Acts 23:1-11 So Paul, looking intently (riveting his gaze) at the Sanhedrin (Jewish High Council) said, "Men! Brothers (= Fellow Jews)! I myself have lived and behaved as a citizen in all good conscience to and for God (or: with a completely clear joint-knowledge and with virtuous shared-sight, I have conducted my citizenship in God and managed the affairs of His city for God), up to this day!"

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ So Paul, looking intently (riveting his gaze) at the Sanhedrin (Jewish High Council) said, "Men! Brothers (= Fellow Jews)! I myself have lived and behaved as a citizen in all good conscience to and for God (or: with a completely clear joint-knowledge and with virtuous shared-sight, I have conducted my citizenship in God and managed the affairs of [His] city for God), up to this day!" ² But Ananias [note: son of Nebedaeus], the chief priest [note: nominated as high priest by Herod, King of Chalcis in A.D. 48], placed a directive upon those standing beside him to proceed in striking his mouth. ³ At that point Paul said to him, "God is now about to be striking you, you whitewashed wall! And so you yourself are now sitting, continuing in judging me according to the Law, and at the same time [you are] transgressing the Law (acting illegally) [by] proceeding in ordering me to be repeatedly struck (or: beaten)!" ⁴ So those standing by say, "Are you now reproaching and reviling God's chief priest?" ⁵ At this Paul affirmed, "Brothers, I had not seen so I was not aware that he is a chief priest, for it has been written, 'You will not continue speaking badly [of] a ruler of your people.'" [Ex. 22:28] ⁶ Now Paul, knowing from personal experience that in the Sanhedrin (High Council) the one part (or: party) is of [the] Sadducees, yet the different part [is] of [the] Pharisees, suddenly cries out, "Men! Brothers (= Fellow Jews)! I myself am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I myself am presently being judged (or: am now standing on trial) concerning [the] expectation – even [the] resurrection of dead folks!" ⁷ Well, during his saying this, there came to be a taking of a stand creating a dispute between Pharisees and Sadducees, and so the whole group was split (torn apart). ⁸ You see, Sadducees are indeed normally saying there is not to be a resurrection – neither [are there] agent (or: messenger) or spirit (or: breath-effect), yet Pharisees normally concede both (or: consent and agree to all [of it]). ⁹ So a great outcry broke out with shouts and screaming, and then standing up, some of the scribes (theologians; Torah experts) of the party of the Pharisees began fighting through the midst, contending vehemently, as a group saying, "We continue finding nothing wrong (bad; worthless) in this person! Now since (or: if) a spirit (or: breath-effect) or an agent (or: messenger) spoke (or: speaks) to him..." ¹⁰ Yet, with so much commotion and dispute occurring and becoming so violent, the commander – fearing [that] Paul would at some point be torn in two (or: pulled apart) by them – commanded the troop (band of soldiers) to bring [him] into the barracks after descending to snatch him out of the midst of them. ¹¹ Now in the following night, the Lord [= Christ or Yahweh], while standing by him, said, "Be increasingly receiving courage and confidence, for as you delivered a thorough witness of the things concerning Me into Jerusalem, in this way it continues binding and necessary for you yourself to deliver a witness (a testimony; evidence) into Rome also."