17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their ^asynagogues,

34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your ^xsynagogues and ^ypersecute from town to town,

11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, ^gdo not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,

2 They will ^gput you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you ^hwill think he is offering service to God.

Peter and John Before the Council

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the ^xSadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the ^yresurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in ^zcustody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the ^anumber of the men came to about five thousand.

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, ^bsaid to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today ^cconcerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the ^dname of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ^eyou crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus¹ is ^fthe stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the ^gcornerstone.² 12 And there is ^hsalvation in no one else, for there is no other ⁱname under heaven given among men³ by which we must be saved.”

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were ^juneducated, common men, they were astonished. ^kAnd they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had ^lnothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and ^mcharged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is ⁿright in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we ^ocannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were ^ppraising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

Paul Before the Council

30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all ^sgood conscience up to this day.” 2 And the ^thigh priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him ^uon the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you ^vwhitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me ^waccording to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” 4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ^x‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, ^yI am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the ^zhope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” 7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no ^aresurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find ^bnothing wrong in this man. ^cWhat 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 by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.

11 The following ^dnight the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must ^etestify also in Rome.”