as alsothe high priestand allthe Council of the elderscan testify.From them I alsoreceivedlettersto the brethren,and startedoff for Damascusin order to bringeventhosewho were thereto Jerusalemas prisonersto be punished.
Whenit was day,the Council of eldersof the peopleassembled,bothchief priestsand scribes,and they led Him awayto their council[chamber], saying,
At thistimePeterstoodup in the midstof the brethren(a gatheringof aboutone hundredand twentypersonswas there together),and said,
"Brethren,sonsof Abraham'sfamily,and thoseamongyou who fearGod,to us the messageof thissalvationhas been sent.
"Brethren,I mayconfidentlysayto you regardingthe patriarchDavidthat he bothdiedand was buried,and his tombis with us to thisday.
"Brethrenand fathers,hearmy defensewhich I now[offer] to you."
Paul,looking intentlyat the Council,said,"Brethren,I have lived my lifewith a perfectlygoodconsciencebefore Godup to thisday."
But perceivingthat onegroupwere Sadduceesand the otherPharisees,Paul[began] cryingout in the Council,"Brethren,I ama Pharisee,a sonof Pharisees;I am on trialfor the hopeand resurrectionof the dead!"
"And thisis justwhatI didin Jerusalem;not onlydid I lockup manyof the saintsin prisons,having receivedauthorityfrom the chief priests,but alsowhen they were being put to deathI castmy voteagainstthem.
"And as I punishedthem oftenin allthe synagogues,I tried to forcethem to blaspheme;and being furiouslyenragedat them, I kept pursuingthem evento foreigncities.
"Whilesoengaged as I was journeyingto Damascuswith the authorityand commissionof the chief priests,
AfterthreedaysPaul called togetherthosewho were the leading menof the Jews,and when they came together,he [began] sayingto them, "Brethren,though I had donenothingagainstour peopleorthe customsof our fathers,yet I was deliveredas a prisonerfrom Jerusaleminto the handsof the Romans.
They saidto him, "We have neitherreceivedlettersfrom Judeaconcerningyou, norhave anyof the brethrencome hereand reportedorspokenanythingbadaboutyou.
"And now,brethren,I knowthat you actedin ignorance,justas your rulersdid also.
On the next day,their rulersand eldersand scribeswere gathered togetherin Jerusalem;
Upon hearing[this], they enteredinto the templeaboutdaybreakand [began] to teach.Nowwhen the high priestand his associatescame,they calledthe Counciltogether,evenallthe Senateof the sonsof Israel,and sent[orders] to the prison housefor them to be brought.
and herehe hasauthorityfrom the chief prieststo bindallwho callon Your name."
For you have heardof my formermanner of lifein Judaism,howI used to persecutethe churchof Godbeyondmeasureand tried to destroyit;
as to zeal,a persecutorof the church;as to the righteousnesswhich is in the Law,foundblameless.
Do not neglectthe spiritual giftwithinyou, whichwas bestowedon you throughprophetic utterancewith the layingon of handsby the presbytery.
