Acts 23
1 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."
Paul fixed his eyes upon 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.”
2 On hearing this the High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
At this, the High Priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
3 "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?"
whereupon Paul turned to him and said: “God will strike you, you white-washed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?”
4 "Do you rail at God's High Priest?" cried the men who stood by him.
The people standing near said to Paul: “Do you know that you are insulting God’s High Priest?”
5 "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.'"
“I did not know, Brothers, that it was the High Priest,” said Paul, “for Scripture says — ‘Of the Ruler of thy People thou shalt speak no ill’.”
6 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."
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.”
7 These words of his caused an angry dispute between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly took different sides.
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.
8 For the Sadducees maintain that there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge the existence of both.
(For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)
9 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----!"
So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teaches 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...”
10 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.
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.
11 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."
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.”
12 Now, when daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and solemnly swore not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul.
In the morning the Jews combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paul.
13 There were more than forty of them who bound themselves by this oath.
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 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.
and they went to the Chief Priests and the Councillors, and said: “We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food till we have killed Paul.
15 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."
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.”
16 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;
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
17 and Paul called one of the Captains and said, "Take this young man to the Tribune, for he has information to give him."
Paul called one of the Captains of the garrison and asked him to take the lad to the Commanding Officer, as he had something to tell him.
18 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."
The Captain 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.”
19 Then the Tribune, taking him by the arm, withdrew out of the hearing of others and asked him, "What have you to tell me?"
The Commanding Officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
20 "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.
“The Jews have agreed,” answered the lad, “to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council to-morrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
21 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."
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, till they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting upon your promise.”
22 So the Tribune sent the youth home, cautioning him. "Do not let any one know that you have given me this information," he said.
The Commanding Officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
23 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."
Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred men ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 He further told them to provide horses to mount Paul on, so as to bring him safely to Felix the Governor.
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 He also wrote a letter of which these were the contents:
To him he wrote a letter, somewhat as follows —
26 "Claudius Lysias to his Excellency, Felix the Governor: all good wishes.
‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 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.
The man whom I send with this had been seized by the 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.
28 And, wishing to know with certainty the offense of which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrin,
Wishing to ascertain exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 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.
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.
30 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."
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.’
31 So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took Paul and brought him by night as far as Antipatris.
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 The next day the infantry returned to the barracks, leaving the cavalry to proceed with him;
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the Governor, they brought Paul also to him.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 Felix, after reading the letter, inquired from what province he was; and being told "from Cilicia,"
As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said:
35 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.
“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.
