1 Paul stared at the council and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life with an altogether clear conscience right up to this very day."
2 The high priest Ananias ordered those standing beside Paul to strike him in the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit and judge me according to the Law, yet disobey the Law by ordering that I be struck."
4 Those standing near him asked, "You dare to insult God’s high priest?"
5 Paul replied, "Brothers, I wasn’t aware that he was the high priest. It is written, You will not speak evil about a ruler of your people."
6 Knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, Paul exclaimed in the council, "Brothers, I’m a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I am on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!"