Acts 23
1 AND Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
And Paul having earnestly beheld the Sanhedrin, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived to God in all good conscience to this day”;
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike him on the mouth,
3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall, and you sit judging me according to the Law, and violating law, order me to be struck!”
4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?
And those who stood by said, “Do you revile the chief priest of God?”
5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he is chief priest, for it has been written: You will not speak evil of the ruler of your people”;
6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
and Paul having known that one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee—son of a Pharisee—concerning [the] hope and resurrection of [the] dead I am judged.”
7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude 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 no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no resurrection, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.
9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, 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.
And there came a great cry, and the scribes of the Pharisees’ part having arisen, were striving, saying, “We find no evil in this man; and if a spirit spoke to him, or a messenger, we may not fight against God”;
10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
and a great dissension having come, the chief captain having been afraid lest Paul may be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the army, having gone down, to seize him out of their midst, and to bring [him] into the stronghold.
11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
And on the following night, the LORD having stood by him, said, “Take courage, Paul, for as you fully testified [to] the things concerning Me at Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome.”
12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
And day having come, certain of the Jews having made a concourse, cursed themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink until they may kill Paul;
13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,
14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
who having come near to the chief priests and to the elders said, “With a curse we accursed ourselves—to taste nothing until we have killed Paul;
15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
now, therefore, you, signify to the chief captain, with the Sanhedrin, that tomorrow he may bring him down to you, as being about to know more exactly the things concerning him; and we, before his coming near, are ready to put him to death.”
16 And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
And the son of Paul’s sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the stronghold, told Paul,
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, “Lead this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell him.”
18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him to the chief captain and says, “The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked [me] to bring to you this young man, having something to say to you.”
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, “What is that which you have to tell me?”
20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
And he said, “The Jews agreed to request you, that tomorrow you may bring down Paul to the Sanhedrin, as being about to inquire something more exactly concerning him;
21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
you, therefore, may you not yield to them, for there more than forty men of them lie in wait for him, who cursed themselves—not to eat nor to drink until they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”
22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged [him], “Tell no one that you have shown these things to me”;
23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cæsarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
and having called a certain two of the centurions near, he said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers, that they may go on to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, from the third hour of the night;
24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
also provide beasts, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe to Felix the governor”;
25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
he having written a letter after this description:
26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
“Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, greetings:
27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them—having come with the army, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman;
28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
and intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin,
29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;
30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
and a plot having been intimated to me against this man—about to be of the Jews—I sent to you at once, having also given command to the accusers to say the things against him before you; be strong.”
31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him 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 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
and on the next day, having permitted the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the stronghold;
33 Who, when they came to Cæsarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him.
34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.
“I will hear you,” he said, “when your accusers may also have come”; he also commanded him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.
