Acts 23

1 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.”

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

2 At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near 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 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?”

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 The people standing near said to Paul, “Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?”

And those who were near said, Do you say such words against God's high priest?

5 “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’.”

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 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.”

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 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.

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 say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in 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 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…”

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 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.

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 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.”

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 In the morning some Jewish men combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed 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 There were more than forty in the plot;

And more than forty of them took this oath.

14 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.

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 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.”

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 However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.

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 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.

And Paul sent for a captain and said, Take this young man to your chief, for he has news for him.

18 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.”

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 The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.

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 “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.

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 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.”

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 commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.

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 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,

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 and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely 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 also wrote a letter along these lines:

And he sent a letter in these words:

26 ‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.

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

27 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.

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 Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,

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

29 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.

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 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.’

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 The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by 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, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.

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

33 On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.

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

34 As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said,

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 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.

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.