Now ¹  there was a man named Joseph who was a member of the council, ²  a good and righteous man.

When they had brought them, they stood them before the council, ¹  and the high priest questioned ²  them,

All ¹  who were sitting in the council ²  looked intently at Stephen ³  and saw his face was like the face of an angel. ⁴ 

Since I wanted to know ¹  what charge they were accusing him of, ²  I brought him down to their council. ³ 

But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, ¹  they began to confer with one another,

Or these men here ¹  should tell what crime ²  they found me guilty of ³  when I stood before the council, ⁴ 

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 

Beware ¹  of people, because they will hand you over to councils ²  and flog ³  you in their synagogues. ⁴ 

Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, ¹  who was himself looking forward to ²  the kingdom of God, ³  went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁴ 

But a Pharisee ¹  whose name was Gamaliel, ²  a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up ³  in the council ⁴  and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.

So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthy ¹  to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. ² 

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 

Paul looked directly ¹  at the council ²  and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience ³  before God to this day.”

The ¹  chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything.

So the chief priests and the Pharisees ¹  called the council ²  together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs.

Then, after conferring with his council, ¹  Festus ²  replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; ³  to Caesar ⁴  you will go!” ⁵ 

Do you listen in on God’s secret council? ¹  Do you limit ²  wisdom to yourself?

a God who is honored ¹  in the great angelic assembly, ²  and more awesome than ³  all who surround him?

O my soul, do not come into their council, do not be united to their assembly, my heart, ¹  for in their anger they have killed men, and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen.