Acts 23

1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men, brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

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

2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him, to strike him on the mouth.

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

3 Then said Paul to him, God shall smite thee, [thou] whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

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?

4 And they that stood by, said, Revilest thou God's high priest?

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

5 Then said Paul, I knew not, brethren, that he is the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

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.”

6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

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.

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

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

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

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

9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes [that were] of the Pharisees' part arose, and contended, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

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—

10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul would have been pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring [him] into the castle.

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.

11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified concerning me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear testimony also at Rome.

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.

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

13 And they were more than forty who had made this conspiracy.

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

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

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.

15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain, that he bring him down to you to-morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, before he shall come near, are ready to kill him.

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.

16 And when the son of Paul's sister heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

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

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to [him], and said, Bring this young man to the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

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.

18 So he took him, and brought [him] to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to [him], and prayed me to bring this young man to thee, who hath something to say to thee.

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.

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

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?

20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee, that thou wouldst bring down Paul to-morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat concerning him more perfectly.

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.

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

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.

22 So the chief captain [then] let the young man depart, and charged [him], [See thou] tell no man that thou hast shown these things to me.

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

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

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;

24 And provide [for them] beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring [him] safe to Felix the governor.

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

25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:

And he wrote a letter after this manner:

26 Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, [sendeth] greeting.

Claudius Lysias to the moss excellent governor Felix, greeting.

27 This man was taken by the Jews, and would have been killed by them: then I came with a body of soldiers, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

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.

28 And when I would have known the cause for which they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

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

29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death, or of bonds.

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.

30 And when it was told to me that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent forthwith to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also, to say before thee what [they had] against him. Farewell.

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.

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

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

32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

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

33 Who, when they came to Cesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

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

34 And when the governor had read [the letter], he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that [he was] of Cilicia,

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

35 I will hear thee, said he, when thy accusers also have come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment-hall.

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