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 Paulos, looking upon their assembly, said, Men, brethren, I in all good conscience have conversed before Aloha, unto this day.
2 At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
And Hanania the priest commanded them who stood by him to smite Paulos upon his 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?”
And Paulos said to him, It will be that Aloha will smite thee, (thou) whitened wall: thou sittest to judge me according to the law, while thou transgressest the law, and commandest that they smite me!
4 The people standing near said to Paul, “Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?”
And they who stood there said to him, The priest of Aloha revilest thou?
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’.”
Paulos said to them, I knew not, my brethren, that he is the priest; for it is written, Of the chief of thy people thou shalt not speak evil.
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.”
And when Paulos knew that (part) of the people were of the Zadukoyee and (part) of it of the Pharishee, he cried in the assembly, Men, my brethren, I am a Pharisha, the son of Pharishee; and for the hope of the resurrection of the dead am I judged.
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, the Pharishee and the Zadukoyee fell on one another, and the people was divided.
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 Zadukoyee say that there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor spirit; but the Pharishee confess 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 made a great noise. And certain sophree of the choice of the Pharishee arose and contended with them, and said, We have not found any thing of evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken with him, what is there in this?
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 there was a great commotion among them, the tribune feared lest they should tear Paulos in pieces, and he sent to the Rumoyee to come and carry him away from the midst of them, and take him into the fortress.
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 when it was night our Lord appeared unto Paulos, and said to him, Be strong: for as thou hast testified of me in Urishlem, so is it to be that thou also in Ruma shalt testify.
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 became morning, men of the Jihudoyee gathered and bound a vow upon themselves, that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paulos.
13 There were more than forty in the plot;
But there were of those who established by oath this compact more than forty men.
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 drew nigh to the priests and to the elders, and said, A vow we have vowed upon us, that nothing will we taste until we have killed Paulos.
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.”
And now do you and the princes of the synagogue request from the tribune to bring him to you, as if you sought to investigate more truly his work, and we are prepared to kill him while he shall come to you.
16 However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
And the son of the sister of Paulos heard this plot, and he entered the fortress and informed Paulos.
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 Paulos sent (and) called one of the centurions, and said to him, Bring this youth to the tribune, for he has somewhat to tell 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.”
And the centurion conducted the youth, and introduced him to the tribune, and said, Paulos the prisoner called me, and requested of me to bring this youth to thee, because he hath somewhat to tell thee.
19 The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
And the tribune took the youth by his hand, and led him on one side, and asked him, What hast thou to tell 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 the youth said to him, The Jihudoyee have determined to request of thee to send down Paulos, tomorrow, to their synagogue, as if willing to learn somewhat more from him:
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.”
thou therefore yield not to them; for, behold, more than forty men of them watch for him in ambush, and have bound a curse upon themselves, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and, behold, they are ready, and wait thy promise.
22 The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
And the tribune dismissed the youth, when he had admonished him, Let no man know that these thou hast informed me.
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 called two centurions, and said to them, Go, prepare two hundred Romans to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen and right-handed spearmen two hundred, to go forth 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.
but provide also a beast to carry Paulos, and escape to Felix the governor.
25 He also wrote a letter along these lines:
And he wrote a letter, and gave it to them, which was thus:
26 ‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
Klaudios Lusios unto Felix the victorious governor, peace.
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.
The Jihudoyee had seized this man to kill him; and I arose with the Romans and rescued him, when I had learned that he is a Roman.
28 Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
And when I sought to know the occasion of which they accused him, I brought him down to their synagogue.
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.
And I found that concerning questions of their law they accused him; and a cause worthy of bonds or of death was not in him.
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 it was told me of the treachery of a plot which the Jihudoyee wrought against him, I straightway sent him to thee; and I have commanded his accusers to come and speak with him before thee. Farewell.
31 The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
Then the Rumoyee, as they had been commanded, took Paulos by night, and brought him to Antipatros the city;
32 and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
and the day after the horsemen sent away their foot-companions to return to the fortress.
33 On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
And they came to Cesarea. And they gave the letter to the governor, and made Paulos stand 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 when he had read the letter, he asked him from what province he was. And when he had heard 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.
he said to him, I will hear thee when thy accusers have come. And he commanded that they should keep him in the pretorium of Herodes.
