Πραξεις 23

1 ατενισας δε ο παυλος τω συνεδριω ειπεν ανδρες αδελφοι εγω παση συνειδησει αγαθη πεπολιτευμαι τω θεω αχρι ταυτης της ημερας

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."

2 ο δε αρχιερευς ανανιας επεταξεν τοις παρεστωσιν αυτω τυπτειν αυτου το στομα

On hearing this the High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

3 τοτε ο παυλος προς αυτον ειπεν τυπτειν σε μελλει ο θεος τοιχε κεκονιαμενε και συ καθη κρινων με κατα τον νομον και παρανομων κελευεις με τυπτεσθαι

"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?"

4 οι δε παρεστωτες ειπον τον αρχιερεα του θεου λοιδορεις

"Do you rail at God's High Priest?" cried the men who stood by him.

5 εφη τε ο παυλος ουκ ηδειν αδελφοι οτι εστιν αρχιερευς γεγραπται γαρ αρχοντα του λαου σου ουκ ερεις κακως

"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.'"

6 γνους δε ο παυλος οτι το εν μερος εστιν σαδδουκαιων το δε ετερον φαρισαιων εκραξεν εν τω συνεδριω ανδρες αδελφοι εγω φαρισαιος ειμι υιος φαρισαιου περι ελπιδος και αναστασεως νεκρων εγω κρινομαι

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."

7 τουτου δε αυτου λαλησαντος εγενετο στασις των φαρισαιων και των σαδδουκαιων και εσχισθη το πληθος

These words of his caused an angry dispute between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly took different sides.

8 σαδδουκαιοι μεν γαρ λεγουσιν μη ειναι αναστασιν μητε αγγελον μητε πνευμα φαρισαιοι δε ομολογουσιν τα αμφοτερα

For the Sadducees maintain that there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge the existence of both.

9 εγενετο δε κραυγη μεγαλη και ανασταντες οι γραμματεις του μερους των φαρισαιων διεμαχοντο λεγοντες ουδεν κακον ευρισκομεν εν τω ανθρωπω τουτω ει δε πνευμα ελαλησεν αυτω η αγγελος μη θεομαχωμεν

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----!"

10 πολλης δε γενομενης στασεως ευλαβηθεις ο χιλιαρχος μη διασπασθη ο παυλος υπ αυτων εκελευσεν το στρατευμα καταβηναι και αρπασαι αυτον εκ μεσου αυτων αγειν τε εις την παρεμβολην

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.

11 τη δε επιουση νυκτι επιστας αυτω ο κυριος ειπεν θαρσει παυλε ως γαρ διεμαρτυρω τα περι εμου εις ιερουσαλημ ουτως σε δει και εις ρωμην μαρτυρησαι

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."

12 γενομενης δε ημερας ποιησαντες τινες των ιουδαιων συστροφην ανεθεματισαν εαυτους λεγοντες μητε φαγειν μητε πιειν εως ου αποκτεινωσιν τον παυλον

Now, when daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and solemnly swore not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul.

13 ησαν δε πλειους τεσσαρακοντα οι ταυτην την συνωμοσιαν πεποιηκοτες

There were more than forty of them who bound themselves by this oath.

14 οιτινες προσελθοντες τοις αρχιερευσιν και τοις πρεσβυτεροις ειπον αναθεματι ανεθεματισαμεν εαυτους μηδενος γευσασθαι εως ου αποκτεινωμεν τον παυλον

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.

15 νυν ουν υμεις εμφανισατε τω χιλιαρχω συν τω συνεδριω οπως αυριον αυτον καταγαγη προς υμας ως μελλοντας διαγινωσκειν ακριβεστερον τα περι αυτου ημεις δε προ του εγγισαι αυτον ετοιμοι εσμεν του ανελειν αυτον

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."

16 ακουσας δε ο υιος της αδελφης παυλου το ενεδρον παραγενομενος και εισελθων εις την παρεμβολην απηγγειλεν τω παυλω

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;

17 προσκαλεσαμενος δε ο παυλος ενα των εκατονταρχων εφη τον νεανιαν τουτον απαγαγε προς τον χιλιαρχον εχει γαρ τι απαγγειλαι αυτω

and Paul called one of the Captains and said, "Take this young man to the Tribune, for he has information to give him."

