Acts 23:1-11
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 23
1Now looking intently at the Council, Paul said, 'Brothers, I have lived my life with an entirely good conscience before God up to this day.' 2But the high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, 'God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law, order me to be struck?' 4But those present said, 'Are you insulting God’s high priest?' 5And Paul said, 'I was not aware, brothers, that he is high priest; for it is written: ‘YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.’?'
6But Paul, perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, began crying out in the Council, 'Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!'
7When he said this, a dissension occurred between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9And a great uproar occurred; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and started arguing heatedly, saying, 'We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?'
10And when a great dissension occurred, the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, and he ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
King James Version
Chapter 23
1And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. 2And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. 3Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? 4And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? 5Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. 6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
10And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 23
1Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience to this day." 2The high priest Ananias ordered those who were standing next to him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You are sitting there judging me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law are you ordering me to be struck?"
5"I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest," replied Paul. "For it is written, You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people."
6When Paul realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part were Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am being judged because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!"
7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all.
10When the dispute became violent, the commander feared that Paul might be torn apart by them and ordered the troops to go down, take him away from them, and bring him into the barracks.
11The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, "Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome."
New Living Translation
2Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth.
3But Paul said to him, 'God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?'
7This divided the council — the Pharisees against the Sadducees —
8for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these.
9So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. 'We see nothing wrong with him,' they shouted. 'Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him.'
10As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.
English Standard Version
Chapter 23
1And looking intently at the council, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day." 2And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?" 4Those who stood by said, "Would you revile God 's high priest?" 5And Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’"
6Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial."
7And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees ' party stood up and contended sharply, "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?"
10And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
New International Version
Chapter 23
1Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day." 2At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!"
6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead."
7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
9There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong with this man," they said. "What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"
10The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
New King James Version
Chapter 23
1Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” 2And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
7And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.
8For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
9Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”
