16, 17. (a) Describe what happened when Paul addressed the Sanhedrin. (b) When he was struck, how did Paul set an example of humility?

¹⁶ Beginning his defense before the Sanhedrin, Paul said: “Men, brothers, I have behaved before God with a perfectly clear conscience down to this day.” (Acts 23:1) He got no further. The record says: “At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to strike him on the mouth.” (Acts 23:2) What an insult! And what a revelation of prejudice, to brand Paul a liar before any evidence was heard! No wonder Paul responded: “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you sit to judge me according to the Law and at the same time violate the Law by commanding me to be struck?”​—Acts 23:3.

¹⁷ Some standing by professed shock​—not at the one who struck Paul but at Paul’s reaction! They demanded: “Are you insulting the high priest of God?” In answer, Paul gave them a lesson in humility and in respect for the Law. He said: “Brothers, I did not know he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You must not speak injuriously of a ruler of your people.’”d (Acts 23:4, 5; Ex. 22:28) Paul now adopted a different strategy. Taking note that the Sanhedrin was made up of Pharisees and Sadducees, he said: “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Over the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am being judged.”​—Acts 23:6.

18. Why did Paul call himself a Pharisee, and how might we use similar reasoning in certain circumstances?

¹⁸ Why did Paul call himself a Pharisee? Because he was “a son of Pharisees” from a family belonging to that sect. Hence, many would still view him as such.e How, though, could Paul associate himself with the Pharisees’ belief in a resurrection? Reportedly, the Pharisees believed that a conscious soul survived death and that the souls of the righteous would live again in human bodies. Paul did not believe such notions. He believed in the resurrection as taught by Jesus. (John 5:25-29) Still, Paul did agree with the Pharisees that there was a hope of life beyond death​—as opposed to the Sadducees, who did not believe in a future life. We might use similar reasoning when discussing matters with Catholics or Protestants. We could say that like them, we believe in God. Granted, they may believe in the Trinity while we believe in the God of the Bible. Still, we do share the belief that there is a God.

19. Why did the meeting of the Sanhedrin break up in disorder?

¹⁹ Paul’s statement split the Sanhedrin. The record says: “A great uproar broke out, and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose and began arguing fiercely, saying: ‘We find nothing wrong in this man, but if a spirit or an angel spoke to him—.’” (Acts 23:9) The very suggestion that an angel might have spoken to Paul was anathema to the Sadducees, who did not believe in angels! (See the box “The Sadducees and the Pharisees.”) The tumult became so great that the Roman military commander once again rescued the apostle. (Acts 23:10) Still, Paul was hardly out of danger. What would happen to the apostle now? We will learn more in the following chapter.

1, 2. Why is Paul not surprised by the persecution he is facing in Jerusalem?

SNATCHED from an angry mob in Jerusalem, Paul is in custody once again. The zealous apostle is not surprised by the persecution he is facing here in Jerusalem. He was told to expect “imprisonment and tribulations” in this city. (Acts 20:22, 23) And while not exactly certain of what may lie ahead, Paul knows that he will continue to suffer for Jesus’ name.​—Acts 9:16.

² Even Christian prophets warned Paul that he would be bound and delivered “into the hands of people of the nations.” (Acts 21:4, 10, 11) Recently, a Jewish crowd sought to kill him, and shortly thereafter, it seemed as if he “would be torn apart” by the members of the Sanhedrin as they argued over him. Now the apostle is a prisoner in the custody of Roman soldiers and facing more trials and accusations. (Acts 21:31; 23:10) Indeed, the apostle Paul needs encouragement!

 3. From where do we receive encouragement to press on in our preaching work?

³ In this time of the end, we know that “all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.” (2 Tim. 3:12) From time to time, we too need encouragement to press on in our preaching work. How grateful we are for the timely, heartening words we receive through the publications and the meetings arranged by “the faithful and discreet slave”! (Matt. 24:45) Jehovah has assured us that no enemies of the good news will succeed. They will neither destroy his servants as a group nor stop their preaching work. (Isa. 54:17; Jer. 1:19) What, though, about the apostle Paul? Did he receive encouragement to continue bearing thorough witness despite opposition? If so, what was it, and how did he respond?

4, 5. What encouragement did Paul receive, and why was it timely?

⁴ The apostle Paul received much-needed encouragement on the night following his rescue from the Sanhedrin. The inspired account tells us: “The Lord stood by him and said: ‘Take courage! For just as you have been giving a thorough witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.’” (Acts 23:11) With those encouraging words from Jesus, Paul was assured of deliverance. He knew that he would survive to reach Rome and have the privilege of bearing witness to Jesus there.

⁵ The encouragement given Paul was timely. The very next day, over 40 Jewish men “formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.” This “oath-bound conspiracy” showed just how determined those Jews were to murder the apostle. If they did not succeed in carrying out their plot, the end result, they believed, would be a curse, or an evil, to them. (Acts 23:12-15) Their plan, sanctioned by the chief priests and the elders, was to have Paul brought back to the Sanhedrin for further questioning, as if to ascertain matters concerning him more accurately. But en route, the conspirators would be lying in wait to pounce on Paul and kill him.

 6. How was the plot to kill Paul uncovered, and what example may young people today find in this account?

⁶ Paul’s nephew, however, heard of this plot and reported it to Paul. In turn, Paul had the young man report it to the Roman military commander Claudius Lysias. (Acts 23:16-22) Surely Jehovah loves young ones who, like this unnamed nephew of Paul, courageously put the welfare of God’s people ahead of their own and faithfully do whatever they can to promote Kingdom interests.

7, 8. What arrangements did Claudius Lysias make for Paul’s safety?

⁷ Immediately on being informed about the plot against Paul, Claudius Lysias, who commanded 1,000 men, ordered that a military guard of 470​—soldiers, spearmen, and horsemen—​be formed to leave Jerusalem that night and safely conduct Paul to Caesarea. Once there, he was to be turned over to Governor Felix.a Although Caesarea, the Roman administrative capital of Judea, had a substantial number of Jewish residents, it was populated mainly by Gentiles. The orderly conditions existing there contrasted with the situation that prevailed in Jerusalem, where many displayed emotional religious prejudice and were involved in riots. Caesarea was also the main headquarters of the Roman military forces in Judea.

⁸ Complying with Roman law, Lysias sent a letter to Felix outlining the case. Lysias mentioned that on learning that Paul was a Roman citizen, he had rescued Paul when he “was about to be killed” by the Jews. Lysias stated that he did not find Paul guilty of anything “deserving of death or prison bonds,” but because of a plot against Paul, he was turning him over to Felix so that the governor could hear the accusers and render judgment on the matter.​—Acts 23:25-30.

 9. (a) How were Paul’s rights as a Roman citizen violated? (b) Why might we take advantage of our rights as citizens of a country?

⁹ Was Lysias truthful in what he wrote? Not entirely. It seems that he was trying to present himself in the most favorable light. He really had not come to Paul’s rescue because he found out that the apostle was a Roman citizen. Additionally, Lysias failed to mention that he had had Paul “bound with two chains” and had later given the order that he “be interrogated under scourging.” (Acts 21:30-34; 22:24-29) Lysias had thereby violated Paul’s rights as a Roman citizen. Today, Satan uses the religious fanaticism of opposers to fan the flames of persecution, and we may find our civil liberties violated. But like Paul, God’s people can often take advantage of the rights accorded them as citizens of a country and seek protection under the law.

10. What serious accusations were leveled against Paul?

¹⁰ In Caesarea, Paul was “kept under guard in Herod’s palace” to await the arrival of the accusers from Jerusalem. (Acts 23:35)