Acts 23:1–15

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

23And looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, “Men and brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience before God to this day.” ²So the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike his mouth. ³Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! And are you sitting there judging me according to the law, and acting contrary to the law do you order me to be struck?” ⁴And those who stood nearby said, “Are you reviling the high priest of God?” ⁵And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”^a

⁶Now when^* Paul realized that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted out in the Sanhedrin, “Men and brothers! I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being judged concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead!” ⁷And when^* he said this, a dispute developed between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) ⁹And there was loud shouting, and some of the scribes from the party of the Pharisees stood up and^* contended sharply, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man! But what if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰And when^* the dispute became severe, the military tribune, fearing lest Paul be torn apart by them, ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from their midst, and bring him^* into the barracks.^{b 11}And the next night the Lord stood by him and^* said, “Have courage, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

A Conspiracy to Kill Paul

¹²And when it^* was day, the Jews made a conspiracy and^* bound themselves under a curse, saying they would^c neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³Now there were more than forty who had made this conspiracy, ¹⁴who went to the chief priests and the elders and^* said, “We have bound ourselves under a curse to partake of nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵Therefore, now you along with the Sanhedrin explain to the military tribune that he should bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine more accurately the things concerning him. And we are ready to do away with him before he comes near.”