Acts 23
1 Paul, looking sraight at the council, said, “Brothers, right up to now I have always conducted myself before God with a clear conscience.”
And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day.
2 Ananias the high priest ordered the officers standing beside Paul to hit him on the mouth.
But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth.
3 Paul said to him, “God will hit you, you whitewashed wall! You're sitting there to judge me according to the law, and you order me to be hit in contravention of the law!”
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 The officers standing beside Paul said, “How dare you insult the high priest!”
And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God?
5 “Brothers, I didn't know that he was the high priest,” Paul replied. “As Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any ruler of your 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 When Paul realized that some of the council were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I'm on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!”
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 When he said this, a tremendous argument broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees that split the council.
And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.
8 (The Sadducees say there is no resurrection from the dead, no angels, and no spirits, but Pharisees believe in all of these.)
For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them.
9 A great commotion erupted and some of the Pharisee teachers of the law stood up and argued fiercely, saying, “We find this man not guilty! Maybe a spirit spoke to him, or an angel!”
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 The argument was getting out of hand, so the commander, concerned that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go and rescue him from them by force, and take him back into the fortress.
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 Afterwards, during the night, the Lord stood by Paul, and told him, “Keep up your courage! Just as you have given your testimony about me in Jerusalem, so you must be my witness in Rome as well.”
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 Next day some Jews plotted together, and they took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed 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 Over forty were part of this conspiracy.
And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath;
14 They went to the chief priests and leaders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed 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 So you and the council should send word to the commander that he should bring Paul down to meet with you, as if you wanted to examine his case in more detail. We're ready to kill him along the way.”
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 Paul's nephew (his sister's son) heard about their planned ambush, and he went into the fortress and told Paul about it.
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 Paul called over one of the centurions, and told him, “Take this young man to the commander, because he has some information to share with 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 So the centurion took Paul's nephew and brought him to the commander and told him, “The prisoner Paul called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
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 The commander took the young man by the hand and drew him aside. “What do you have to tell me?” he asked quietly.
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 “The Jews have arranged to ask you to bring Paul to the council tomorrow, as if they wanted to ask more detailed questions about his case,” he explained.
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 “Please don't listen to them, because they have planned to ambush him with more than forty men who have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They're ready right now, waiting for you to agree to the request.”
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 The commander sent the young man on his way, warning him, “Don't tell anyone that you've told me about this.”
The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding [him], Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me.
23 He summoned two centurions and told them, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, together with seventy cavalry-men and two hundred spearmen. Be ready to leave at nine p.m. tonight.
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 Provide horses for Paul to ride to make sure he gets to Governor Felix safely.”
And [he ordered them] to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry [him] safe through to Felix the governor,
25 He also wrote a letter that went like this:
having written a letter, couched in this form:
26 “From Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings!
Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.
27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I arrived on the scene with soldiers and rescued him, because I had found out he was a Roman citizen.
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 I wanted to know the reason for their accusations, so I took him before their council.
And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;
29 I found out the charges against him had to do with issues regarding their law, but he was not guilty of anything that merited death or imprisonment.
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 When I discovered a plot against this man I sent him to you right away, ordering his accusers to make their complaints before you.”
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 So the soldiers followed their orders and took Paul overnight to Antipatris.
The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris,
32 The next morning they sent him on with the cavalry, and went back to the fortress.
and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress.
33 When the cavalry arrived at Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and brought Paul before him.
And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.
34 After reading the letter, the governor asked Paul what province he came from. When he learned he was from Cilicia he told Paul,
And having read [it], and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that [he was] of Cilicia,
35 “I will investigate your case when your accusers arrive.” He ordered Paul detained in Herod's palace.
he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.
