If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

So Paul stood ¹  before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious ²  in all respects. ³ 

“I absolutely despise ¹  your festivals! I get no pleasure ²  from your religious assemblies!

And one of them, an expert in religious law, ¹  asked him a question to test ²  him:

On the next day, ¹  their rulers, elders, and experts in the law ²  came together ³  in Jerusalem. ⁴ 

However, the Pharisees ¹  and the experts in religious law ²  rejected God’s purpose ³  for themselves, because they had not been baptized ⁴  by John. ⁵ ) ⁶ 

After ¹  they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

One of the experts in religious law ¹  answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult ²  us too.”

So ¹  Jesus asked ²  the experts in religious law ³  and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath ⁴  or not?”

But Jesus ¹  replied, ²  “Woe to you experts in religious law as well! ³  You load people ⁴  down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch ⁵  the burdens with even one of your fingers!

But I say to you, do not take oaths at all – not by heaven, because it is the throne of God,

“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. ¹  They will condemn him to death,

Then ¹  they led Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests and elders and experts in the law ²  came together.

Now ¹  an expert in religious law ²  stood up to test Jesus, ³  saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ⁴ 

Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away ¹  the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered ²  those who were going in.”

When day came, the council of the elders of the people gathered together, both the chief priests and the experts in the law. ¹  Then ²  they led Jesus ³  away to their council ⁴ 

They incited the people, the ¹  elders, and the experts in the law; ²  then they approached Stephen, ³  seized him, and brought him before the council. ⁴ 

Even some of the provincial authorities ¹  who were his friends sent ²  a message ³  to him, urging him not to venture ⁴  into the theater.

I found he ¹  was accused with reference to controversial questions ²  about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. ³ 

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. ¹