them, and asked, "By what power, or in what name, have ye done this, sirs?" Then Peter, full of the holy ghost, said unto them, "Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day are examined of the good deed done to the sick man by what means he is made whole: be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, and whom God raised from death again, even by him doth this man stand here present before you whole. This is the stone cast aside of you builders which is set in the chief place of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other. Nor yet also is there any other name given to men wherein we must be saved." When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were unlearned men and lay people, they marveled: and they knew them, that they were with Jesus. And beholding also the man which was healed standing with them, they could not say against it, but they commanded them to go aside out of the council; And counseled among themselves, saying, "What shall we do to these men? For a manifest sign is done by them, and is openly known to all them that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it: But that it be noised no farther among the people, let us threaten and charge them that they speak henceforth to no man in this name." And they called them, and commanded them that in no wise they should speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered unto them and said, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you more than God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak that which we have seen and heard." So threatened they them and let them go; And found nothing how to punish them, because of the people: For all men lauded God for the miracle which was done. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed. As soon as they were let go, they came to their fellows, and showed all that the high priests and elders had said to them.
Then the chief priest rose up, and all they that were with him: which is the sect of the Sadducees: and were full of indignation, and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. read more. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them forth, and said, "Go step forth, and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." When they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught. The chief priest came and they that were with him and called a council together, and all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to fetch them. When the ministers came and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, saying, "The prison found we shut as sure as was possible and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened we found no man within." When the chief priest of all and the ruler of the temple and the high priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. Then came one and showed them, "Behold, the men that ye put in prison stand in the temple, and teach the people." Then went the ruler of the temple with ministers, and brought them without violence. For they feared the people lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the chief priest asked them, saying, "Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and ye intend to bring this man's blood upon us." Peter and the other apostles answered, and said, "We ought more to obey God than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on tree. Him hath God lift up with his right hand, to be a ruler and a saviour: for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his records as concerning these things: and also the holy ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." When they heard that, they clave asunder, and sought means to slay them. Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of law, had in authority among all the people and bade to put the apostles aside a little space, and said unto them, "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. Before these days rose up one Theudas boasting himself, to whom resorted a number of men, about a four hundred, which was slain, and they all which believed him were scattered abroad, and brought to nought. After this man arose there up one Judas of Galilee, in the time when tribute began, and drew away much people after him. He also perished: and all, even as many as harkened to him, are scattered abroad. And now I say unto you: refrain yourselves from these men, let them alone: For if the counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: but and if it be of God, ye cannot destroy it, lest haply ye be found to strive against God." And to him they agreed, and called the apostles, and beat them, and commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name.
and they moved the people, and the elders, and the scribes: and they came upon him and caught him, and brought him to the council, and brought forth false witnesses which said, "This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law, read more. for we heard him say, 'This Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the ordinances which Moses gave unto us.'" And all that sat in the council looked steadfastly on him, and saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
On the morrow he loosed him from his bonds, desiring to know the certainty for what cause he was accused of the Jews, and commanded the high priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul, and set him before them.
Paul beheld the council and said, "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." The high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth. read more. Then said Paul to him, "God shall smite thee, thou painted wall. Sittest thou and judgest me after the law: and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?" And they that stood by said, "Revilest thou God's high priest?" Then said Paul, "I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest. For it is written, 'Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people.'" When Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. Of hope, and of resurrection from death I am judged." And when he had so said, there arose a debate between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit. But the Pharisees grant both. And there arose a great cry, and the scribes which were of the Pharisees' part arose and strove, saying, "We find none evil in this man. Though a spirit, or an angel hath appeared to him, let us not strive against God." And when there arose great debate, the captain fearing lest Paul should have been plucked asunder of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him from among them, and to bring him into the castle.