Acts 23

1 And Paul looking earnestly upon the council, said: Brethren! I have ordered my life in all good conscience before God to this day.

Then Paul, looking intently at the council, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

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

So the high priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike his mouth.

3 Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, thou whited wall! Art thou then sitting to judge me according to the law, and dost thou command me to be smitten contrary to the law?

Then Paul said to him: “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you command me to be struck contrary to the law!”

4 And they that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high-priest?

So those standing by said, “Do you reproach God's high priest?”

5 Then said Paul, I knew not, brethren, that he was high-priest; for it is written, “Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.”

Then Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he is high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

6 But Paul, perceiving one part to be Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried aloud in the council, Brethren! I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; for the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am now tried.

Now when Paul perceived that one part were Pharisees and the other Sadducees, he called out in the council, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee; I am being judged concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead!”

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

When he had said this, an argument started between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees affirm both.

(Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel or spirit, but Pharisees confess both.)

9 And there arose a great clamor; and scribes of the party of the Pharisees arose, and contended, saying, We find nothing amiss in this man; but if a spirit hath spoken to him or an angel—

There was a great clamor, and the scribes of the Pharisee party stood up and started arguing vigorously, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; but if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God!”

10 And a great dissension arising, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.

Well the dissension became such that the commander, fearing that Paul might be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and snatch him out of their midst and bring him into the barracks.

11 And the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast borne witness concerning me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

Now the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, Paul, because as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

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

And when it was day, some of the Jews formed a conspiracy by binding themselves with a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they had destroyed Paul.

13 And there were more than forty who took this oath together.

Now there were more than forty who formed this plot.

14 And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

They came to the chief priests and the elders and said: “We have bound ourselves with a terrible curse not to taste anything until we have killed Paul.

15 Now therefore do ye with the council give notice to the chief captain, that he bring him down to you, as though ye were about to examine his case more thoroughly; and we are ready to kill him before he cometh near you.

Now you, therefore, together with the council, explain to the commander that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you are going to determine more accurately the facts in his case; but we are ready to destroy him before he comes near.”

16 But Paul's sister's son hearing of the plot went, and entering the castle, told Paul.

But when Paul's sister's son heard about the ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, Take this young man to the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him.

So Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander, because 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 to him, and asked me to bring this young man to thee, as he hath something to say to thee.

So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went aside privately, and asked him, What is it that thou hast to tell me?

So taking him by the hand, the commander went aside and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though thou wert about to inquire more thoroughly concerning him.

So he said: “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

21 But do not thou yield to them; for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves with an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him; and they are now ready, looking for the promise from thee.

But you should not believe them, because more than forty of their men are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves with a curse neither to eat not to drink until they have destroyed him; even now they are ready, looking for your promise.”

22 The chief captain then dismissed the young man with the charge, Tell no one that thou hast disclosed these things to me.

Then the commander dismissed the young man commanding, “Don't tell anyone that you have revealed these things to me!”

23 And he called to him two of the centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night;

Summoning two of the centurions he said: “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night;

24 and provide beasts, whereon they may set Paul, and carry him safe to Felix the governor.

and provide mounts to set Paul on so as to deliver him safely to Felix, the governor.”

25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:

He wrote a letter with this content:

26 Claudius Lysias to the moss excellent governor Felix, greeting.

“Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

27 This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them; but I came upon them with the soldiery, and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them; but I came with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman.

28 And wishing to know the crime of which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;

And wanting to know the reason they were accusing him, I took him down to their council.

29 but I found him to be accused only on account of questions of their law, and to have nothing laid to his charge deserving death or bonds.

I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but there was no accusation worthy of death or bonds.

30 And having been informed of a plot against the man, I sent him at once to thee, and directed his accusers also to bring their charges against him before thee.

When I was told that the Jews were about to execute a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also directing his accusers to state the charges against him before you. Farewell.”

31 Then the soldiers, as was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the castle.

The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him and returned to the barracks.

33 And they, when they had come to Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

When they entered Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

34 And having read the letter, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,

When the governor read it, he asked what province he was from; learning that it was Cilicia,

35 he said, I will hear thee fully, when thy accusers also have arrived. And he ordered him to be kept in Herod's palace.

he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers also arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's Praetorium.