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 looking earnestly at the sanhedrim, said, "Brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God even to 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 that stood next him, to smite 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!”
Then said Paul to him, "God will smite thee, thou whited wall: dost thou sit to judge me according to the law, and contrary to the law commandest me to be smitten?"
4 The officers standing beside Paul said, “How dare you insult the high priest!”
But they that stood by said, Revilest thou 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.’”
And Paul said, I was not aware, brethren, that it was the high-priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil 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 were sadducees, and the other pharisees, cried out in the sanhedrim, "Brethren, I am a pharisee, the son of a pharisee: for the hope of a resurrection of the dead I am now prosecuted."
7 When he said this, a tremendous argument broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees that split the council.
Upon his saying this, there rose a contention between the pharisees and the sadducees; and the people were 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 the sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the pharisees acknowledge 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 there was a great clamor: and the scribes that were of the party of the pharisees rose up and contended, saying, We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
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.
But as there arose much contention, the tribune fearing least Paul should be torn in pieces by them, ordered a party of soldiers to go down, and take him by force out of the midst of them, and to bring him into the castle.
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.”
And the following night, the Lord standing by him said, Paul, be of good courage; for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou also bear testimony at Rome.
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, some of the Jews, having formed a conspiracy, bound themselves with a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 Over forty were part of this conspiracy.
And they were more than forty that had made 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.
who came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves by a curse to eat nothing till 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.”
Now therefore do ye with the rest of the sanhedrim signify to the tribune, that he would bring him down to you to-morrow, as if you would examine more accurately some things concerning him: and we are ready to dispatch him before he come near you."
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, hearing of the ambush, came and entered into the castle, and told 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.”
Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, Introduce this young man to the tribune; for he hath 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.”
So he took him and brought him to the tribune, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him, and desired me to introduce this young man unto thee, as having 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 tribune took him by the hand, and retiring into a private apartment asked him, What is it which thou hast to tell 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 to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring down Paul to-morrow to the council, as if they would inquire something more strictly 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.”
But do not thou comply with them: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves with a curse neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him: and they are now ready, waiting for an order 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.”
Then the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, Tell no one that thou hast discovered 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 he called two of the centurions to him, and said, Get ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, by the third hour of the night.
24 Provide horses for Paul to ride to make sure he gets to Governor Felix safely.”
And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on and bring him safe to Felix the governor.
25 He also wrote a letter that went like this:
And he wrote a letter to this effect:
26 “From Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings!
Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix sendeth 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 being seized by the Jews, and about to be killed by them, I came upon them with some soldiers and rescued him: for I understand that he is a Roman.
28 I wanted to know the reason for their accusations, so I took him before their council.
But desiring to know the cause for which they accused him, I brought him down into 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.
and I found he was accused about questions of their law, but had no charge against him deserving death or 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 an ambush, which was going to be laid for the man by the Jews, being discovered to me, immediately I sent him to thee, telling his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
31 So the soldiers followed their orders and took Paul overnight to Antipatris.
The soldiers therefore, according to the orders given them, took up 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 the next day they returned to the castle, leaving the horsemen to go with him;
33 When the cavalry arrived at Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and brought Paul before him.
who, when they came into Cesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also 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,
And when the governor had read the letter, and asked of what province he was; being informed that he was of Cilicia, he said,
35 “I will investigate your case when your accusers arrive.” He ordered Paul detained in Herod's palace.
I will hear thee, when thine accusers are also come. And he ordered him to be kept in Herod's palace.
