Acts 23

1 And when Paul had looked on the assembly of them, he said: Men, my brethren; I have lived in all good conscience before God up to this day.

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

2 And Ananias, the priest, commanded those who stood by his side, to smite Paul on the mouth.

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

3 And Paul said to him: God is here-after to smite thee, thou Whited Wall! For, sittest thou judging me agreeably to law, while thou transgressest the law, and commandest to smite me?

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 And those standing by, said to him: Dost thou reproach the priest of God!

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

5 Paul said to them: I was not aware, my brethren, that he was the priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people.

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.’”

6 And, as Paul knew that a part of the people were of the Sadducees, and a part of the Pharisees, he cried out, in the assembly: Men, my brethren; I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee; and for the hope of the resurrection of the dead, I am judged.

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!”

7 And when he had said this, the Pharisees and Sadducees fell upon one another, and the people were divided

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

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor a spirit: but the Pharisees confess all these.

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

9 And there was great vociferation. And some Scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose up, and contended with them, and said. We have found nothing evil in this man: for if a spirit or an angel hath conversed with him, what is there in that?

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!”

10 And, as there was great commotion among them, the Chiliarch was afraid lest they should tear Paul in pieces. And he sent Romans, to go and pluck him from their midst, and bring him into the castle.

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 And when night came, our Lord appeared to Paul, and said to him: Be strong; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so also art thou to testify at Rome.

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.”

12 And when it was morning, several of the Jews assembled together, and bound themselves by imprecations that they would neither eat nor drink until they had slain Paul.

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.

13 And they who had established this compact by oath, were more than forty persons.

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

14 And they went to the priests and Elders, and said: We have bound ourselves by imprecations, that we will taste of nothing, until we shall have slain Paul.

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.

15 And now, do ye and the chiefs of the congregation request of the Chiliarch, that he would bring him unto you, as if ye were desirous to investigate truly his conduct: and we are prepared to slay him, ere he shall come to you.

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.”

16 And the son of Paul's sister, heard of this plot: and he went into the castle, and informed Paul.

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

17 And Paul sent and called one of the centurions, and said to him: Conduct this youth to the Chiliarch; for he hath something to tell him.

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

18 And the centurion took the young man, and introduced him to the Chiliarch, and said: Paul the prisoner called me, and requested me to bring this youth to thee, for he hath something to tell thee.

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.”

19 And the Chiliarch took the young man by his hand, and led him one side, and asked him: What hast thou to tell me?

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

20 And the young man said to him: The Jews have projected to ask thee to bring down Paul to-morrow to their assembly, as if wishing to learn something more from him.

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.

21 But be not thou persuaded by them: for, lo, more than forty persons of them watch for him in ambush, and have bound themselves by imprecations, that they will neither eat nor drink until they shall have slain him: and lo, they are prepared, and are waiting for thy promise

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.”

22 And the Chiliarch dismissed the young man, after charging him: Let no man know, that thou hast showed me these things.

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

23 And he called two centurions, and said to them: Go and prepare two hundred Romans to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and shooters with the right hand two hundred; and let them set out at the third hour of the night.

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.”

24 And provide also a saddle beast, that they may set Paul on it, and carry him safely to Felix the governor.

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

25 And he wrote a letter and gave them, in which was, thus:

He wrote a letter like this:

26 Claudius Lysias to the excellent governor Felix; greeting.

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

27 The Jews seized this man, in order to kill him; but I came with Romans, and rescued him, when I learned that he was a Roman.

“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.

28 And as I wished to know the offence, for which they criminated him, I brought him to their assembly.

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

29 And I found, that it was about questions of their law they accused him, and that an offence worthy of bonds or of death, was not upon him.

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 And when the wiles of a plot formed by the Jews against him came to my knowledge, I forthwith sent him to thee. And I have directed his accusers, to go and contend with him, before thee. Farewell.

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.”

31 Then the Romans, as they had been commanded, took Paul by night, and brought him to the city of Antipatris.

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

32 And the next day, the horsemen dismissed the footmen their associates, that they might return to the castle.

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

33 And they brought him to Caesarea: and they delivered the letter to the governor, and set Paul before him.

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

34 And when he had read the letter, he asked him of what province he was? And when he learned that he was of 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 he said to him: I will give thee audience, when thy accusers arrive. And he ordered him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.

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