Atti 23

1 E Paolo, affissati gli occhi nel concistoro, disse: Fratelli, io, fino a questo giorno, ho conversato presso Iddio con ogni buona coscienza.

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 E il sommo sacerdote Anania comandò a coloro ch'eran presso di lui di percuoterlo in su la bocca.

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 Allora Paolo gli disse: Iddio ti percoterà, parete scialbata; tu siedi per giudicarmi secondo la legge, e trapassando la legge, comandi ch'io sia percosso!

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 E coloro ch'erano quivi presenti dissero: Ingiurii tu il sommo sacerdote di Dio?

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 E Paolo disse: Fratelli, io non sapeva ch'egli fosse sommo sacerdote; perciocchè egli è scritto: Tu non dirai male del principe del tuo popolo.

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 Or Paolo, sapendo che l'una parte era di Sadducei, e l'altra di Farisei, sclamò nel concistoro: Uomini fratelli, io son Fariseo, figliuol di Fariseo; io son giudicato per la speranza, e per la risurrezione de' morti.

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 E, come egli ebbe detto questo, nacque dissensione tra i Farisei, e i Sadducei; e la moltitudine si divise.

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 Perciocchè i Sadducei dicono che non vi è risurrezione, nè angelo, nè spirito; ma i Farisei confessano e l'uno e l'altro.

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 E si fece un gridar grande. E gli Scribi della parte de' Farisei, levatisi, contendevano, dicendo: Noi non troviamo male alcuno in quest'uomo; che se uno spirito, o un angelo, ha parlato a lui, non combattiamo contro a Dio.

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 Ora, facendosi grande la dissensione, il capitano, temendo che Paolo non fosse da loro messo a pezzi, comandò a' soldati che scendessero giù, e lo rapissero del mezzo di loro, e lo menassero nella rocca.

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 E la notte seguente, il Signore si presentò a lui, e [gli] disse: Paolo, sta' di buon cuore, perciocchè, come tu hai resa testimonianza di me in Gerusalemme, così convienti renderla ancora a Roma.

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 E, QUANDO fu giorno, certi Giudei fecero raunata, e sotto esecrazione si votarono, promettendo di non mangiare, nè bere, finchè non avessero ucciso Paolo.

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 E coloro che avean fatta questa congiura erano più di quaranta;

There were more than 40 men who planned to do that.

14 i quali vennero a' principali sacerdoti, ed agli anziani, e dissero: Noi ci siamo sotto esecrazione votati di non assaggiar cosa alcuna, finchè non abbiamo ucciso Paolo.

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 Or dunque, voi comparite davanti al capitano col concistoro, [pregandolo] che domani vel mani, come per conoscer più appieno del fatto suo; e noi, innanzi ch'egli giunga, siam pronti per ucciderlo.

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 Ma il figliuolo della sorella di Paolo, udite queste insidie, venne; ed entrato nella rocca, rapportò [il fatto] a Paolo.

But the son of Paul’s sister heard what they were planning to do, so he went into the barracks and told Paul.

17 E Paolo, chiamato a sè uno de' centurioni, disse: Mena questo giovane al capitano, perciocchè egli ha alcuna cosa da rapportargli.

[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 Egli adunque, presolo, lo menò al capitano, e disse: Paolo, quel prigione, mi ha chiamato, e mi ha pregato ch'io ti meni questo giovane, il quale ha alcuna cosa da dirti.

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 E il capitano, presolo per la mano, e ritrattosi in disparte, [lo] domandò: Che cosa hai da rapportarmi?

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 Ed egli disse: I Giudei si son convenuti insieme di pregarti che domani tu meni giù Paolo nel concistoro, come per informarsi più appieno del fatto suo.

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 Ma tu non prestar loro fede, perciocchè più di quarant'uomini di loro gli hanno poste insidie, essendosi sotto esecrazione votati di non mangiare, nè bere, finchè non l'abbiano ucciso; ed ora son presti, aspettando che tu [lo] prometta loro.

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 Il capitano adunque licenziò il giovane, ordinandogli di non palesare ad alcuno che gli avesse fatte assaper queste cose.

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 Poi, chiamati due de' centurioni, disse [loro: ] Tenete presti fin dalle tre ore della notte dugento soldati, e settanta cavalieri, e dugento sergenti, per andar fino in Cesarea.

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 [Disse loro ancora] che avessero delle cavalcature pronte, per farvi montar su Paolo, e condurlo salvamente al governatore Felice.

And take along horses for Paul [and those accompanying him] to ride, and safely escort him to [the palace of] Governor Felix.”

25 [Al quale] egli scrisse una lettera dell'infrascritto tenore:

Then the commander wrote a letter [to send to the governor]. This is what he wrote:

26 Claudio Lisia, all'eccellente governatore Felice: salute.

“[I am] Claudius Lysias [writing to you]. You, Felix, are our governor whom we [(exc)] respect, [and I sincerely send you] my greetings.

27 Quest'uomo, essendo stato preso dai Giudei, ed essendo in sul punto d'esser da loro ucciso io son sopraggiunto coi soldati, e l'ho riscosso, avendo inteso ch'egli era Romano.

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 E, volendo sapere il maleficio del quale l'accusavano, l'ho menato nel lor concistoro.

I wanted to know what those Jews were saying that he had done wrong, so I took him to their Jewish Council.

29 Ed ho trovato ch'egli era accusato intorno alle quistioni della lor legge; e che non vi era in lui maleficio alcuno degno di morte, nè di prigione.

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 Ora, essendomi state significate le insidie, che sarebbero da' Giudei poste a quest'uomo, in quello stante l'ho mandato a te, ordinando eziandio a' [suoi] accusatori di dir davanti a te le cose [che hanno] contro a lui. Sta' sano.

[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 I soldati adunque, secondo ch'era loro stato ordinato, presero con loro Paolo, e lo condussero di notte in Antipatrida.

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 E il giorno seguente, lasciati i cavalieri per andar con lui, ritornarono alla rocca.

The next day, the foot soldiers returned to the barracks [in Jerusalem], and the soldiers who rode horses went on with Paul.

33 E quelli, giunti in Cesarea, e consegnata la lettera al governatore, gli presentarono ancora Paolo.

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 E il governatore, avendo letta [la lettera], e domandato [a Paolo] di qual provincia egli era, e inteso ch'egli era di Cilicia, gli disse:

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 Io ti udirò, quando i tuoi accusatori saranno venuti anch'essi. E comandò che fosse guardato nel palazzo di Erode.

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].