Acts 23
1 Paul behelde the counsell and sayde: men and brethre I have lived in all good coscience before God vntill this daye.
Paul fixed his eyes upon 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 The hye prest Ananias comaunded the that stode by to smyte him on the mouth.
At this, the High Priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
3 Then sayde Paul to him: God smyte the thou payntyd wall. Sittest thou and iudgest me after the lawe: and commaundest me to be smytten contrary to the lawe?
whereupon Paul turned to him and said: “God will strike you, you white-washed 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 stode by sayde: revylest thou Goddes hye preste?
The people standing near said to Paul: “Do you know that you are insulting God’s High Priest?”
5 Then sayd Paul: I wist not brethren that he was the hye preste. For it is writte thou shalt not curse the rular of thy people.
“I did not know, Brothers, that it was the High Priest,” said Paul, “for Scripture says — ‘Of the Ruler of thy People thou shalt speak no ill’.”
6 When Paul perceaved that the one parte were Saduces and the other Pharises: he cryed oute in the counsell. Men and brethren I am a Pharisaye the sonne of a Pharisaye. Of the hope and resurreccion fro deeth I am iudged.
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 he had so sayde ther arose a debate bitwene the Pharisayes and ye Saduces and the multitude was devided.
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 ye Saduces saye that ther is no resurreccio nether angell nor sprete. But the Pharisayes graunt bothe.
(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 And ther arose a great crye and the Scribes which were of the Pharisayes parte arose and strove sayinge: we fynde none evyll in this man. Though a sprete or an angell hath apered to him let vs not stryve agaynst God.
So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teaches 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 ther arose greate debate the captayne fearynge lest Paul shuld have bene pluckt asondre of them comaunded the soudiers to goo doune and to take him from amonge them and to bringe him into the castle.
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 The nyght folowyng God stode by him and sayde: Be of good cheare Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Ierusalem so must thou beare witnes 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 When daye was come certayne of the Iewes gaddered them selves to geder and made a vowe sayinge that they wolde nether eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul.
In the morning the Jews combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paul.
13 They were aboute. xl. which had made this conspiracio.
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 And they cam to ye chefe prestes and elders and sayde: we have boude oure selves with a vowe that we will eate nothinge vntill we have slayne Paul.
and they went to the Chief Priests and the Councillors, and said: “We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food till we have killed Paul.
15 Now therfore geve ye knowlege to the vpper captayne and to the counsell that he bringe him forth vnto vs to morow as though we wolde knowe some thinge more perfectly of him. But we (or ever he come neare) are redy in ye meane season 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 When Pauls sisters sonne hearde of their layinge awayte he wet and entred into the castle 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 ye vnder captaynes vnto him and sayde: bringe this younge man vnto ye hye captayne: for he hath a certayne thinge to shewe him.
Paul called one of the Captains of the garrison and asked him to take the lad to the Commanding Officer, as he had something to tell him.
18 And he toke him and sayd: Paul ye presoner called me vnto him and prayed me to brige this youge ma vnto ye which hath a certayne matter to shewe ye.
The Captain 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 The hye captayne toke him by the hond and wet a parte with him out of the waye: and axed him: what hast thou to saye vnto 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 sayd: the Iewes are determined to desyre the yt thou woldest brynge forth Paul to morowe into the counsell as though they wolde enquyre somwhat of him more parfectly.
“The Jews have agreed,” answered the lad, “to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council to-morrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
21 But folowe not their mindes: for ther lyein wayte for him of the moo then. xl. men which have boude the selves wt a vowe that they will nether eate ner drinke till they have killed him. And now are they redy and loke for thy promes.
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, till they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting upon your promise.”
22 The vpper captayne let ye yoge man departe and charged: se thou tell it out to no man that thou hast shewed these thinges to me.
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 vnder captaynes sayinge: make redy two hondred soudiers to goo to Cesarea and horsmen threscore and ten and speare men two houndred at the thyrde houre of the nyght.
Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred men ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 And delyvre them beastes that they maye put Paul on and bringe him safe vnto Felix the hye debite
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 and wrote a letter in this maner.
To him he wrote a letter, somewhat as follows —
26 Claudius Lisias vnto ye most mighty rular Felix sendeth gretinges.
‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 This man was take of the Iewes and shuld have bene killed of them. Then cam I with soudiers and rescued him and perceaved that he was a Romayne.
The man whom I send with this had been seized by the 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 wolde have knowen the cause wherfore they accused him I brought him forth into their cousell.
Wishing to ascertain exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 There perceaved I yt he was accused of questios of their lawe: but was not giltye of eny thinge worthy of deeth 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 Afterwarde when it was shewed me how that ye Iewes layde wayte for ye man I sent him strayght waye to the and gave commaundmet to his accusars yf they had ought agaynst him to tell it vnto ye: fare well.
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 ye soudiers as it was comaunded the toke Paul and brought him by nyght to Antipatras.
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 On the morowe they lefte horsmen to goo with him and returned vnto the castle.
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 Which when they cam to Cesarea they delivered the epistle to the debite and presented Paul before him.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 When the debite had redde the letter he axed of what countre he was and when he vnderstode that he was of Cicill
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 the (sayde he) whe thyne accusars are come also: and commaunded him to be kepte in Herodes pallys.
“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.
