Acts 23:1-9 ▼

1 Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, |Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.|

2 The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth.

3 Then 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?|

4 But the bystanders said, |Do you revile God's high priest?|

5 And Paul said, |I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.'|

6 But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul [began] crying out in the Council, |Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!|

7 As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

9 And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and [began] to argue heatedly, saying, |We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?|