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 fixedly at the Sanhedrin, said, My brothers, my life has been upright before God till this day.

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

And the high priest, Ananias, gave orders to those who were near him to give him a blow 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 give blows to you, you whitewashed wall: are you here to be my judge by law, and by your orders am I given blows against the law?

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

And those who were near said, Do you say such words against God's high 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 said, Brother, I had no idea that he was the high priest: for it has been said, You may not say evil about 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 saw that half of them were Sadducees and the rest Pharisees, he said in the Sanhedrin, Brothers, I am a Pharisee, and the son of Pharisees: I am here to be judged on the question of the hope of the coming back from the dead.

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 was an argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and a division in the meeting.

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 coming back from the dead, and no angels or spirits: but the Pharisees have belief in all these.

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”;

And there was a great outcry: and some of the scribes on the side of the Pharisees got up and took part in the discussion, saying, We see no evil in this man: what if he has had a revelation from an angel or a spirit?

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 the argument became very violent, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be pulled in two by them, gave orders to the armed men to take him by force from among them, and take him into the army building.

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 the night after, the Lord came to his side and said, Be of good heart, for as you have been witnessing for me in Jerusalem, so will you be my witness 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 came together and put themselves under an oath that they would take no food or drink till they had put Paul to death.

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

And more than forty of them took this oath.

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 came to the chief priests and the rulers and said, We have taken a great oath to take no food till we have put Paul to death

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.”

So now, will you and the Sanhedrin make a request to the military authorities to have him sent down to you, as if you were desiring to go into the business in greater detail; and we, before ever he gets to you, will be waiting to put him to death.

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 Paul's sister's son had word of their design, and he came into the army building and gave news of it to 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 sent for a captain and said, Take this young man to your chief, for he has news for 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 to the chief captain and said, Paul, the prisoner, made a request to me to take this young man to you, for he has something to say to 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 chief took him by the hand and, going on one side, said to him privately, What is it you have to say to 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;

And he said, The Jews are in agreement together to make a request to you for Paul to be taken, on the day after this, into the Sanhedrin, to be questioned in greater detail.

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.”

But do not give way to them, for more than forty of them are waiting for him, having taken an oath not to take food or drink till they have put him to death: and now they are ready, waiting for your order.

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”;

So the chief captain let the young man go, saying to him, Do not say to anyone that you have given me word of these things.

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 sent for two captains and said, Make ready two hundred men, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, to go to Caesarea, 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 get beasts so that they may put Paul on them, and take him safely to Felix, the ruler.

25 he having written a letter after this description:

And he sent a letter in these words:

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

Claudius Lysias, to the most noble ruler, Felix, peace be with you.

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 put to death by them, when I came on them with the army and took him out of danger, having knowledge 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,

And, desiring to get at the reason for their attack on him, I took him down to their Sanhedrin:

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

Then it became clear to me that it was a question of their law, and that nothing was said against him which might be a reason for prison or death.

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 when news was given to me that a secret design was being made against the man, I sent him straight away to you, giving orders to those who are against him to make their statements before you.

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

So the armed men, as they were ordered, took Paul and came by night to Antipatris.

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

But on the day after, they sent the horsemen on with him, and went back to their place:

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

And they, when they came to Caesarea, gave the letter to the ruler, and took Paul before him.

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

And after reading it, he said, What part of the country do you come from? And, hearing 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.

I will give hearing to your cause, he said, when those who are against you have come. And he gave orders for him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.