1. And looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, “Men and brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience before God to this day.”
2. So the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike his mouth.
3. Then 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?”
4. And those who stood nearby said, “Are you reviling the high priest of God?”
5. And 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.’ ”
6. Now 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!”
7. And 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.)
9. And 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?”
10. And 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.
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.”
12. And when it was day, the Jews made a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
13. Now there were more than forty who had made this conspiracy,
14. who 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.
15. Therefore, 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.”
16. But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered into the barracks and reported it to Paul.