Acts 23

1 And Paul behelde earnestly the Councill, and sayde, Men and brethren, I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day.

With a stedfast gaze at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived with a good conscience before God to this day."

2 Then the hie Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth.

Then the High Priest Ananias ordered those who stood near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

3 Then sayd Paul to him, God will smite thee, thou whited wall: for thou sittest to iudge me according to the Lawe, and transgressing the Lawe, commaundest thou me to be smitten?

"You whited sepulcher," exclaimed Paul, "God will strike you! You are sitting there to judge me according to the law, are you? And do you command me to be struck, contrary to the Law?"

4 And they that stood by, sayd, Reuilest thou Gods hie Priest?

"Do you rail at God’s high priest?" said the bystanders.

5 Then sayd Paul, I knewe not, brethren, that he was the hie Priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people.

"Brothers, I did not know that he was the high priest," exclaimed Paul, "for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of my people."

6 But when Paul perceiued that the one part were of the Sadduces, and the other of the Pharises, hee cried in the Council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharise, the sonne of a Pharise: I am accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead.

Then perceiving that half the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and the other half Pharisee, he cried out in the Sanhedrin. "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees! It is for the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!"

7 And when hee had saide this, there was a dissension betweene the Pharises and the Sadduces, so that the multitude was deuided.

When he said this, there arose a quarrel between the Pharisees and Sadducees; the meeting was divided.

8 For the Sadduces say that there is no resurrection, neither Angel, nor spirit: but the Pharises confesse both.

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; the Pharisees affirm them all.

9 Then there was a great crye: and the Scribes of the Pharises part rose vp, and stroue, saying, Wee finde none euill in this man: but if a spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him, let vs not fight against God.

Then a great clamor arose; some of the scribes who belonged to the Pharisaic party stood up, and contended. "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?"

10 And when there was a great dissension, the chiefe captaine, fearing lest Paul should haue bene pulled in pieces of them, commanded the souldiers to go downe, and take him from among them, and to bring him into the castel.

But when the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul in pieces, ordered the troops to march down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

11 Nowe the night folowing, the Lord stoode by him, and saide, Be of good courage, Paul: for as thou hast testified of mee in Hierusalem, so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome.

And the following night the Lord stood by him and said. "Be of good courage; for as you have borne faithful witness concerning me at Jerusalem, so you must testify at Rome also."

12 And when the day was come, certaine of the Iewes made an assemblie, and bounde themselues with a curse, saying, that they woulde neither eate nor drinke, till they had killed Paul.

When day dawned the Jews made a conspiracy, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

13 And they were more then fourtie, which had made this conspiracie.

And there were more than forty who had sworn this oath.

14 And they came to the chiefe Priestes and Elders, and said, We haue bound our selues with a solemne curse, that wee will eate nothing, vntill we haue slaine Paul.

They went to the high priests and elders, and said to them. "We have bound ourselves by a solemn oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

15 Nowe therefore, ye and the Council signifie to the chiefe captaine, that hee bring him foorth vnto you to morow: as though you would know some thing more perfectly of him, and we, or euer he come neere, will be readie to kill him.

"Now do you and the Sanhedrin ask the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you would judge his case more exactly; and we are ready to kill him, before he comes near the place."

16 But when Pauls sisters sonne heard of their laying awaite, he went, and entred into the castel, and tolde Paul.

But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their intended attack, and he went and got into the barracks, and told Paul.

17 And Paul called one of the Centurions vnto him, and said, Take this yong man hence vnto the chiefe captaine: for he hath a certaine thing to shewe him.

And Paul called one of the centurions, and said, "Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him."

18 So hee tooke him, and brought him to the chiefe captaine, and saide, Paul the prisoner called mee vnto him, and prayed mee to bring this yong man vnto thee, which hath some thing to say vnto thee.

So he took him, and brought his to the tribune, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called me to him, and begged me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you."

19 Then the chiefe captaine tooke him by the hande, and went apart with him alone, and asked him, What hast thou to shewe me?

And the tribune took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

20 And he saide, The Iewes haue conspired to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring foorth Paul to morow into the Council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly:

"The Jews," he answered, "have agreed to ask you to bring down Paul tomorrow to the Sanhedrin, as though they wish to examine his case in detail.

21 But let them not perswade thee: for there lie in waite for him of them, more then fourtie men, which haue bound themselues with a curse, that they will neither eate nor drinke, till they haue killed him: and nowe are they readie, and waite for thy promise.

"Now do not let them persuade, for more than forty men are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse, not to eat nor drink until they have killed him; even now they are all ready, awaiting your consent."

22 The chiefe captaine then let the yong man depart, after hee had charged him to vtter it to no man, that he had shewed him these things.

So the tribune sent the young man home with the injunction, "Tell no man that you have given me this information."

23 And he called vnto him two certaine Centurions, saying, Make readie two hundred souldiers, that they may go to Cæsarea, and horsemen three score and ten, and two hundred with dartes, at the thirde houre of the night.

Then he called two centurions to him and said. "Get ready by nine o’clock tonight two hundred infantry to march as far as Caesarea, and also seventy troopers and two hundred spearmen."

24 And let them make readie an horse, that Paul being set on, may be brought safe vnto Felix the Gouernour.

He further ordered them to provide horses on which to mount Paul, so as to bring him safely to Felix, the governor.

25 And he wrote an epistle in this maner:

He also wrote a letter in the following terms.

26 Claudius Lysias vnto the most noble Gouernour Felix sendeth greeting.

"Claudius Lysais unto the Most Excellent Governor Felix, greeting.

27 As this man was taken of the Iewes, and shoulde haue bene killed of them, I came vpon them with the garison, and rescued him, perceiuing that he was a Romane.

"This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with the troops, and rescued him, as I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

28 And when I would haue knowen the cause, wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their Council.

"Anxious to find out why they had accused him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

29 There I perceiued that hee was accused of questions of their Lawe, but had no crime worthy of death, or of bondes.

"Here I learned that he was accused about questions of their law, but was not charged with anything worthy of death or imprisonment.

30 And when it was shewed me, how that the Iewes layd waite for the man, I sent him straightway to thee, and commanded his accusers to speake before thee the thinges that they had against him. Farewell.

"Now when I received information that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him at once to you, charging his accusers also to speak against him before you."

31 Then the souldiers as it was commanded them, tooke Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

So the soldiers took Paul, as they were bid, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 And the next day, they left the horsemen to goe with him, and returned vnto the Castel.

Next day the infantry returned to the barracks, leaving the troopers to ride on with him.

33 Now when they came to Cæsarea, they deliuered the epistle to the Gouernour, and presented Paul also vnto him.

They reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, and also presented Paul before him.

34 So when the Gouernour had read it, hee asked of what prouince he was: and when he vnderstoode that he was of Cilicia,

After reading the letter, he asked to what province he belonged, and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, he said,

35 I will heare thee, said he, when thine accusers also are come, and commanded him to bee kept in Herods iudgement hall.

"I will hear your case when your accusers also are come." And he ordered him to be kept in custody in Herod’s palace.