18 ο μεν ουν παραλαβων αυτον ηγαγεν προς τον χιλιαρχον και φησιν ο δεσμιος παυλος προσκαλεσαμενος με ηρωτησεν τουτον τον νεανιαν αγαγειν προς σε εχοντα τι λαλησαι σοι

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."

19 επιλαβομενος δε της χειρος αυτου ο χιλιαρχος και αναχωρησας κατ ιδιαν επυνθανετο τι εστιν ο εχεις απαγγειλαι μοι

Then the Tribune, taking him by the arm, withdrew out of the hearing of others and asked him, "What have you to tell me?"

20 ειπεν δε οτι οι ιουδαιοι συνεθεντο του ερωτησαι σε οπως αυριον εις το συνεδριον καταγαγης τον παυλον ως μελλοντων τι ακριβεστερον πυνθανεσθαι περι αυτου

"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.

21 συ ουν μη πεισθης αυτοις ενεδρευουσιν γαρ αυτον εξ αυτων ανδρες πλειους τεσσαρακοντα οιτινες ανεθεματισαν εαυτους μητε φαγειν μητε πιειν εως ου ανελωσιν αυτον και νυν ετοιμοι εισιν προσδεχομενοι την απο σου επαγγελιαν

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."

22 ο μεν ουν χιλιαρχος απελυσεν τον νεανιαν παραγγειλας μηδενι εκλαλησαι οτι ταυτα ενεφανισας προς με

So the Tribune sent the youth home, cautioning him. "Do not let any one know that you have given me this information," he said.

23 και προσκαλεσαμενος δυο τινας των εκατονταρχων ειπεν ετοιμασατε στρατιωτας διακοσιους οπως πορευθωσιν εως καισαρειας και ιππεις εβδομηκοντα και δεξιολαβους διακοσιους απο τριτης ωρας της νυκτος

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."

24 κτηνη τε παραστησαι ινα επιβιβασαντες τον παυλον διασωσωσιν προς φηλικα τον ηγεμονα

He further told them to provide horses to mount Paul on, so as to bring him safely to Felix the Governor.

25 γραψας επιστολην περιεχουσαν τον τυπον τουτον

He also wrote a letter of which these were the contents:

26 κλαυδιος λυσιας τω κρατιστω ηγεμονι φηλικι χαιρειν

"Claudius Lysias to his Excellency, Felix the Governor: all good wishes.

27 τον ανδρα τουτον συλληφθεντα υπο των ιουδαιων και μελλοντα αναιρεισθαι υπ αυτων επιστας συν τω στρατευματι εξειλομην αυτον μαθων οτι ρωμαιος εστιν

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.

28 βουλομενος δε γνωναι την αιτιαν δι ην ενεκαλουν αυτω κατηγαγον αυτον εις το συνεδριον αυτων

And, wishing to know with certainty the offense of which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrin,

29 ον ευρον εγκαλουμενον περι ζητηματων του νομου αυτων μηδεν δε αξιον θανατου η δεσμων εγκλημα εχοντα

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.

30 μηνυθεισης δε μοι επιβουλης εις τον ανδρα μελλειν εσεσθαι υπο των ιουδαιων εξαυτης επεμψα προς σε παραγγειλας και τοις κατηγοροις λεγειν τα προς αυτον επι σου ερρωσο

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."

31 οι μεν ουν στρατιωται κατα το διατεταγμενον αυτοις αναλαβοντες τον παυλον ηγαγον δια της νυκτος εις την αντιπατριδα

So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took Paul and brought him by night as far as Antipatris.

32 τη δε επαυριον εασαντες τους ιππεις πορευεσθαι συν αυτω υπεστρεψαν εις την παρεμβολην

The next day the infantry returned to the barracks, leaving the cavalry to proceed with him;

33 οιτινες εισελθοντες εις την καισαρειαν και αναδοντες την επιστολην τω ηγεμονι παρεστησαν και τον παυλον αυτω

and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the Governor, they brought Paul also to him.

34 αναγνους δε ο ηγεμων και επερωτησας εκ ποιας επαρχιας εστιν και πυθομενος οτι απο κιλικιας

Felix, after reading the letter, inquired from what province he was; and being told "from Cilicia,"

35 διακουσομαι σου εφη οταν και οι κατηγοροι σου παραγενωνται εκελευσεν τε αυτον εν τω πραιτωριω του ηρωδου φυλασσεσθαι

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.