Acts 23

1 And when Paul had looked on the assembly of them, he said: Men, my brethren; I have lived in all good conscience before God up to this day.

Then Paul, fixing a steady gaze on the Sanhedrin, said, "Brethren, it is with a perfectly clear conscience that I have discharged my duties before God up to this day."

2 And Ananias, the priest, commanded those who stood by his side, to smite Paul on the mouth.

On hearing this the High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

3 And Paul said to him: God is here-after to smite thee, thou Whited Wall! For, sittest thou judging me agreeably to law, while thou transgressest the law, and commandest to smite me?

"Before long," exclaimed Paul, "God will strike you, you white-washed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me in accordance with the Law, and do you yourself actually break the Law by ordering me to be struck?"

4 And those standing by, said to him: Dost thou reproach the priest of God!

"Do you rail at God's High Priest?" cried the men who stood by him.

5 Paul said to them: I was not aware, my brethren, that he was the priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people.

"I did not know, brethren," replied Paul, "that he was the High Priest; for it is written, 'Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of Thy people.'"

6 And, as Paul knew that a part of the people were of the Sadducees, and a part of the Pharisees, he cried out, in the assembly: Men, my brethren; I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee; and for the hope of the resurrection of the dead, I am judged.

Noticing, however, that the Sanhedrin consisted partly of Sadducees and partly of Pharisees, he called out loudly among them, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees. It is because of my hope of a resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial."

7 And when he had said this, the Pharisees and Sadducees fell upon one another, and the people were divided

These words of his caused an angry dispute between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly took different sides.

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor a spirit: but the Pharisees confess all these.

For the Sadducees maintain that there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge the existence of both.

9 And there was great vociferation. And some Scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose up, and contended with them, and said. We have found nothing evil in this man: for if a spirit or an angel hath conversed with him, what is there in that?

So there arose a great uproar; and some of the Scribes belonging to the sect of the Pharisees sprang to their feet and fiercely contended, saying, "We find no harm in the man. What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel----!"

10 And, as there was great commotion among them, the Chiliarch was afraid lest they should tear Paul in pieces. And he sent Romans, to go and pluck him from their midst, and bring him into the castle.

But when the struggle was becoming violent, the Tribune, fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by the people, ordered the troops to go down and take him from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.

11 And when night came, our Lord appeared to Paul, and said to him: Be strong; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so also art thou to testify at Rome.

The following night the Lord came and stood at Paul's side, and said, "Be of good courage, for as you have borne faithful witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome."

12 And when it was morning, several of the Jews assembled together, and bound themselves by imprecations that they would neither eat nor drink until they had slain Paul.

Now, when daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and solemnly swore not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul.

13 And they who had established this compact by oath, were more than forty persons.

There were more than forty of them who bound themselves by this oath.

14 And they went to the priests and Elders, and said: We have bound ourselves by imprecations, that we will taste of nothing, until we shall have slain Paul.

They went to the High Priests and Elders and said to them, "We have bound ourselves under a heavy curse to take no food till we have killed Paul.

15 And now, do ye and the chiefs of the congregation request of the Chiliarch, that he would bring him unto you, as if ye were desirous to investigate truly his conduct: and we are prepared to slay him, ere he shall come to you.

Now therefore you and the Sanhedrin should make representations to the Tribune for him to bring him down to you, under the impression that you intend to inquire more minutely about him; and we are prepared to assassinate him before he comes near the place."

16 And the son of Paul's sister, heard of this plot: and he went into the castle, and informed Paul.

But Paul's sister's son heard of the intended attack upon him. So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about it;

17 And Paul sent and called one of the centurions, and said to him: Conduct this youth to the Chiliarch; for he hath something to tell him.

and Paul called one of the Captains and said, "Take this young man to the Tribune, for he has information to give him."

18 And the centurion took the young man, and introduced him to the Chiliarch, and said: Paul the prisoner called me, and requested me to bring this youth to thee, for he hath something to tell thee.

So he took him and brought him to the Tribune, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called me to him and begged me to bring this youth to you, because he has something to say to you."

19 And the Chiliarch took the young man by his hand, and led him one side, and asked him: What hast thou to tell me?

Then the Tribune, taking him by the arm, withdrew out of the hearing of others and asked him, "What have you to tell me?"

20 And the young man said to him: The Jews have projected to ask thee to bring down Paul to-morrow to their assembly, as if wishing to learn something more from him.

"The Jews," he replied, "have agreed to request you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin to-morrow for the purpose of making yourself more accurately acquainted with the case.

21 But be not thou persuaded by them: for, lo, more than forty persons of them watch for him in ambush, and have bound themselves by imprecations, that they will neither eat nor drink until they shall have slain him: and lo, they are prepared, and are waiting for thy promise

I beg you not to comply; for more than forty men among them are lying in wait for him, who have solemnly vowed that they will neither eat nor drink till they have assassinated him; and even now they are ready, in anticipation of receiving that promise of you."

22 And the Chiliarch dismissed the young man, after charging him: Let no man know, that thou hast showed me these things.

So the Tribune sent the youth home, cautioning him. "Do not let any one know that you have given me this information," he said.

23 And he called two centurions, and said to them: Go and prepare two hundred Romans to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and shooters with the right hand two hundred; and let them set out at the third hour of the night.

Then, calling to him two of the Captains, he gave his orders. "Get ready two hundred men," he said, "to march to Caesarea, with seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry, starting at nine o'clock to-night."

24 And provide also a saddle beast, that they may set Paul on it, and carry him safely to Felix the governor.

He further told them to provide horses to mount Paul on, so as to bring him safely to Felix the Governor.

25 And he wrote a letter and gave them, in which was, thus:

He also wrote a letter of which these were the contents:

26 Claudius Lysias to the excellent governor Felix; greeting.

"Claudius Lysias to his Excellency, Felix the Governor: all good wishes.

27 The Jews seized this man, in order to kill him; but I came with Romans, and rescued him, when I learned that he was a Roman.

This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and they were on the point of killing him, when I came upon them with the troops and rescued him, for I had been informed that he was a Roman citizen.

28 And as I wished to know the offence, for which they criminated him, I brought him to their assembly.

And, wishing to know with certainty the offense of which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrin,

29 And I found, that it was about questions of their law they accused him, and that an offence worthy of bonds or of death, was not upon him.

and I discovered that the charge had to do with questions of their Law, but that he was accused of nothing for which he deserves death or imprisonment.

30 And when the wiles of a plot formed by the Jews against him came to my knowledge, I forthwith sent him to thee. And I have directed his accusers, to go and contend with him, before thee. Farewell.

But now that I have received information of an intended attack upon him, I immediately send him to you, directing his accusers also to state before you the case they have against him."

31 Then the Romans, as they had been commanded, took Paul by night, and brought him to the city of Antipatris.

So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took Paul and brought him by night as far as Antipatris.

32 And the next day, the horsemen dismissed the footmen their associates, that they might return to the castle.

The next day the infantry returned to the barracks, leaving the cavalry to proceed with him;

33 And they brought him to Caesarea: and they delivered the letter to the governor, and set Paul before him.

and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the Governor, they brought Paul also to him.

34 And when he had read the letter, he asked him of what province he was? And when he learned that he was of Cilicia,

Felix, after reading the letter, inquired from what province he was; and being told "from Cilicia,"

35 he said to him: I will give thee audience, when thy accusers arrive. And he ordered him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.

he said, "I will hear all you have to say, when your accusers also have come." And he ordered him to be detained in custody in Herod's Palace.