Acts 23:1-10

1Paul, looking intently at 1the 2Council, said, “3Brethren, 4I have 5lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” 2The high priest 6Ananias commanded those standing beside him 7to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, 8you whitewashed wall! Do you 9sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” 4But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 5And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘10You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

6But perceiving that one group were 11Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in 12the 13Council, “14Brethren, 15I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for 16the hope and resurrection of the dead!” 7As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8For 17the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9And there occurred a great uproar; and some of 18the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “19We find nothing wrong with this man; 20suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10And as a great dissension was developing, the 21commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into 22the barracks.