Acts 23
1 Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”
Paul, looking sraight at the council, said, “Brothers, right up to now I have always conducted myself before God with a clear conscience.”
2 The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
Ananias the high priest ordered the officers standing beside Paul to hit 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?”
Paul said to him, “God will hit you, you whitewashed wall! You're sitting there to judge me according to the law, and you order me to be hit in contravention of the law!”
4 Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”
The officers standing beside Paul said, “How dare you insult the high priest!”
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.’”
“Brothers, I didn't know that he was the high priest,” Paul replied. “As Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any ruler of your 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!”
When Paul realized that some of the council were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I'm on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!”
7 When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.
When he said this, a tremendous argument broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees that split the council.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.
(The Sadducees say there is no resurrection from the dead, no angels, and no spirits, but Pharisees believe in all of these.)
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!”
A great commotion erupted and some of the Pharisee teachers of the law stood up and argued fiercely, saying, “We find this man not guilty! Maybe a spirit spoke 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.
The argument was getting out of hand, so the commander, concerned that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go and rescue him from them by force, and take him back into the fortress.
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.”
Afterwards, during the night, the Lord stood by Paul, and told him, “Keep up your courage! Just as you have given your testimony about me in Jerusalem, so you must be my witness in Rome as well.”
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.
Next day some Jews plotted together, and they took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.
Over forty were part of this conspiracy.
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 chief priests and leaders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until 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.”
So you and the council should send word to the commander that he should bring Paul down to meet with you, as if you wanted to examine his case in more detail. We're ready to kill him along the way.”
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 nephew (his sister's son) heard about their planned ambush, and he went into the fortress 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.”
Paul called over one of the centurions, and told him, “Take this young man to the commander, because he has some information to share with 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 the centurion took Paul's nephew and brought him to the commander and told him, “The prisoner Paul called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell 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?”
The commander took the young man by the hand and drew him aside. “What do you have to tell me?” he asked quietly.
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 have arranged to ask you to bring Paul to the council tomorrow, as if they wanted to ask more detailed questions about his case,” he explained.
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.”
“Please don't listen to them, because they have planned to ambush him with more than forty men who have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They're ready right now, waiting for you to agree to the request.”
22 So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”
The commander sent the young man on his way, warning him, “Don't tell anyone that you've told me about this.”
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.”
He summoned two centurions and told them, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, together with seventy cavalry-men and two hundred spearmen. Be ready to leave at nine p.m. tonight.
24 He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.
Provide horses for Paul to ride to make sure he gets to Governor Felix safely.”
25 He wrote a letter like this:
He also wrote a letter that went like this:
26 “Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
“From Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings!
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 was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I arrived on the scene with soldiers and rescued him, because I had found out he was a Roman citizen.
28 Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.
I wanted to know the reason for their accusations, so I took him before their council.
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.
I found out the charges against him had to do with issues regarding their law, but he was not guilty of anything that merited 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.”
When I discovered a plot against this man I sent him to you right away, ordering his accusers to make their complaints before you.”
31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
So the soldiers followed their orders and took Paul overnight to Antipatris.
32 But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.
The next morning they sent him on with the cavalry, and went back to the fortress.
33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
When the cavalry arrived at Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and brought Paul before 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,
After reading the letter, the governor asked Paul what province he came from. When he learned he was from Cilicia he told Paul,
35 “I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.
“I will investigate your case when your accusers arrive.” He ordered Paul detained in Herod's palace.
