1
Paul looked at the Jewish council and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life without guilt feelings before God up to this day."
2
Ananias, the high priest, heard this and told the men who were standing near Paul to hit him on the mouth.
3
Paul said to Ananias, "God will hit you, too! You are like a wall that has been painted white. You sit there and judge me, using the law of Moses, but you are telling them to hit me, and that is against the law."
4
The men standing near Paul said to him, "You cannot insult God's high priest like that!
5
Paul said, "Brothers, I did not know this man was the high priest. It is written in the Scriptures, 'You must not curse a leader of your people.'"
6
Some of the men in the meeting were Sadducees, and others were Pharisees. Knowing this, Paul shouted to them, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, and my father was a Pharisee. I am on trial here because I believe that people will rise from the dead."