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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, when it was day, the eldership of the people was gathered together, both high priests and scribes; and they led Him away into their Sanhedrin, saying,
Pilate, therefore, said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to kill anyone:"
But, as they were speaking to the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being greatly troubled because of their teaching the people, and declaring in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. read more. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody till the next day; for it was now evening. And many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men became about five thousand. And it came to pass, the next day, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest. And, having set them in the midst, they were inquiring, "In what power or in what name, did ye do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are this day examined in regard to a good deed done to an impotent man, by what means this person has been made whole; be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, Whom ye crucified, Whom God raised from the dead, in Him does this man stand here before you well! This is the Stone That was set at naught by you, the builders, Which was made into a head of a corner. And in no one else is there salvation; for neither is there any other name under Heaven, that has been given among men, in Which we must be saved." Now, beholding the boldness of Peter and John, and perceiving that they were unlettered and ignorant men, they were wondering; they also were recognizing them, that they had been with Jesus; and, seeing the man who had been healed, standing with them, they had nothing to say against it. But, having ordered them to go aside out of the Sanhedrin, they were conferring one with another, saying, "What shall we do to these men? for, indeed, that a notable sign has been done through them is manifest to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it; but, that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak no more to any man in This Name." And, having called them they charged them not to speak at all, nor teach, in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John, answering, said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken to you, rather than to God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard." And they, when they had further threatened them, released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people; because all were glorifying God for what had taken place; for the man, on whom this sign of healing had been done, was more than forty years old. And, being released, they went to their own friends, and reported all that the high priests and the elders said to them.
And the high priest, rising up, and all those with him, being the sect of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy, and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in a public prison. read more. But an angel of the Lord, by night, opened the prison doors; and, having led them out, said, "Go, and, standing, speak in the temple, to the people, all the words of this life." And, having heard this, they entered at dawn, into the temple, and were teaching. And the high priest, having come, and those with him, called together the Sanhedrin, and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought. But the officers, having come, did not find them in the prison, and, returning, they told, saying, "The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the prison-keepers standing at the doors; but, having opened, we found no one within." Now, when both the captain of the temple and the high priests heard these words, they were thoroughly perplexed concerning them, what this might become. But a certain one, coming near, told them, "Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people!" Then the captain, having gone away with the officers, brought them, not with violence, for they were fearing the people, lest they should be stoned; and, having brought them, they set them before the Sanhedrin. And the high priest asked them, saying, "We strictly charged you not to teach in This Name; and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching! and intend to bring upon us the blood of This Man!" But Peter and the apostles, answering, said, "It is proper to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, Whom ye slew, having suspended Him on a tree: This One God exalted as a Prince and Savior, with His right hand, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; also the Holy Spirit, Whom God gave to those who obey Him." And they, hearing it, were being convulsed with rage, and were taking counsel to slay them. But a certain one, having risen up in the council?? Pharisee, by name Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people??rdered to put the men without a little while. And he said to them, "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves with regard to these men, what ye are about to do; for before these days arose Theudas, alleging that he himself was somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were disbanded, and came to nothing. After this arose Judas, the Galilean, in the days of the enrollment, and drew away people after him; he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. And now I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them alone; for, if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown; but, if it be of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest perhaps ye be found even fighting against God." And to him they assented; and calling the apostles to them, beating them, they charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go, They, therefore, were going from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they were accounted worthy to suffer dishonor in behalf of The Name.
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the Scribes; and, coming upon him, they seized him, and brought him to the Sanhedrin, and set up false witnesses, who said, "This man does not cease speaking words against this holy place, and the law; read more. for we have heard him say, that This Jesus, the Nazarene, will overthrow this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us." And all those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin, gazing intently at him, saw his face as it were an angel's face.
And, on the morrow, wishing to know the certainty, wherefore he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and gave orders that the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin should assemble together; and, bringing Paul down, he set him among them.
And Paul, looking intently on the Sanhedrin, said, "Brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." And the high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by, to smite him on the mouth. read more. Then Paul said to him, "God is about to smite you??ou whited wall! And do you sit judging me according to the law, and, in violation of law, command me to be smitten?" And those standing by said, "Do you revile God's high priest?" And Paul said, "I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest; for it has been written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'" And Paul, perceiving that the one part was of the Sadducees, and the other of the Pharisees, was crying out in the Sanhedrin, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; concerning the hope and resurrection from the dead, I am being judged." And, when he said this, there arose a dissension of the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge both. And there arose a great clamor, and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees, rising up, were fiercely contending, saying, "We find no evil in this man; but, if a spirit spake to him, or an angel ??" And, when a great dissension was arising, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul might be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers, going down, to take him by force out of their midst, and lead him into the castle.