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”;
Paul fixed his eyes on the Council, and began: “Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day.”
2 and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike him on the mouth,
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike 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!”
Paul turned to him and said: “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?”
4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile the chief priest of God?”
The people standing near said to Paul, “Do you know that you are insulting 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”;
“I did not know, brothers, that it was the high priest,” said Paul, “for scripture says – ‘Of the ruler of your people you should speak no ill’.”
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.”
Noticing that some of those present were Sadducees and others Pharisees, Paul called out in the Council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees. It is on the question of hope for the dead and of their resurrection that I am on my trial.”
7 And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,
As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present.
8 for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no resurrection, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.
(For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)
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”;
So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teachers of the Law belonging to the Pharisees’ party stood up and hotly protested, “We find nothing whatever wrong in this man. Suppose a spirit did speak to him, or an angel…”
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.
The dispute was becoming so violent, that the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces between them, ordered the Guard to go down and rescue him from them, and take him into the Fort.
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.”
That night the Lord came and stood by Paul, and said, “Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem and you must bear witness in Rome also.”
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;
In the morning some Jewish men combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,
There were more than forty in the plot;
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 the elders, and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food until 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.”
So we want you now, with the consent of the Council, to suggest to the commanding officer that he should bring Paul down before you, as though you intended to go more fully into his case; but, before he comes here, we will be ready to make away with 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,
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
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.”
Paul called one of the garrison centurion and asked him to take the lad to the commanding officer, as he had 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.”
The centurion went with the lad to the commanding officer, and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as 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?”
The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
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;
“Some men have agreed,” answered the lad, “to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council tomorrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
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 let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink, until they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting on your promise.”
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”;
The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
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;
Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 also provide beasts, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe to Felix the governor”;
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 he having written a letter after this description:
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, greetings:
‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
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;
The man whom I send with this had been seized by some Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 and intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin,
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;
when I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment.
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.”
Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.’
31 Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris,
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted 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 next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;
As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said,
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 hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived.” And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod’s Government house.
