Acts 23

1 And Paul, after looking intently at the council, said, Men, brothers, I have been a citizen in all good conscience to God until this day.

And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day.

2 And the high priest Ananias ordered those who stood by him to strike his mouth.

But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth.

3 Then Paul said to him, God is going to smite thee, a whitewashed wall. Thou even sit judging me according to the law, and violating law, thou command me to be struck?

Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten?

4 And those who stood by said, Thou revile God's high priest?

And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God?

5 And Paul said, I had not known, brothers, that he is a high priest, for it is written, Thou shall not speak ill of a ruler of thy people.

And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.

6 But when Paul ascertained that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee. About the hope and resurrection of the dead I am judged.

But Paul, knowing that the one part [of them] were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of [the] dead.

7 And when he said this, there developed a conflict of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group was divided.

And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.

8 For in fact Sadducees say to be no resurrection nor agent nor spirit, but Pharisees acknowledge them all.

For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them.

9 And there developed a great clamor. And some of the scholars of the Pharisees part having risen, they argued vehemently, saying, We find nothing wrong in this man. But if a spirit spoke to him, or an agent, we should not fight against God.

And there was a great clamour, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part rising up contended, saying, We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel...

10 And a great conflict having developed, the chief captain, having been alarmed lest Paul might be torn apart by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from the midst of them, and bring him into the fort.

And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the fortress.

11 And the following night the Lord, having stood by him, said, Cheer up, Paul, for as thou have testified these things about me at Jerusalem, so thou must testify also at Rome.

But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also.

12 And when it became day, some of the Jews, having made a conspiracy, put themselves under a curse, saying neither to eat nor to drink until they would kill Paul.

And when it was day, the Jews, having banded together, put themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul.

13 And there were more than forty who made this conspiracy,

And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath;

14 who, having come near to the chief priests and the elders, said, We have put ourselves under a curse, a curse to taste of nothing until we would kill Paul.

and they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul.

15 Now therefore ye with the council report to the chief captain that tomorrow he may bring him down to you, as though going to inquire more accurately the things about him. And we, before he comes near, are prepared to kill him.

Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him.

16 But the son of Paul's sister, having heard of the ambush, having come and entered into the fort, he informed Paul.

But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported [it] to Paul.

17 And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to inform him.

And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him.

18 Indeed therefore having taken him, he brought him to the chief captain, and says, Paul the prisoner, having called me, asked me to bring this young man to thee, who has something to say to thee.

He therefore, having taken him with [him], led him to the chiliarch, and says, The prisoner Paul called me to [him] and asked me to lead this youth to thee, who has something to say to thee.

19 And the chief captain having grasped his hand, and having gone in private, he asked him, What is it that thou have to inform me?

And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me?

20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee that tomorrow thou would bring Paul down to the council, as though going to inquire something more accurately about him.

And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him.

21 Therefore thou should not be persuaded by them, for more than forty men of them wait to ambush him, who have put themselves under an oath, neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him. And now they are ready, expecting the promise from thee.

Do not thou then be persuaded by them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they kill him; and now they are ready waiting the promise from thee.

22 Indeed therefore the chief captain dismissed the young man, having ordered, Tell no man that thou have shown these things to me.

The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding [him], Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me.

23 And having summoned a certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen at the third hour of the night.

And having called to [him] certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night.

24 And provide beasts, so that after mounting Paul, they may bring him safely to Felix the governor,

And [he ordered them] to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry [him] safe through to Felix the governor,

25 after writing a letter containing this form:

having written a letter, couched in this form:

26 Claudius Lysias to the eminent governor Felix, greeting.

Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.

27 This man who was seized by the Jews, and was going to be killed by them, having stood by with the soldiers, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman.

This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out [of their hands], having learned that he was a Roman.

28 And wanting to know for what reason they accused him, I brought him down to their council,

And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;

29 whom I found accusing about issues of their law, having not one accusation worthy of death or of bonds.

whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him [making him] worthy of death or of bonds.

30 And when it was reported to me of a plot going to be against the man by the Jews, I immediately sent him to thee, also having commanded the accusers to speak before thee the things against him. Be strong.

But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man [by the Jews], I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. [Farewell.]

31 Indeed therefore, the soldiers, according to that which was precisely arranged for them, having taken Paul, they brought him through the night to Antipatris.

The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris,

32 But on the morrow they returned to the fort, having allowed the horsemen to depart with him,

and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress.

33 who, after coming to Caesarea and having delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him.

And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.

34 And the governor having read it, and having questioned from what province he was, and having found out that he was from Cilicia,

And having read [it], and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that [he was] of Cilicia,

35 he said, I will hear thee when thine accusers also will arrive. And he commanded him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.

he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.