Πραξεις 23

1 Ἀτενίσας δὲ τῷ Συνεδρίῳ ὁ Παῦλος εἶπεν, “Ἄνδρες, ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ πάσῃ συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ ˚Θεῷ ἄχρι ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας.”

And Paul, looking fixedly at the Sanhedrin, said, My brothers, my life has been upright before God till this day.

2 Ὁ δὲ ἀρχιερεὺς Ἁνανίας ἐπέταξεν τοῖς παρεστῶσιν αὐτῷ, τύπτειν αὐτοῦ τὸ στόμα.

And the high priest, Ananias, gave orders to those who were near him to give him a blow on the mouth.

3 Τότε ὁ Παῦλος πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν, “Τύπτειν σε μέλλει ὁ ˚Θεός, τοῖχε κεκονιαμένε! Καὶ σὺ κάθῃ κρίνων με κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ παρανομῶν κελεύεις με τύπτεσθαι;”

Then Paul said to him, God will give blows to you, you whitewashed wall: are you here to be my judge by law, and by your orders am I given blows against the law?

4 Οἱ δὲ παρεστῶτες εἶπαν, “Τὸν ἀρχιερέα τοῦ ˚Θεοῦ λοιδορεῖς;”

And those who were near said, Do you say such words against God's high priest?

5 Ἔφη τε ὁ Παῦλος, “Οὐκ ᾔδειν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀρχιερεύς· γέγραπται γὰρ, ὅτι ‘Ἄρχοντα τοῦ λαοῦ σου, οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς.’”

And Paul said, Brother, I had no idea that he was the high priest: for it has been said, You may not say evil about the ruler of your people.

6 Γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Παῦλος ὅτι τὸ ἓν μέρος ἐστὶν Σαδδουκαίων, τὸ δὲ ἕτερον Φαρισαίων, ἔκραζεν ἐν τῷ Συνεδρίῳ, “Ἄνδρες, ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ Φαρισαῖός εἰμι, υἱὸς Φαρισαίων· περὶ ἐλπίδος καὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν ἐγὼ κρίνομαι.”

But when Paul saw that half of them were Sadducees and the rest Pharisees, he said in the Sanhedrin, Brothers, I am a Pharisee, and the son of Pharisees: I am here to be judged on the question of the hope of the coming back from the dead.

7 Τοῦτο δὲ αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος, ἐγένετο στάσις τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων, καὶ ἐσχίσθη τὸ πλῆθος.

And when he had said this, there was an argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and a division in the meeting.

8 Σαδδουκαῖοι μὲν γὰρ λέγουσιν μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν, μήτε ἄγγελον, μήτε πνεῦμα, Φαρισαῖοι δὲ ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀμφότερα.

For the Sadducees say that there is no coming back from the dead, and no angels or spirits: but the Pharisees have belief in all these.

9 Ἐγένετο δὲ κραυγὴ μεγάλη, καὶ ἀναστάντες τινὲς τῶν γραμματέων τοῦ μέρους τῶν Φαρισαίων, διεμάχοντο λέγοντες, “Οὐδὲν κακὸν εὑρίσκομεν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τούτῳ· εἰ δὲ πνεῦμα ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ, ἢ ἄγγελος;”

And there was a great outcry: and some of the scribes on the side of the Pharisees got up and took part in the discussion, saying, We see no evil in this man: what if he has had a revelation from an angel or a spirit?

10 Πολλῆς δὲ γινομένης στάσεως, φοβηθεὶς ὁ χιλίαρχος μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπʼ αὐτῶν, ἐκέλευσεν τὸ στράτευμα καταβὰν, ἁρπάσαι αὐτὸν ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν, ἄγειν τε εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν.

And when the argument became very violent, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be pulled in two by them, gave orders to the armed men to take him by force from among them, and take him into the army building.

11 Τῇ δὲ ἐπιούσῃ νυκτὶ, ἐπιστὰς αὐτῷ, ὁ ˚Κύριος εἶπεν, “Θάρσει, ὡς γὰρ διεμαρτύρω τὰ περὶ ἐμοῦ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ, οὕτω σε δεῖ καὶ εἰς Ῥώμην μαρτυρῆσαι.”

