Actuum Apostolorum 23
1 Intendens autem in concilium Paulus ait: Viri fratres, ego omni conscientia bona conversatus sum ante Deum usque in hodiernum diem.
Paul fixed his eyes on the Council, and began: ‘Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day.’
2 Princeps autem sacerdotum Ananias præcepit astantibus sibi percutere os eius.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
3 Tunc Paulus dixit ad eum: Percutiet te Deus, paries dealbate. Et tu sedens iudicas me secundum legem, et contra legem iubes me percuti?
Paul turned to him and said: ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?’
4 Et qui astabant dixerunt: Summum sacerdotem Dei maledicis.
The people standing near said to Paul, ‘Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?’
5 Dixit autem Paulus: Nesciebam fratres quia princeps est sacerdotum. Scriptum est enim: Principem populi tui non maledices.
‘I did not know, brothers, that it was the high priest,’ said Paul, ‘for scripture says – “Of the ruler of your people you should speak no ill”.’
6 Sciens autem Paulus quia una pars esset Sadducæorum, et altera Pharisæorum, exclamavit in concilio: Viri fratres, ego Pharisæus sum, filius Pharisæorum, de spe et resurrectione mortuorum ego iudicor.
Noticing that some of those present were Sadducees and others Pharisees, Paul called out in the Council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees. It is on the question of hope for the dead and of their resurrection that I am on my trial.’
7 Et cum hæc dixisset, facta est dissensio inter Pharisæos, et Sadducæos, et soluta est multitudo.
As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present.
8 Sadducæi enim dicunt, non esse resurrectionem, neque Angelum, neque spiritum: Pharisæi autem utraque confitentur.
(For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)
9 Factus est autem clamor magnus. Et surgentes quidam Pharisæorum, pugnabant, dicentes: Nihil mali invenimus in homine isto: quid si spiritus locutus est ei, aut angelus?
So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teachers of the Law belonging to the Pharisees’ party stood up and hotly protested, ‘We find nothing whatever wrong in this man. Suppose a spirit did speak to him, or an angel…’
10 Et cum magna dissensio facta esset, timens Tribunus ne discerperetur Paulus ab ipsis, iussit milities descendere, et rapere eum de medio eorum, ac deducere eum in castra.
The dispute was becoming so violent, that the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces between them, ordered the Guard to go down and rescue him from them, and take him into the Fort.
11 Sequenti autem nocte assistens ei Dominus, ait: Constans esto: sicut enim testificatus es de me in Ierusalem, sic te oportet et Romæ testificari.
That night the Lord came and stood by Paul, and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem and you must bear witness in Rome also.’
12 Facta autem die collegerunt se quidam ex Iudæis, et devoverunt se dicentes, neque manducaturos, neque bibaturos donec occiderent Paulum.
In the morning some Jewish men combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Erant autem plus quam quadraginta viri, qui hanc coniurationem fecerant:
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 qui accesserunt ad principes sacerdotum, et seniores, et dixerunt: Devotione devovimus nos nihil gustaturos, donec occidamus Paulum.
and they went to the chief priests and the elders, and said, ‘We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food until we have killed Paul.
15 Nunc ergo vos notum facite Tribuno cum concilio, ut producat illum ad vos, tamquam aliquid certius cognituri de eo. Nos vero prius quam appropiet, parati sumus interficere illum.
So we want you now, with the consent of the Council, to suggest to the commanding officer that he should bring Paul down before you, as though you intended to go more fully into his case; but, before he comes here, we will be ready to make away with him.’
16 Quod cum audisset filius sororis Pauli insidias, venit, et intravit in castra, nunciavitque Paulo.
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
17 Vocans autem Paulus ad se unum ex Centurionibus, ait: Adolescentem hunc perduc ad Tribunum, habet enim aliquid indicare illi.
Paul called one of the garrison centurion and asked him to take the lad to the commanding officer, as he had something to tell him.
18 Et ille quidem assumens eum duxit ad Tribunum, et ait: Vinctus Paulus rogavit me hunc adolescentem perducere ad te, habentem aliquid loqui tibi.
The centurion went with the lad to the commanding officer, and said, ‘The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as he has something to tell you.’
19 Apprehendens autem Tribunus manum illius, secessit cum eo seorsum, et interrogavit illum: Quid est, quod habes indicare mihi?
The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
20 Ille autem dixit: Iudæis convenit rogare te, ut crastina die producas Paulum in concilium, quasi aliquid certius inquisituri sint de illo:
‘Some men have agreed,’ answered the lad, ‘to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council tomorrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
21 tu vero ne credideris illis, insidiantur enim ei ex eis viri amplius quam quadraginta, qui se devoverunt non manducare, neque bibere donec interficiant eum: et nunc parati sunt, exspectantes promissum tuum.
But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink, until they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting on your promise.’
22 Tribunus igitur dimisit adolescentem, præcipiens ne cui loqueretur quoniam hæc nota sibi fecisset.
The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
23 Et vocatis duobus Centurionibus, dixit illis: Parate milites ducentos ut eant usque Cæsaream, et equites septuaginta, et lancearios ducentos a tertia hora noctis:
Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 et iumenta præparate ut imponentes Paulum, salvum perducerent ad Felicem præsidem.
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 Timuit enim ne forte raperent eum Iudæi, et occiderent, et ipse postea calumniam sustineret, tamquam accepturus pecuniam,
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 scribens epistolam continentem hæc: CLAUDIUS Lysias optimo Præsidi, Felici salutem.
“Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 Virum hunc comprehensum a Iudæis, et incipientem interfici ab eis, superveniens cum exercitu eripui, cognito quia Romanus est:
The man whom I send with this had been seized by some Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 Volensque scire causam, quam obiiciebant illi, deduxi eum in concilium eorum.
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 Quem inveni accusari de quæstionibus legis ipsorum, nihil vero dignum morte aut vinculis habentem criminis.
when I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment.
30 Et cum mihi perlatum esset de insidiis, quas paraverant illi, misi eum ad te: denuncians et accusatoribus ut dicant apud te, Vale.
Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.”
31 Milites ergo secundum præceptum sibi, assumentes Paulum, duxerunt per noctem in Antipatridem.
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 Et postera die dimissis equitibus ut cum eo irent, reversi sunt ad castra.
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 Qui cum venissent Cæsaream, et tradidissent epistolam præsidi, statuerunt ante illum et Paulum.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 Cum legisset autem, et interrogasset de qua provincia esset: et cognoscens quia de Cilicia,
As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said,
35 Audiam te, inquit, cum accusatores tui venerint. Iussitque in prætorio Herodis custodiri eum.
‘I will hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived.’ And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod’s Government house.
