Acts 23

1 And Paul having earnestly beheld the Sanhedrin, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived to God in all good conscience to this day”;

And Paul, looking earnestly upon the Sanhedrim, said: Brethren, I have lived in all good conscience toward God to this day.

2 and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike him on the mouth,

And the chief priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by to smite him on the mouth.

3 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!”

Then Paul said to him: God will smite you, you whitened wall! for do you sit to judge me according to the law, and yet violate the law by commanding me to be smitten?

4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile the chief priest of God?”

And those who stood by said: Do you revile God’s chief priest?

5 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”;

And Paul replied: I did not know, brethren, that he was the chief priest: for it is written, You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.

6 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.”

But when Paul perceived that one part belonged to the Sadducees, and the other to the Pharisees, he cried out, in the Sanhedrim: Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; for the hope of the resurrection of the dead am I judged.

7 And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,

And when he had said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.

8 for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no resurrection, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection; neither angel nor spirit: but the Pharisees acknowledge both. And there arose a great clamor. And the scribes, on the part of the Pharisees, arose and contended, saying:

9 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”;

We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

10 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.

And when there arose a great dissension, the officer, fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the fortress.

11 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.”

And on the following night, the Lord stood by him, and said: Take courage; for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you testify also in Rome.

12 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;

And when it was day, the Jews combined together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

13 and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,

And there were more than forty who formed this conspiracy.

14 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;

And they went to the chief priests and elders, and said: We have surely bound ourselves under a curse, that we will taste nothing till we have killed Paul.

15 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.”

Now, therefore, do you, together with the Sanhedrim, give notice to the officer, that he bring him down to you to-morrow, as if you intended to inquire more accurately into the matters concerning him: and before he comes near, we are ready to kill him.

16 And the son of Paul’s sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the stronghold, told Paul,

But the son of Paul’s sister heard of the plot, and he went and entered the fortress, and told Paul.

17 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.”

And Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said: Conduct this young man to the officer, for he has something to tell him.

18 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.”

So he took him, and led him to the officer, and said: The prisoner Paul called me to him, and requested me to conduct this young man to you; for he has something to tell you.

19 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?”

And the officer took him by the hand, and went aside with him privately, and inquired: What is it that you have to tell me?

20 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;

He answered: The Jews have agreed to request you to bring Paul down into the Sanhedrim to-morrow, as if they intended to inquire something more accurately concerning him.

21 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.”

Do not, however, be persuaded by them; for more than forty men of them are lying in wait for him; and they have bound themselves under a curse, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for a promise from you.

22 The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged [him], “Tell no one that you have shown these things to me”;

Then the officer sent the young man away, with this charge: Tell no one that you have made these things known to me.

23 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;

And he called to him two centurions, and said: Make ready two hundred soldiers, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, that they may depart to Cæsarea at the third hour of the night.

24 also provide beasts, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe to Felix the governor”;

And provide beasts on which they may set Paul, and take him in safety to Felix the governor.

25 he having written a letter after this description:

And he wrote a letter in this form:

26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, greetings:

Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting:

27 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;

This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them. Then I went with soldiers, and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

28 and intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin,

But wishing to know the cause for which they accused him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrim.

29 whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;

And I found that he was accused about questions of their law, but had nothing worthy of death or of bonds charged against him.

30 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.”

And as I was informed that a plot was about to be laid against the man by the Jews, I immediately sent him to you, and commanded his accusers to say in your presence what they had against him. Farewell.

31 Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris,

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

32 and on the next day, having permitted the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the stronghold;

And, on the morrow, they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the fortress.

33 those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him.

When they came to Cæsarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.

34 And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;

And when he had read the letter, he inquired to what province he belonged. And learning that he was from Cilicia,

35 “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.

he said: I will hear you when your accusers also have come. And he ordered him to be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.