Acts 23

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

Paul looked directly at the council members and said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.”

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

The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him 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?”

Then said Paul to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Are you sitting to judge me by the law, yet order me to be struck, against the law?”

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

Those who stood by said, “Is this how you insult God's high priest?”

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.’”

Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your 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 saw that the one part of the council were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he spoke loudly in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is because I have the certain hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am being judged.”

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

When he said this, an argument began between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd 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, no angels, and no spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge all of them.

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!”

So a large uproar occurred, and some of the scribes belonging to the Pharisees stood up and argued, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

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.

When there arose a great argument, the chief captain feared that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, so he commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among the council members, and bring him into the fortress.

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 following night the Lord stood beside him and said, “Do not be afraid, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in 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 it became day, some Jews formed a conspiracy and called a curse down upon themselves with an oath not to eat nor drink anything until they had killed Paul.

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

There were more than forty men who formed this conspiracy.

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 chief priests and the elders and said, “We have put ourselves under a great curse, 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, therefore, let the council tell the chief captain to bring him down to you, as if you would decide his case more precisely. As for us, we are ready to kill him before he comes here.”

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 that they were lying in wait, so he went and entered the fortress 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.”

Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the chief captain, 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 the centurion took the young man and brought him to the chief captain and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to 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?”

The chief captain took him by the hand to a private place and asked him, “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 young man said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring down Paul tomorrow to the council, as if they were going to ask more precisely about his case.

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 do not give in to them, because there are more than forty men who are lying in wait for him. They have called a curse down on themselves, neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Even now they are ready, waiting for consent from you.”

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 chief captain let the young man go, after instructing him, “Tell no one that you have said these things 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.”

Then he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen also, and two hundred spearmen. You will leave at the third hour of the night.”

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

He also ordered them to provide animals which Paul could ride, and to take him safely to Felix the governor.

25 He wrote a letter like this:

Then he wrote a letter like this:

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

“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent Governor Felix, greetings.

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 arrested by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with soldiers and rescued him, since I learned that he was a Roman citizen.

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

I wanted to know why they accused him, so I took him down to their council.

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.

I learned that he was being accused about questions concerning their own law, but that there was no accusation against him that deserved 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.”

Then it was made known to me that there was a plot against the man, so I immediately sent him to you, and instructed his accusers also to bring their charges against him in your presence. Farewell.”

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

So the soldiers obeyed their orders. They took Paul 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.

On the next day, most of the soldiers left the horsemen to go with him and they themselves returned to the fortress.

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

When the horsemen reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to 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 governor read the letter, he asked what province Paul was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia,

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

he said, “I will hear you fully when your accusers come here.” Then he commanded him to be kept in Herod's government headquarters.