Acts 23

1 Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

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 The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike 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 Torah, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

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 Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”

The people standing near said to Paul, ‘Do you know that you are insulting God’s 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.’”

‘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 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!”

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 When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.

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 Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.

(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 A great clamour 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!”

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 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 amongst them and bring him into the barracks.

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 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.”

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 it was day, some of the Judeans banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until 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 There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

There were more than forty in the plot;

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.

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 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 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 Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told 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 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 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 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.”

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 The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.

20 He said, “The Judeans have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to enquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

‘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 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.”

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 So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.

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.”

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 He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.

25 He wrote a letter like this:

He also wrote a letter along these lines:

26 “Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

“Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.

27 “This man was seized by the Judeans, and was about to be killed by them when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learnt that he was a Roman.

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 Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.

Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought 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.

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 When I was told that the Judeans 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.”

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 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took 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 But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.

33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers 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,

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 hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

‘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.