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;'
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.”
2 and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to smite him on the mouth,
When Ananias the supreme priest [heard what Paul said], he commanded the men who were standing near Paul to hit 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 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!]”
4 And those who stood by said, 'The chief priest of God dost thou revile?'
The men who were standing near Paul [rebuked him. They] said, “Are not you [(sg)] afraid to insult God’s [servant, our] supreme 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 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!’”
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.'
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).”
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 that, the Pharisees and Sadducees started to argue with one another [about whether people who have died will become alive again or not].
8 for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no rising again, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.
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].
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;'
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].”
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.
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].
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.'
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.”
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;
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].
13 and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,
There were more than 40 men who planned to do that.
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 [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.
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.'
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.”
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 the son of Paul’s sister heard what they were planning to do, so 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.'
[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].”
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 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].’”
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?'
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?”
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, “[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].
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 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].”
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;'
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.
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 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.
24 beasts also provide, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe unto Felix the governor;'
And take along horses for Paul [and those accompanying him] to ride, and safely escort him to [the palace of] Governor Felix.”
25 he having written a letter after this description:
Then the commander wrote a letter [to send to the governor]. This is what he wrote:
26 'Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, hail:
“[I am] Claudius Lysias [writing to you]. You, Felix, are our governor whom we [(exc)] respect, [and I sincerely send you] my 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;
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.
28 and, intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their sanhedrim,
I wanted to know what those Jews were saying that he had done wrong, so I took him to their Jewish Council.
29 whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;
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].
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.'
[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].”
31 Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris,
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].
32 and on the morrow, having suffered the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the castle;
The next day, the foot soldiers returned to the barracks [in Jerusalem], and the soldiers who rode horses went on with Paul.
33 those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, did present also Paul to him.
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].
34 And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;
The governor read the letter, and then he said to Paul, “What province are you [(sg)] from?” [Paul answered], “I am from Cilicia [province].”
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.
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].
