Acts 23

1 Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

With a stedfast gaze at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived with a good conscience before God to this day."

2 The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

Then the High Priest Ananias ordered those who stood near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

3 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?”

"You whited sepulcher," exclaimed Paul, "God will strike you! You are sitting there to judge me according to the law, are you? And do you command me to be struck, contrary to the Law?"

4 Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”

"Do you rail at God’s high priest?" said the bystanders.

5 Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

"Brothers, I did not know that he was the high priest," exclaimed Paul, "for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of my people."

6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out 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!”

Then perceiving that half the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and the other half Pharisee, he cried out in the Sanhedrin. "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees! It is for the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!"

7 When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.

When he said this, there arose a quarrel between the Pharisees and Sadducees; the meeting was divided.

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; the Pharisees affirm them all.

9 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. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”

Then a great clamor arose; some of the scribes who belonged to the Pharisaic party stood up, and contended. "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?"

10 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.

But when the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul in pieces, ordered the troops to march down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

11 The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”

And the following night the Lord stood by him and said. "Be of good courage; for as you have borne faithful witness concerning me at Jerusalem, so you must testify at Rome also."

12 When it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

When day dawned the Jews made a conspiracy, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

13 There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

And there were more than forty who had sworn this oath.

14 They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

They went to the high priests and elders, and said to them. "We have bound ourselves by a solemn oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

15 Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

"Now do you and the Sanhedrin ask the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you would judge his case more exactly; and we are ready to kill him, before he comes near the place."

16 But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.

But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their intended attack, and he went and got into the barracks, and told Paul.

17 Paul summoned one of the centurions and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”

And Paul called one of the centurions, and said, "Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him."

18 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. He has something to tell you.”

So he took him, and brought his to the tribune, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called me to him, and begged me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you."

19 The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

And the tribune took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

20 He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

"The Jews," he answered, "have agreed to ask you to bring down Paul tomorrow to the Sanhedrin, as though they wish to examine his case in detail.

21 Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”

"Now do not let them persuade, for more than forty men are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse, not to eat nor drink until they have killed him; even now they are all ready, awaiting your consent."

22 So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

So the tribune sent the young man home with the injunction, "Tell no man that you have given me this information."

23 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 men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.”

Then he called two centurions to him and said. "Get ready by nine o’clock tonight two hundred infantry to march as far as Caesarea, and also seventy troopers and two hundred spearmen."

24 He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

He further ordered them to provide horses on which to mount Paul, so as to bring him safely to Felix, the governor.

25 He wrote a letter like this:

He also wrote a letter in the following terms.

26 “Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

"Claudius Lysais unto the Most Excellent Governor Felix, greeting.

27 “This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

"This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with the troops, and rescued him, as I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

28 Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.

"Anxious to find out why they had accused him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

29 I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.

"Here I learned that he was accused about questions of their law, but was not charged with anything worthy of death or imprisonment.

30 When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”

"Now when I received information that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him at once to you, charging his accusers also to speak against him before you."

31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

So the soldiers took Paul, as they were bid, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

Next day the infantry returned to the barracks, leaving the troopers to ride on with him.

33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

They reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, and also presented Paul before him.

34 When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,

After reading the letter, he asked to what province he belonged, and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, he said,

35 “I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

"I will hear your case when your accusers also are come." And he ordered him to be kept in custody in Herod’s palace.