Acts 23

1 Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”

And Paul having earnestly beheld the sanhedrim, said, 'Men, brethren, I in all good conscience have lived to God unto this day;'

2 At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to smite him on the mouth,

3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”

then Paul said unto him, 'God is about to smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, and thou — thou dost sit judging me according to the law, and, violating law, dost order me to be smitten!'

4 But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”

And those who stood by said, 'The chief priest of God dost thou revile?'

5 “Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”

and Paul said, 'I did not know, brethren, that he is chief priest: for it hath been written, Of the ruler of thy people thou shalt not speak evil;'

6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”

and Paul having known that the one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the sanhedrim, 'Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee — son of a Pharisee — concerning hope and rising again of dead men I am judged.'

7 As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,

8 For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection, nor angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no rising again, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.

9 A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

And there came a great cry, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part having arisen, were striving, saying, 'No evil do we find in this man; and if a spirit spake to him, or a messenger, we may not fight against God;'

10 The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.

and a great dissension having come, the chief captain having been afraid lest Paul may be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiery, having gone down, to take him by force out of the midst of them, and to bring [him] to the castle.

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”

And on the following night, the Lord having stood by him, said, 'Take courage, Paul, for as thou didst fully testify the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so it behoveth thee also at Rome to testify.'

12 When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

And day having come, certain of the Jews having made a concourse, did anathematize themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink till they may kill Paul;

13 More than forty of them were involved in this plot.

and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,

14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.

who having come near to the chief priests and to the elders said, 'With an anathema we did anathematize ourselves — to taste nothing till we have killed Paul;

15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”

now, therefore, ye, signify ye to the chief captain, with the sanhedrim, that to-morrow he may bring him down unto you, as being about to know more exactly the things concerning him; and we, before his coming nigh, are ready to put him to death.'

16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

And the son of Paul's sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the castle, told Paul,

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”

and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, 'This young man lead unto the chief captain, for he hath something to tell him.'

18 So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”

He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him unto the chief captain, and saith, 'The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked [me] this young man to bring unto thee, having something to say to thee.'

19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”

And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, 'What is that which thou hast to tell me?'

20 He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him.

and he said — 'The Jews agreed to request thee, that to-morrow to the sanhedrim thou mayest bring down Paul, as being about to enquire something more exactly concerning him;

21 Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”

thou, therefore, mayest thou not yield to them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who did anathematize themselves — not to eat nor to drink till they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from thee.'

22 So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged [him] to tell no one, 'that these things thou didst shew unto me;'

23 Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.

and having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, 'Make ready soldiers two hundred, that they may go on unto Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, from the third hour of the night;

24 Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”

beasts also provide, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe unto Felix the governor;'

25 And he wrote the following letter:

he having written a letter after this description:

26 Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.

'Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, hail:

27 This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,

This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them — having come with the soldiery, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman;

28 and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

and, intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their sanhedrim,

29 I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.

whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;

30 When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.

and a plot having been intimated to me against this man — about to be of the Jews — at once I sent unto thee, having given command also to the accusers to say the things against him before thee; be strong.'

31 So the soldiers followed their orders and brought Paul by night to Antipatris.

Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris,

32 The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.

and on the morrow, having suffered the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the castle;

33 When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.

those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, did present also Paul to him.

34 The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,

And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;

35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.

'I will hear thee — said he — when thine accusers also may have come;' he also commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.