ACTS 23 1-15

         WeekLy BooK oF Acts 

1 - And looking intently at those in the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience right up to this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias told those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 And Paul said, “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?”

     4 But some standing by said, “Would you insult God's high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he’s the high priest.. it’s written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

     6 Now when Paul saw that one part of the group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers! I’m a Pharisee! And a son of Pharisees. It’s because of the hope [elpis - expectation] of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!” 7 {Wow, rabble rouser.. Took a page from leader’s/establishment’s book!} And when he said this, an argument broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. {Division, tool and siren call of the world.. to?} 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, no angels, no spirit, but the Pharisees believe in them all. 9 And 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?”10 And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces, commanded the soldiers to go and take him by force from among them, and bring him to the barracks.

     11 The following night the Lord stood by Paul and said, “Take courage, as you’ve testified about me in Jerusalem, so also will you testify in Rome.”

     12 On the next day, some men made a plot and binding theirselves with an oath, said they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty men who made this conspiracy. 14 So they went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We’ve strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Paul. 15 So you, along with the council, send to the tribune to bring him down to you again, as though you’re going to examine his case more fully. For we’re ready to kill him before he gets here.”

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      {  } - thots

By Necessity Paraphrased

Weekly ‘Enter the Story’ Reading & Study