Acts 23
1 Paul looked straight at the Jewish council members and said: “My fellow Jews, all my life I have lived respecting our God, and I do not know of anything that I have done that I knew was wrong/evil.”
Paul looked directly at the council members and said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.”
2 When Ananias the supreme priest [heard what Paul said], he commanded the men who were standing near Paul to hit him on the mouth.
The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to Ananias, “God will punish you [(sg) for that], you hypocrite [MET]! You sit there and judge me, using the laws that [God gave Moses]. But you [yourself] disobey those laws, because you commanded me to be struck {[these men] to strike me} [without having proved that I have done anything that is wrong!]”
Then said Paul to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Are you sitting to judge me by the law, yet order me to be struck, against the law?”
4 The men who were standing near Paul [rebuked him. They] said, “Are not you [(sg)] afraid to insult God’s [servant, our] supreme priest?”
Those who stood by said, “Is this how you insult God's high priest?”
5 Paul replied, “My fellow Jews, I [am sorry that I said that]. I did not know that the man [who told one of you to hit me] is the high priest. [If I had known that, I would not have insulted our supreme priest], because I [know that] it is written {[that Moses] wrote} [in our Jewish law], ‘Do not speak evil of any of your rulers!’”
Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”
6 Paul realized that some of the [Council members] were Sadducees and others were Pharisees. So, [in order to cause the Pharisees and Sadducees to argue among themselves instead of accusing him], he called out loudly in the Council [hall], “My fellow Jews, I am a Pharisee, like my father was. I have been put {[You] have put me} on trial [here] because I confidently expect that [some day God] will (cause people who have died to become alive again/raise people from the dead).”
When Paul saw that the one part of the council were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he spoke loudly in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is because I have the certain hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am being judged.”
7 When he said that, the Pharisees and Sadducees started to argue with one another [about whether people who have died will become alive again or not].
When he said this, an argument began between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.
8 The Sadducees believe that after people die, they will not become alive again. They also believe that there are no angels and no [other kinds of] spirits. But the Pharisees believe [that all people who have died will one day become alive again. They also believe] that there are [angels and other kinds of spirits].
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, no angels, and no spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge all of them.
9 So the Council members (were divided/did not agree with each other), and they began shouting at one another [as they argued]. Some of the teachers of the laws that [God gave Moses] who were Pharisees stood up. One of them said, “We [(exc)] think that this man has done nothing wrong.” Another said, “Maybe an angel or some [other] spirit [really] spoke to him [and what he says is true].”
So a large uproar occurred, and some of the scribes belonging to the Pharisees stood up and argued, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
10 Then the [Pharisees and Sadducees] argued even more loudly [with one another]. As a result, the commander (was afraid/thought) that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he [commanded] soldiers to go down [from the barracks] and forcefully take Paul away from the Council members and bring him up into the barracks. [So the soldiers did that].
When there arose a great argument, the chief captain feared that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, so he commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among the council members, and bring him into the fortress.
11 That night, [in a vision Paul saw] the Lord [Jesus come and] stand near him. The Lord said [to him], “Be courageous! You [(sg)] have told people [here] in Jerusalem about me, and you must tell people in Rome [about me], too.”
The following night the Lord stood beside him and said, “Do not be afraid, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
12 The next morning [some] of the Jews [MTY] [who hated Paul] met secretly and talked [about how they could kill him]. They promised [themselves] that they would not eat or drink anything until they had killed him. They asked God to curse them [if they did not do what they promised].
When it became day, some Jews formed a conspiracy and called a curse down upon themselves with an oath not to eat nor drink anything until they had killed Paul.
13 There were more than 40 men who planned to do that.
There were more than forty men who formed this conspiracy.
14 They went to the chief priests and [Jewish] elders and told them, “God has heard us promise/vow that we [(exc)] will not eat [or drink] anything until we [(exc)] have killed Paul.
They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have put ourselves under a great curse, to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.
15 So [we request that] you go to the commander and ask him, on behalf of the whole Jewish Council, to bring Paul down to us [from the barracks]. Tell the commander that you want to question Paul some more. But we [(exc)] will be waiting to kill Paul while he is on the way here.”
Now, therefore, let the council tell the chief captain to bring him down to you, as if you would decide his case more precisely. As for us, we are ready to kill him before he comes here.”
16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard what they were planning to do, so he went into the barracks and told Paul.
But Paul's sister's son heard that they were lying in wait, so he went and entered the fortress and told Paul.
17 [When Paul heard that], he called one of the officers and said to him, “[Please] take this young man to the commander, because he needs to tell him something [important].”
Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell him.”
18 So the officer took Paul’s nephew to the commander. The officer said to the commander, “That prisoner, Paul, called me and said, ‘Please take this young man to the commander, because he needs to tell him something [important].’”
So the centurion took the young man 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 you. He has something to say to you.”
19 The commander took the young man by the hand, led him off by himself, and asked him, “What do you [(sg)] need to tell me?”
The chief captain took him by the hand to a private place and asked him, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20 The young man said, “[There are some] [SYN] Jews who have planned to ask you [(sg)] to bring Paul before their Council tomorrow. They will say that they want to ask him some more questions. [But that is not true].
The young man said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring down Paul tomorrow to the council, as if they were going to ask more precisely about his case.
21 Do not do what they ask you [(sg)] to do, because there are more than 40 [Jewish] men who will be hiding and waiting [to attack Paul when he passes by on the way to the Council]. They even promised/vowed to God that they will not eat or drink anything until they have killed Paul. They are ready [to do it], and right now they are waiting for you [(sg)] to agree [to do what they are asking you to do].”
But do not give in to them, because there are more than forty men who are lying in wait for him. They have called a curse down on themselves, neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Even now they are ready, waiting for consent from you.”
22 The commander said to [Paul’s] young nephew, “Do not tell anyone that you [(sg)] have told me [about their plan].” Then he sent the young man away.
So the chief captain let the young man go, after instructing him, “Tell no one that you have said these things to me.”
23 Then the commander called two of his officers and told them, “Get a group of 200 soldiers ready [to travel]. Take along 70 soldiers riding horses, and 200 other soldiers carrying spears. [All of you must be ready] to leave at nine o’clock tonight, to go [down] to Caesarea.
Then he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen also, and two hundred spearmen. You will leave at the third hour of the night.”
24 And take along horses for Paul [and those accompanying him] to ride, and safely escort him to [the palace of] Governor Felix.”
He also ordered them to provide animals which Paul could ride, and to take him safely to Felix the governor.
25 Then the commander wrote a letter [to send to the governor]. This is what he wrote:
Then he wrote a letter like this:
26 “[I am] Claudius Lysias [writing to you]. You, Felix, are our governor whom we [(exc)] respect, [and I sincerely send you] my greetings.
“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent Governor Felix, greetings.
27 I [have sent you(sg)] this man, [Paul, because certain] Jews seized him and were about to kill him. But I heard [someone tell me] that he is a Roman citizen, so I and my soldiers went and rescued him.
This man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with soldiers and rescued him, since I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 I wanted to know what those Jews were saying that he had done wrong, so I took him to their Jewish Council.
I wanted to know why they accused him, so I took him down to their council.
29 I listened [while they asked this man questions and he answered them]. The things [they] accused him about were entirely concerned with their [Jewish] laws. But Paul has not disobeyed any of our [Roman] laws. [So our officials] should not execute him or [even] put him in prison [MTY].
I learned that he was being accused about questions concerning their own law, but that there was no accusation against him that deserved death or imprisonment.
30 [Someone] told me that some [SYN] Jews were secretly planning to kill this man, so I immediately am sending him to you, [so that you(sg) may give him a fair trial there]. I have also [commanded] the Jews who have accused him to [go there to Caesarea and] tell you [(sg) what they are accusing him about].”
Then it was made known to me that there was a plot against the man, so I immediately sent him to you, and instructed his accusers also to bring their charges against him in your presence. Farewell.”
31 So the soldiers did what [the commander commanded] them, [taking this letter with them]. They [got Paul and] took him with them during the night [down] to Antipatris [city].
So the soldiers obeyed their orders. They took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 The next day, the foot soldiers returned to the barracks [in Jerusalem], and the soldiers who rode horses went on with Paul.
On the next day, most of the soldiers left the horsemen to go with him and they themselves returned to the fortress.
33 When the men escorting Paul arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor, and they delivered Paul to the governor. [Then the horsemen returned to Jerusalem].
When the horsemen reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 The governor read the letter, and then he said to Paul, “What province are you [(sg)] from?” [Paul answered], “I am from Cilicia [province].”
When the governor read the letter, he asked what province Paul was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia,
35 Then the governor said, “When the people who have accused you [(sg)] arrive, I will listen [to what each of you says] and then I will judge your case.” Then he [commanded] that Paul be guarded {[soldiers] to guard Paul} in the palace that King Herod [the Great had built].
he said, “I will hear you fully when your accusers come here.” Then he commanded him to be kept in Herod's government headquarters.
