Actuum Apostolorum 23
1 intendens autem concilium Paulus ait viri fratres ego omni conscientia bona conversatus sum ante Deum usque in hodiernum diem
Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."
2 princeps autem sacerdotum Ananias praecepit adstantibus sibi percutere os eius
The cohen hagadol, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
3 tunc Paulus ad eum dixit percutiet te Deus paries dealbate et tu sedens iudicas me secundum legem et contra legem iubes me percuti
Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you sit to judge me according to the Law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?"
4 et qui adstabant dixerunt summum sacerdotem Dei maledicis
Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's cohen hagadol?"
5 dixit autem Paulus nesciebam fratres quia princeps est sacerdotum scriptum est enim principem populi tui non maledices
Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was cohen hagadol. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"
6 sciens autem Paulus quia una pars esset Sadducaeorum et altera Pharisaeorum exclamavit in concilio viri fratres ego Pharisaeus sum filius Pharisaeorum de spe et resurrectione mortuorum ego iudicor
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged."
7 et cum haec dixisset facta est dissensio inter Pharisaeos et Sadducaeos et soluta est multitudo
When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 Sadducaei enim dicunt non esse resurrectionem neque angelum neque spiritum Pharisaei autem utrumque confitentur
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.
9 factus est autem clamor magnus et surgentes quidam Pharisaeorum pugnabant dicentes nihil mali invenimus in homine isto quod si spiritus locutus est ei aut angelus
A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit spoke to him, or an angel?"
10 et cum magna dissensio facta esset timens tribunus ne discerperetur Paulus ab ipsis iussit milites descendere et rapere eum de medio eorum ac deducere eum in castra
When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
11 sequenti autem nocte adsistens ei Dominus ait constans esto sicut enim testificatus es de me Hierusalem sic te oportet et Romae testificari
The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, "Cheer up, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome."
12 facta autem die collegerunt se quidam ex Iudaeis et devoverunt se dicentes neque manducaturos neque bibituros donec occiderent Paulum
When it was day, the Judeans formed a conspiracy, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
13 erant autem plus quam quadraginta qui hanc coniurationem fecerant
There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.
14 qui accesserunt ad principes sacerdotum et seniores et dixerunt devotione devovimus nos nihil gustaturos donec occidamus Paulum
They came to the chief cohanim and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
15 nunc ergo vos notum facite tribuno cum concilio ut producat illum ad vos tamquam aliquid certius cognituri de eo nos vero priusquam adpropiet parati sumus interficere illum
Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near."
16 quod cum audisset filius sororis Pauli insidias venit et intravit in castra nuntiavitque Paulo
But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.
17 vocans autem Paulus ad se unum ex centurionibus ait adulescentem hunc perduc ad tribunum habet enim aliquid indicare illi
Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him."
18 et ille quidem adsumens eum duxit ad tribunum et ait vinctus Paulus vocans rogavit me hunc adulescentem perducere ad te habentem aliquid loqui tibi
So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you."
19 adprehendens autem tribunus manum illius secessit cum eo seorsum et interrogavit illum quid est quod habes indicare mihi
The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"
20 ille autem dixit Iudaeis convenit rogare te ut crastina die Paulum producas in concilium quasi aliquid certius inquisituri sint de illo
And he said, "The Judeans have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they intended to inquire somewhat more thoroughly concerning him.
21 tu vero ne credideris illis insidiantur enim ei ex eis viri amplius quadraginta qui se devoverunt non manducare neque bibere donec interficiant eum et nunc parati sunt expectantes promissum tuum
Therefore do not yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."
22 tribunus igitur dimisit adulescentem praecipiens ne cui loqueretur quoniam haec nota sibi fecisset
So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me."
23 et vocatis duobus centurionibus dixit illis parate milites ducentos ut eant usque Caesaream et equites septuaginta et lancearios ducentos a tertia hora noctis
He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at nine tonight."
24 et iumenta praeparate ut inponentes Paulum salvum perducerent ad Felicem praesidem
He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.
He wrote a letter like this:
26 scribens epistulam continentem haec Claudius Lysias optimo praesidi Felici salutem
"Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
27 virum hunc conprehensum a Iudaeis et incipientem interfici ab eis superveniens cum exercitu eripui cognito quia Romanus est
"This man was seized by the Judeans, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
28 volensque scire causam quam obiciebant illi deduxi eum in concilium eorum
Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.
29 quem inveni accusari de quaestionibus legis ipsorum nihil vero dignum morte aut vinculis habentem crimen
I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.
30 et cum mihi perlatum esset de insidiis quas paraverunt ei misi ad te denuntians et accusatoribus ut dicant apud te
When I was told that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell."
31 milites ergo secundum praeceptum sibi adsumentes Paulum duxerunt per noctem in Antipatridem
So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 et postera die dimissis equitibus ut irent cum eo reversi sunt ad castra
But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.
33 qui cum venissent Caesaream et tradidissent epistulam praesidi statuerunt ante illum et Paulum
When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 cum legisset autem et interrogasset de qua provincia esset et cognoscens quia de Cilicia
When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,
35 audiam te inquit cum et accusatores tui venerint iussitque in praetorio Herodis custodiri eum
"I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's palace.
