1. Paul, looking intently at the Sanhedrin, said, “Brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience for God up to this day.”
2. But the kohen gadol Ananias ordered those standing by him to strike him on the mouth.
3. Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you on the mouth, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the Torah, and yet in violation of the Torah you order me to be struck?”
4. Those standing nearby said, “Do you insult God’s kohen gadol ?”
5. Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he is the kohen gadol . For it has been written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
6. But recognizing that one group was Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!”
7. When he said this, a dispute broke out 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 affirm them all.
9. Then there was a great uproar. Some of the Torah scholars of the Pharisees’ party stood up and protested sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man! What if a spirit or angel has spoken to him?”
10. As a big dispute was developing, the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them. So he ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and to bring him into headquarters.
11. The following night the Lord stood beside Paul and said, “Take courage! For just as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome!”
12. When it was day, the Judean leaders formed a conspiracy. They bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13. There were more than forty who formed this plot.
14. They went to the ruling kohanim and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
15. So now you and the Sanhedrin serve notice to the commander to bring him down to you—like you are about to investigate his case more thoroughly. But we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
16. But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush. He went into the headquarters and told Paul.