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.”
Paul fixed his eyes on the Council, and began: “Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day.”
2 Ananias the high priest ordered the officers standing beside Paul to hit him on the mouth.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the 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!”
Paul turned to him and said: “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?”
4 The officers standing beside Paul said, “How dare you insult the high priest!”
The people standing near said to Paul, “Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?”
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.’”
“I did not know, brothers, that it was the high priest,” said Paul, “for scripture says – ‘Of the ruler of your people you should speak no ill’.”
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!”
Noticing that some of those present were Sadducees and others Pharisees, Paul called out in the Council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees. It is on the question of hope for the dead and of their resurrection that I am on my trial.”
7 When he said this, a tremendous argument broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees that split the council.
As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present.
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 such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)
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!”
So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teachers of the Law belonging to the Pharisees’ party stood up and hotly protested, “We find nothing whatever wrong in this man. Suppose a spirit did speak 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.
The dispute was becoming so violent, that the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces between them, ordered the Guard to go down and rescue him from them, and take him into the Fort.
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.”
That night the Lord came and stood by Paul, and said, “Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem and you must bear witness in Rome also.”
12 Next day some Jews plotted together, and they took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
In the morning some Jewish men combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Over forty were part of this conspiracy.
There were more than forty in the plot;
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 the elders, and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food until we have killed 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.”
So we want you now, with the consent of the Council, to suggest to the commanding officer that he should bring Paul down before you, as though you intended to go more fully into his case; but, before he comes here, we will be ready to make away with 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.
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
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.”
Paul called one of the garrison centurion and asked him to take the lad to the commanding officer, as he had something to tell 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.”
The centurion went with the lad to the commanding officer, and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as he has something to tell you.”
19 The commander took the young man by the hand and drew him aside. “What do you have to tell me?” he asked quietly.
The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
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.
“Some men have agreed,” answered the lad, “to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council tomorrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
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.”
But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink, until they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting on your promise.”
22 The commander sent the young man on his way, warning him, “Don't tell anyone that you've told me about this.”
The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
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.
Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 Provide horses for Paul to ride to make sure he gets to Governor Felix safely.”
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 He also wrote a letter that went like this:
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 “From Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings!
‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
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.
The man whom I send with this had been seized by some Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 I wanted to know the reason for their accusations, so I took him before their council.
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before 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.
when I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment.
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.”
Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.’
31 So the soldiers followed their orders and took Paul overnight to Antipatris.
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted 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 next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 When the cavalry arrived at Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and brought Paul before him.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before 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,
As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said,
35 “I will investigate your case when your accusers arrive.” He ordered Paul detained in Herod's palace.
“I will hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived.” And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod’s Government house.
