Πραξεις 23
1 ατενισας δε ο παυλος τω συνεδριω ειπεν ανδρες αδελφοι εγω παση συνειδησει αγαθη πεπολιτευμαι τω θεω αχρι ταυτης της ημερας
Paul fixed his eyes on 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 ο δε αρχιερευς ανανιας επεταξεν τοις παρεστωσιν αυτω τυπτειν αυτου το στομα
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near 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
Paul turned to him and said: “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?”
4 οι δε παρεστωτες ειπον τον αρχιερεα του θεου λοιδορεις
The people standing near said to Paul, “Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?”
5 εφη τε ο παυλος ουκ ηδειν αδελφοι οτι εστιν αρχιερευς γεγραπται γαρ αρχοντα του λαου σου ουκ ερεις κακως
“I did not know, brothers, that it was the high priest,” said Paul, “for scripture says – ‘Of the ruler of your people you should speak no ill’.”
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 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 τουτο δε αυτου λαλησαντος εγενετο στασις των φαρισαιων και των σαδδουκαιων και εσχισθη το πληθος
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 σαδδουκαιοι μεν γαρ λεγουσιν μη ειναι αναστασιν μηδε αγγελον μητε πνευμα φαρισαιοι δε ομολογουσιν τα αμφοτερα
(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 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 a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teachers 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 πολλης δε γενομενης στασεως ευλαβηθεις ο χιλιαρχος μη διασπασθη ο παυλος υπ αυτων εκελευσεν το στρατευμα καταβαν αρπασαι αυτον εκ μεσου αυτων αγειν τε εις την παρεμβολην
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 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
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 γενομενης δε ημερας ποιησαντες τινες των ιουδαιων συστροφην ανεθεματισαν εαυτους λεγοντες μητε φαγειν μητε πιειν εως ου αποκτεινωσιν τον παυλον
In the morning some Jewish men combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 ησαν δε πλειους τεσσαρακοντα οι ταυτην την συνωμοσιαν πεποιηκοτες
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 οιτινες προσελθοντες τοις αρχιερευσιν και τοις πρεσβυτεροις ειπον αναθεματι ανεθεματισαμεν εαυτους μηδενος γευσασθαι εως ου αποκτεινωμεν τον παυλον
and they went to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food until 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
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 ακουσας δε ο υιος της αδελφης παυλου την ενεδραν παραγενομενος και εισελθων εις την παρεμβολην απηγγειλεν τω παυλω
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, 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
Paul called one of the garrison centurion and asked him to take the young man to the commanding officer, as he had something to tell 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
The centurion went with him to the commanding officer, and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to tell you.”
19 επιλαβομενος δε της χειρος αυτου ο χιλιαρχος και αναχωρησας κατ ιδιαν επυνθανετο τι εστιν ο εχεις απαγγειλαι μοι
The commanding officer took the young man by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
20 ειπεν δε οτι οι ιουδαιοι συνεθεντο του ερωτησαι σε οπως αυριον εις το συνεδριον καταγαγης τον παυλον ως μελλοντες τι ακριβεστερον πυνθανεσθαι περι αυτου
“Some men have agreed,” he answered, “to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council tomorrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his 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
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, until they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting on your promise.”
22 ο μεν ουν χιλιαρχος απελυσεν τον νεανιαν παραγγειλας μηδενι εκλαλησαι οτι ταυτα ενεφανισας προς με
The commanding officer then dismissed the young man, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
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 he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 κτηνη τε παραστησαι ινα επιβιβασαντες τον παυλον διασωσωσιν προς φηλικα τον ηγεμονα
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 γραψας επιστολην περιεχουσαν τον τυπον τουτον
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 κλαυδιος λυσιας τω κρατιστω ηγεμονι φηλικι χαιρειν
‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 τον ανδρα τουτον συλληφθεντα υπο των ιουδαιων και μελλοντα αναιρεισθαι υπ αυτων επιστας συν τω στρατευματι εξειλομην αυτον μαθων οτι ρωμαιος εστιν
The man whom I send with this had been seized by some 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 βουλομενος δε γνωναι την αιτιαν δι ην ενεκαλουν αυτω κατηγαγον αυτον εις το συνεδριον αυτων
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 ον ευρον εγκαλουμενον περι ζητηματων του νομου αυτων μηδεν δε αξιον θανατου η δεσμων εγκλημα εχοντα
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 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
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 οι μεν ουν στρατιωται κατα το διατεταγμενον αυτοις αναλαβοντες τον παυλον ηγαγον δια της νυκτος εις την αντιπατριδα
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 τη δε επαυριον εασαντες τους ιππεις πορευεσθαι συν αυτω υπεστρεψαν εις την παρεμβολην
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 οιτινες εισελθοντες εις την καισαρειαν και αναδοντες την επιστολην τω ηγεμονι παρεστησαν και τον παυλον αυτω
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 αναγνους δε ο ηγεμων και επερωτησας εκ ποιας επαρχιας εστιν και πυθομενος οτι απο κιλικιας
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 διακουσομαι σου εφη οταν και οι κατηγοροι σου παραγενωνται εκελευσεν τε αυτον εν τω πραιτωριω του ηρωδου φυλασσεσθαι
“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.
