Acts 23
1 Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”
Paul behelde the counsell and sayde: men and brethre I have lived in all good coscience before God vntill this daye.
2 The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
The hye prest Ananias comaunded the that stode by to smyte 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?”
Then sayde Paul to him: God smyte the thou payntyd wall. Sittest thou and iudgest me after the lawe: and commaundest me to be smytten contrary to the lawe?
4 Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”
And they that stode by sayde: revylest thou Goddes hye preste?
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.’”
Then sayd Paul: I wist not brethren that he was the hye preste. For it is writte thou shalt not curse the rular of thy 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!”
When Paul perceaved that the one parte were Saduces and the other Pharises: he cryed oute in the counsell. Men and brethren I am a Pharisaye the sonne of a Pharisaye. Of the hope and resurreccion fro deeth I am iudged.
7 When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.
And when he had so sayde ther arose a debate bitwene the Pharisayes and ye Saduces and the multitude was devided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.
For ye Saduces saye that ther is no resurreccio nether angell nor sprete. But the Pharisayes graunt bothe.
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!”
And ther arose a great crye and the Scribes which were of the Pharisayes parte arose and strove sayinge: we fynde none evyll in this man. Though a sprete or an angell hath apered to him let vs not stryve agaynst God.
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.
And when ther arose greate debate the captayne fearynge lest Paul shuld have bene pluckt asondre of them comaunded the soudiers to goo doune and to take him from amonge them and to bringe him into the castle.
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.”
The nyght folowyng God stode by him and sayde: Be of good cheare Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Ierusalem so must thou beare witnes at Rome.
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 daye was come certayne of the Iewes gaddered them selves to geder and made a vowe sayinge that they wolde nether eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul.
13 There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.
They were aboute. xl. which had made this conspiracio.
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.
And they cam to ye chefe prestes and elders and sayde: we have boude oure selves with a vowe that we will eate nothinge vntill we have slayne 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 therfore geve ye knowlege to the vpper captayne and to the counsell that he bringe him forth vnto vs to morow as though we wolde knowe some thinge more perfectly of him. But we (or ever he come neare) are redy in ye meane season to kill him.
16 But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.
When Pauls sisters sonne hearde of their layinge awayte he wet and entred into the castle and tolde 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 ye vnder captaynes vnto him and sayde: bringe this younge man vnto ye hye captayne: for he hath a certayne thinge to shewe 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.”
And he toke him and sayd: Paul ye presoner called me vnto him and prayed me to brige this youge ma vnto ye which hath a certayne matter to shewe ye.
19 The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
The hye captayne toke him by the hond and wet a parte with him out of the waye: and axed him: what hast thou to saye vnto 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.
And he sayd: the Iewes are determined to desyre the yt thou woldest brynge forth Paul to morowe into the counsell as though they wolde enquyre somwhat of him more parfectly.
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.”
But folowe not their mindes: for ther lyein wayte for him of the moo then. xl. men which have boude the selves wt a vowe that they will nether eate ner drinke till they have killed him. And now are they redy and loke for thy promes.
22 So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”
The vpper captayne let ye yoge man departe and charged: se thou tell it out to no man that thou hast shewed these thinges to me.
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.”
And he called vnto him two vnder captaynes sayinge: make redy two hondred soudiers to goo to Cesarea and horsmen threscore and ten and speare men two houndred at the thyrde houre of the nyght.
24 He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.
And delyvre them beastes that they maye put Paul on and bringe him safe vnto Felix the hye debite
25 He wrote a letter like this:
and wrote a letter in this maner.
26 “Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
Claudius Lisias vnto ye most mighty rular Felix sendeth gretinges.
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 was take of the Iewes and shuld have bene killed of them. Then cam I with soudiers and rescued him and perceaved that he was a Romayne.
28 Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.
And when I wolde have knowen the cause wherfore they accused him I brought him forth into their cousell.
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.
There perceaved I yt he was accused of questios of their lawe: but was not giltye of eny thinge worthy of deeth or of bondes.
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.”
Afterwarde when it was shewed me how that ye Iewes layde wayte for ye man I sent him strayght waye to the and gave commaundmet to his accusars yf they had ought agaynst him to tell it vnto ye: fare well.
31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
Then ye soudiers as it was comaunded the toke Paul and brought him by nyght to Antipatras.
32 But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.
On the morowe they lefte horsmen to goo with him and returned vnto the castle.
33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
Which when they cam to Cesarea they delivered the epistle to the debite and 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,
When the debite had redde the letter he axed of what countre he was and when he vnderstode that he was of Cicill
35 “I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.
I will heare the (sayde he) whe thyne accusars are come also: and commaunded him to be kepte in Herodes pallys.
