24
the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.
25
As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, âIs it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasnât even been found guilty?â
26
When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. âWhat are you going to do?â he asked. âThis man is a Roman citizen.â
29
Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.
30
The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
3
Then Paul said to him, âGod 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!â
5
Paul replied, âBrothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: âDo not speak evil about the ruler of your people.â â
6
Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, âMy brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.â
9
There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. âWe find nothing wrong with this man,â they said. âWhat if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?â
10
The 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.
11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, âTake courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.â