Acts 23

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

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

On hearing this the High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing 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?”

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

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

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.’”

"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 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!”

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

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

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

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

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

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

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

There were more than forty of them who bound themselves by 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 under a heavy curse to take no food till 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 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 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 the intended attack upon him. So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about it;

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 Captains and said, "Take this young man to the Tribune, for he has information to give 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 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 The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

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 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 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 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.”

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 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 youth home, cautioning him. "Do not let any one know that you have given me this information," he said.

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

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

25 He wrote a letter like this:

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Felix, after reading the letter, inquired from what province he was; and being told "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 all you have to say, when your accusers also have come." And he ordered him to be detained in custody in Herod's Palace.