Acts 23

1 And Paul having earnestly beheld the sanhedrim, said, 'Men, brethren, I in all good conscience have lived to God unto this day;'

Looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, “Brothers, in all good conscience I have lived as a citizen before God to this day.”

2 and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to smite him on the mouth,

At this the high priest Ananias commanded those who were standing beside Paul to strike him on the mouth.

3 then Paul said unto him, 'God is about to smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, and thou — thou dost sit judging me according to the law, and, violating law, dost order me to be smitten!'

Then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike yoʋ, yoʋ whitewashed wall! Are yoʋ sitting there judging me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law ordering me to be struck?”

4 And those who stood by said, 'The chief priest of God dost thou revile?'

Those standing nearby said, “Do yoʋ dare to insult God's high priest?”

5 and Paul said, 'I did not know, brethren, that he is chief priest: for it hath been written, Of the ruler of thy people thou shalt not speak evil;'

Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest. For it is written, ‘Yoʋ shall not speak evil of a ruler of yoʋr people.’”

6 and Paul having known that the one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the sanhedrim, 'Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee — son of a Pharisee — concerning hope and rising again of dead men I am judged.'

Now when Paul realized that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is regarding the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”

7 And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,

When he said this, a dissension arose on the part of the Pharisees, and the assembly was divided.

8 for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no rising again, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.

(For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)

9 And there came a great cry, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part having arisen, were striving, saying, 'No evil do we find in this man; and if a spirit spake to him, or a messenger, we may not fight against God;'

Then there arose a great clamor, and the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and argued vehemently, “We find no evil in this man. If a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel, let us not fight against God.”

10 and a great dissension having come, the chief captain having been afraid lest Paul may be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiery, having gone down, to take him by force out of the midst of them, and to bring [him] to the castle.

When the dissension grew violent, the commander, exercising caution lest Paul be torn to pieces by them, ordered the troops to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

11 And on the following night, the Lord having stood by him, said, 'Take courage, Paul, for as thou didst fully testify the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so it behoveth thee also at Rome to testify.'

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage, Paul, for as yoʋ have testified about me in Jerusalem, so yoʋ must also testify in Rome.”

12 And day having come, certain of the Jews having made a concourse, did anathematize themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink till they may kill Paul;

When daybreak came, some of the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

13 and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,

More than forty men had taken an oath to join this conspiracy.

14 who having come near to the chief priests and to the elders said, 'With an anathema we did anathematize ourselves — to taste nothing till we have killed Paul;

They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

15 now, therefore, ye, signify ye to the chief captain, with the sanhedrim, that to-morrow he may bring him down unto you, as being about to know more exactly the things concerning him; and we, before his coming nigh, are ready to put him to death.'

Now then, you and the council must make an official request to the commander to bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you would be investigating the facts about his case in greater detail. And we will be ready to kill him before he draws near to this place.”

16 And the son of Paul's sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the castle, told Paul,

But when the son of Paul's sister heard about this ambush, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

17 and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, 'This young man lead unto the chief captain, for he hath something to tell him.'

Then Paul called one of the centurions over and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.”

18 He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him unto the chief captain, and saith, 'The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked [me] this young man to bring unto thee, having something to say to thee.'

So he took the young man, brought him to the commander, and said, “The prisoner Paul called for me and asked me to bring this young man to yoʋ because he has something to tell yoʋ.”

19 And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, 'What is that which thou hast to tell me?'

So the commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside privately, and asked, “What is it that yoʋ have to tell me?”

20 and he said — 'The Jews agreed to request thee, that to-morrow to the sanhedrim thou mayest bring down Paul, as being about to enquire something more exactly concerning him;

The young man said, “The Jews have agreed to ask yoʋ to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though the members of the Sanhedrin would be inquiring about his case in greater detail.

21 thou, therefore, mayest thou not yield to them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who did anathematize themselves — not to eat nor to drink till they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from thee.'

Do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty men are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are now ready, waiting for yoʋr consent.”

22 The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged [him] to tell no one, 'that these things thou didst shew unto me;'

So the commander sent the young man away, ordering him, “Tell no one that yoʋ have reported this to me.”

23 and having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, 'Make ready soldiers two hundred, that they may go on unto Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, from the third hour of the night;

Then he called over two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to go to Caesarea, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.

24 beasts also provide, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe unto Felix the governor;'

Provide mounts so that they may set Paul on one and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

25 he having written a letter after this description:

Then he wrote the following letter:

26 'Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, hail:

“Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

27 This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them — having come with the soldiery, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman;

This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.

28 and, intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their sanhedrim,

Wishing to know the reason why they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

29 whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;

I discovered that he was being accused about questions of their own law, but had no accusation against him that deserved death or imprisonment.

30 and a plot having been intimated to me against this man — about to be of the Jews — at once I sent unto thee, having given command also to the accusers to say the things against him before thee; be strong.'

When I was informed that a plot was about to be executed against this man by the Jews, I sent him to yoʋ at once, also ordering his accusers to state before yoʋ the charges against him. Farewell.”

31 Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris,

So the soldiers took Paul and brought him to Antipatris by night, just as they had been commanded.

32 and on the morrow, having suffered the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the castle;

The next day, they let the horsemen go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.

33 those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, did present also Paul to him.

When the horsemen came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul to him as well.

34 And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;

After the governor read the letter, he asked what province Paul was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia,

35 'I will hear thee — said he — when thine accusers also may have come;' he also commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.

he said, “I will give yoʋ a hearing once yoʋr accusers have arrived.” Then he gave orders for him to be kept at Herod's headquarters.