Hechos 23

1 ENTÓNCES Pablo, poniendo los ojos en el concilio, dice: Varones hermanos, yo con toda buena conciencia he conversado delante de Dios hasta el dia de hoy.

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 El príncipe de los sacerdotes, Ananías, mandó entónces á los que estaban delante de él que le hiriesen en la boca.

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

3 Entónces Pablo le dijo: Herirte ha Dios, pared blanqueada: ¿y estás tú sentado para juzgarme conforme á la ley, y contra la ley me mandas herir?

"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 Y los que estaban presentes dijeron: ¿Al sumo sacerdote de Dios maldices?

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

5 Y Pablo dijo: No sabia, hermanos, que era el sumo sacerdote; que escrito está: Al príncipe de tu pueblo no maldecirás.

"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 Entónces Pablo, sabiendo que la una parte era de Saducéos, y la otra de Fariséos, clamó en el concilio: Varones hermanos, yo Fariséo soy, hijo de Fariséo: de la esperanza y de la resurreccion de los muertos soy yo juzgado.

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 Y como hubo dicho esto, fué hecha disension entre los Fariséos y los Saducéos; y la multitud fué dividida.

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

8 (Porque los Saducéos dicen que no hay resurreccion, ni ángel, ni espíritu; mas los Fariséos confiesan ambas cosas.)

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

9 Y levantóse un gran clamor: y levantándose los escribas de la parte de los Fariséos, contendian diciendo: Ningun mal hallamos en este hombre; que si espíritu le ha hablado, ó ángel, no resistamos á Dios.

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 Y habiendo grande disension, el tribuno teniendo temor que Pablo no fuese despedazado de ellos, mandó venir [la compañía de] soldados, y arrebatarle de en medio de ellos, y llevarle á la fortaleza.

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 Y la noche siguiente, presentándosele el Señor, le dijo: Confia, Pablo; que como has testificado de mí en Jerusalem, así es menester testifiques tambien en Roma.

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 Y venido el dia, algunos de los Judíos se juntaron, y prometieron bajo de maldicion, diciendo que ni comerian ni beberian hasta que hubiesen muerto á Pablo.

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

13 Y eran más de cuarenta los que habian hecho esta conjuracion;

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

14 Los cuales se fueron á los príncipes de los sacerdotes y los ancianos, y dijeron: Nosotros hemos hecho voto debajo de maldicion, que no hemos de gustar nada hasta que hayamos muerto á Pablo.

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 Ahora pues vosotros con el concilio requerid al tribuno que le saque mañana á vosotros, como que quereis entender de él alguna cosa mas cierta, y nosotros, ántes que él llegue, estarémos aparejados para matarle.

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 Entónces un hijo de la hermana de Pablo, oyendo las asechanzas, fué y entró en la fortaleza, y dió aviso á Pablo.

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 Y Pablo llamando á uno de los centuriones, dice: Lleva á este mancebo al tribuno; porque tiene cierto aviso que darle.

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

18 El entónces tomándole, le llevó al tribuno, y dijo: El preso Pablo llamándome, me rogó que trajese á tí este mancebo, que tiene algo que hablarte.

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 Y el tribuno tomándole de la mano, y retirándose aparte, [le] preguntó: ¿Qué es lo que tienes que decirme?

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 Y él dijo: Los Judíos han concertado rogarte que mañana saques á Pablo al concilio, como que han de inquirir de él alguna cosa más cierta.

"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 Mas tú no los creas; porque más de cuarenta hombres de ellos le asechan, los cuales han hecho voto, debajo de maldicion, de no comer ni beber hasta que le hayan muerto; y ahora están apercibidos esperando tu promesa.

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 Entónces el tribuno despidió al mancebo, mandándo[le] que á nadie dijese que le habia dado aviso de esto.

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 Y llamados dos centuriones, [les] mandó que apercibiesen para la hora tercia de la noche doscientos soldados, que fuesen hasta Cesaréa, y setenta de á caballo, y doscientos lanceros;

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 Y que aparejasen cabalgaduras en que poniendo á Pablo, le llevasen en salvo á Felix el presidente.

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

25 Y escribió una carta en estos términos:

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

26 Claudio Lisias al excelentísimo gobernador Felix, Salud.

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

27 A este hombre, aprehendido de los Judíos, y que iban ellos á matar, libré yo acudiendo con la tropa, habiendo entendido que era Romano.

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 Y queriendo saber la causa por qué le acusaban, le llevé al concilio de ellos.

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

29 Y hallé que le acusaban de [algunas] cuestiones de la ley de ellos, y que ningun crimen tenia digno de muerte, ó de prision.

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 Mas siéndome dado aviso de asechanzas que le habian aparejado los Judíos, luego al punto [le] he enviado á tí, é intimé tambien á los acusadores que traten delante de tí lo que [tienen] contra él. Pásalo bien.

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 Y los soldados, tomando á Pablo, como les era mandado, lleváronle de noche á Antipatris.

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

32 Y al dia siguiente dejando á los de á caballo que fuesen con él, se volvieron á la fortaleza.

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

33 Y como llegaron á Cesaréa, y dieron la carta al gobernador, presentaron tambien á Pablo delante de él.

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

34 Y el gobernador leida la carta, preguntó de qué provincia era; y entendiendo que de Cilicia,

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

35 Te oiré, dijo, cuando vinieren tambien tus acusadores. Y mandó que le guardasen en el Pretorio de Heródes.

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.