And the night after, the Lord came to his side and said, Be of good heart, for as you have been witnessing for me in Jerusalem, so will you be my witness in Rome.

12 Γενομένης δὲ ἡμέρας, ποιήσαντες συστροφὴν, οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀνεθεμάτισαν ἑαυτοὺς, λέγοντες μήτε φαγεῖν μήτε πιεῖν, ἕως οὗ ἀποκτείνωσιν τὸν Παῦλον.

And when it was day, the Jews came together and put themselves under an oath that they would take no food or drink till they had put Paul to death.

13 Ἦσαν δὲ πλείους τεσσεράκοντα οἱ ταύτην τὴν συνωμοσίαν ποιησάμενοι·

And more than forty of them took this oath.

14 οἵτινες προσελθόντες τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσιν καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις εἶπαν, “Ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν ἑαυτοὺς, μηδενὸς γεύσασθαι ἕως οὗ ἀποκτείνωμεν τὸν Παῦλον.

And they came to the chief priests and the rulers and said, We have taken a great oath to take no food till we have put Paul to death

15 Νῦν οὖν ὑμεῖς ἐμφανίσατε τῷ χιλιάρχῳ σὺν τῷ Συνεδρίῳ, ὅπως καταγάγῃ αὐτὸν εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὡς μέλλοντας διαγινώσκειν ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ· ἡμεῖς δὲ πρὸ τοῦ ἐγγίσαι αὐτὸν, ἕτοιμοί ἐσμεν τοῦ ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν.”

So now, will you and the Sanhedrin make a request to the military authorities to have him sent down to you, as if you were desiring to go into the business in greater detail; and we, before ever he gets to you, will be waiting to put him to death.

16 Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀδελφῆς Παύλου, τὴν ἐνέδραν παραγενόμενος, καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν, ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ Παύλῳ.

But Paul's sister's son had word of their design, and he came into the army building and gave news of it to Paul.

17 Προσκαλεσάμενος δὲ ὁ Παῦλος ἕνα τῶν ἑκατονταρχῶν, ἔφη, “Τὸν νεανίαν τοῦτον ἄπαγε πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον, ἔχει γὰρ ἀπαγγεῖλαί τι αὐτῷ.”

And Paul sent for a captain and said, Take this young man to your chief, for he has news for him.

18 Ὁ μὲν οὖν παραλαβὼν αὐτὸν, ἤγαγεν πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον, καὶ φησίν, “Ὁ δέσμιος, Παῦλος, προσκαλεσάμενός με, ἠρώτησεν τοῦτον τὸν νεανίσκον ἀγαγεῖν πρὸς σέ, ἔχοντά τι λαλῆσαί σοι.”

So he took him to the chief captain and said, Paul, the prisoner, made a request to me to take this young man to you, for he has something to say to you.

19 Ἐπιλαβόμενος δὲ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ χιλίαρχος, καὶ ἀναχωρήσας κατʼ ἰδίαν, ἐπυνθάνετο, “Τί ἐστιν ὃ ἔχεις ἀπαγγεῖλαί μοι;”

And the chief took him by the hand and, going on one side, said to him privately, What is it you have to say to me?

20 Εἶπεν δὲ, ὅτι “Οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συνέθεντο τοῦ ἐρωτῆσαί σε, ὅπως αὔριον τὸν Παῦλον καταγάγῃς εἰς τὸ Συνέδριον, ὡς μέλλων τι ἀκριβέστερον πυνθάνεσθαι περὶ αὐτοῦ.

And he said, The Jews are in agreement together to make a request to you for Paul to be taken, on the day after this, into the Sanhedrin, to be questioned in greater detail.

21 Σὺ οὖν μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτοῖς, ἐνεδρεύουσιν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες πλείους τεσσεράκοντα, οἵτινες ἀνεθεμάτισαν ἑαυτοὺς μήτε φαγεῖν μήτε πιεῖν, ἕως οὗ ἀνέλωσιν αὐτόν, καὶ νῦν εἰσιν ἕτοιμοι, προσδεχόμενοι τὴν ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐπαγγελίαν.”

But do not give way to them, for more than forty of them are waiting for him, having taken an oath not to take food or drink till they have put him to death: and now they are ready, waiting for your order.

