Acts 23
1 And Paul behelde earnestly the Councill, and sayde, Men and brethren, I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day.
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 Then the hie Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
3 Then sayd Paul to him, God will smite thee, thou whited wall: for thou sittest to iudge me according to the Lawe, and transgressing the Lawe, commaundest thou me to be smitten?
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 And they that stood by, sayd, Reuilest thou Gods hie Priest?
The people standing near said to Paul, ‘Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?’
5 Then sayd Paul, I knewe not, brethren, that he was the hie Priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people.
‘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 But when Paul perceiued that the one part were of the Sadduces, and the other of the Pharises, hee cried in the Council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharise, the sonne of a Pharise: I am accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead.
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 And when hee had saide this, there was a dissension betweene the Pharises and the Sadduces, so that the multitude was deuided.
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 For the Sadduces say that there is no resurrection, neither Angel, nor spirit: but the Pharises confesse both.
(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 Then there was a great crye: and the Scribes of the Pharises part rose vp, and stroue, saying, Wee finde none euill in this man: but if a spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him, let vs not fight against God.
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 And when there was a great dissension, the chiefe captaine, fearing lest Paul should haue bene pulled in pieces of them, commanded the souldiers to go downe, and take him from among them, and to bring him into the castel.
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 Nowe the night folowing, the Lord stoode by him, and saide, Be of good courage, Paul: for as thou hast testified of mee in Hierusalem, so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome.
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 And when the day was come, certaine of the Iewes made an assemblie, and bounde themselues with a curse, saying, that they woulde neither eate nor drinke, till they had killed Paul.
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 And they were more then fourtie, which had made this conspiracie.
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 And they came to the chiefe Priestes and Elders, and said, We haue bound our selues with a solemne curse, that wee will eate nothing, vntill we haue slaine Paul.
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 Nowe therefore, ye and the Council signifie to the chiefe captaine, that hee bring him foorth vnto you to morow: as though you would know some thing more perfectly of him, and we, or euer he come neere, will be readie to kill him.
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 But when Pauls sisters sonne heard of their laying awaite, he went, and entred into the castel, and tolde Paul.
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
17 And Paul called one of the Centurions vnto him, and said, Take this yong man hence vnto the chiefe captaine: for he hath a certaine thing to shewe him.
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 So hee tooke him, and brought him to the chiefe captaine, and saide, Paul the prisoner called mee vnto him, and prayed mee to bring this yong man vnto thee, which hath some thing to say vnto thee.
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 Then the chiefe captaine tooke him by the hande, and went apart with him alone, and asked him, What hast thou to shewe me?
The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
20 And he saide, The Iewes haue conspired to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring foorth Paul to morow into the Council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly:
‘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 But let them not perswade thee: for there lie in waite for him of them, more then fourtie men, which haue bound themselues with a curse, that they will neither eate nor drinke, till they haue killed him: and nowe are they readie, and waite for thy promise.
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 The chiefe captaine then let the yong man depart, after hee had charged him to vtter it to no man, that he had shewed him these things.
The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
23 And he called vnto him two certaine Centurions, saying, Make readie two hundred souldiers, that they may go to Cæsarea, and horsemen three score and ten, and two hundred with dartes, at the thirde houre of the night.
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 And let them make readie an horse, that Paul being set on, may be brought safe vnto Felix the Gouernour.
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 And he wrote an epistle in this maner:
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 Claudius Lysias vnto the most noble Gouernour Felix sendeth greeting.
“Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 As this man was taken of the Iewes, and shoulde haue bene killed of them, I came vpon them with the garison, and rescued him, perceiuing that he was a Romane.
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 And when I would haue knowen the cause, wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their Council.
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 There I perceiued that hee was accused of questions of their Lawe, but had no crime worthy of death, or of bondes.
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 And when it was shewed me, how that the Iewes layd waite for the man, I sent him straightway to thee, and commanded his accusers to speake before thee the thinges that they had against him. Farewell.
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 Then the souldiers as it was commanded them, tooke Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 And the next day, they left the horsemen to goe with him, and returned vnto the Castel.
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 Now when they came to Cæsarea, they deliuered the epistle to the Gouernour, and presented Paul also vnto him.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 So when the Gouernour had read it, hee asked of what prouince he was: and when he vnderstoode that he was of 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 I will heare thee, said he, when thine accusers also are come, and commanded him to bee kept in Herods iudgement hall.
‘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.