22 Ὁ μὲν οὖν χιλίαρχος ἀπέλυσε τὸν νεανίσκον παραγγείλας, “Μηδενὶ ἐκλαλῆσαι ὅτι ταῦτα ἐνεφάνισας πρὸς ἐμέ.”

So the chief captain let the young man go, saying to him, Do not say to anyone that you have given me word of these things.

23 Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενός τινας δύο τῶν ἑκατονταρχῶν, εἶπεν, “Ἑτοιμάσατε στρατιώτας διακοσίους, ὅπως πορευθῶσιν ἕως Καισαρείας, καὶ ἱππεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα, καὶ δεξιολάβους διακοσίους, ἀπὸ τρίτης ὥρας τῆς νυκτός.”

And he sent for two captains and said, Make ready two hundred men, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, to go to Caesarea, at the third hour of the night:

24 Κτήνη τε παραστῆσαι, ἵνα ἐπιβιβάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον, διασώσωσι πρὸς Φήλικα τὸν ἡγεμόνα,

And get beasts so that they may put Paul on them, and take him safely to Felix, the ruler.

25 γράψας ἐπιστολὴν, ἔχουσαν τὸν τύπον τοῦτον:

And he sent a letter in these words:

26 “Κλαύδιος Λυσίας, τῷ κρατίστῳ ἡγεμόνι Φήλικι, χαίρειν.

Claudius Lysias, to the most noble ruler, Felix, peace be with you.

27 Τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον συλλημφθέντα ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ μέλλοντα ἀναιρεῖσθαι ὑπʼ αὐτῶν, ἐπιστὰς σὺν τῷ στρατεύματι, ἐξειλάμην μαθὼν ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν.

This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be put to death by them, when I came on them with the army and took him out of danger, having knowledge that he was a Roman.

28 Βουλόμενός τε ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν αἰτίαν διʼ ἣν ἐνεκάλουν αὐτῷ, κατήγαγον εἰς τὸ Συνέδριον αὐτῶν.

And, desiring to get at the reason for their attack on him, I took him down to their Sanhedrin:

29 Ὃν εὗρον ἐγκαλούμενον περὶ ζητημάτων τοῦ νόμου αὐτῶν, μηδὲν δὲ ἄξιον θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἔχοντα ἔγκλημα.

Then it became clear to me that it was a question of their law, and that nothing was said against him which might be a reason for prison or death.

30 Μηνυθείσης δέ μοι ἐπιβουλῆς εἰς τὸν ἄνδρα ἔσεσθαι, ἐξαυτῆς ἔπεμψα πρὸς σέ, παραγγείλας καὶ τοῖς κατηγόροις λέγειν αὑτούς ἐπὶ σοῦ.”

And when news was given to me that a secret design was being made against the man, I sent him straight away to you, giving orders to those who are against him to make their statements before you.

31 Οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατιῶται κατὰ τὸ διατεταγμένον αὐτοῖς, ἀναλαβόντες τὸν Παῦλον, ἤγαγον διὰ νυκτὸς εἰς τὴν Ἀντιπατρίδα.

So the armed men, as they were ordered, took Paul and came by night to Antipatris.

32 Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον, ἐάσαντες τοὺς ἱππεῖς ἀπέρχεσθαι σὺν αὐτῷ, ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν·

But on the day after, they sent the horsemen on with him, and went back to their place:

33 οἵτινες εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν Καισάρειαν, καὶ ἀναδόντες τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῷ ἡγεμόνι, παρέστησαν καὶ τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ.

And they, when they came to Caesarea, gave the letter to the ruler, and took Paul before him.

34 Ἀναγνοὺς δὲ, καὶ ἐπερωτήσας ἐκ ποίας ἐπαρχείας ἐστὶν, καὶ πυθόμενος ὅτι ἀπὸ Κιλικίας,

And after reading it, he said, What part of the country do you come from? And, hearing that he was from Cilicia,

35 “Διακούσομαί σου”, ἔφη, “ὅταν καὶ οἱ κατήγοροί σου παραγένωνται”, κελεύσας ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου, φυλάσσεσθαι αὐτόν.

I will give hearing to your cause, he said, when those who are against you have come. And he gave orders for him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.