Actes 23
1 Paul, les regards fixés sur le sanhédrin, dit: Hommes frères, c’est en toute bonne conscience que je me suis conduit jusqu’à ce jour devant Dieu…
Paul looked straight at the Jewish council members and said: “My fellow Jews, all my life I have lived respecting our God, and I do not know of anything that I have done that I knew was wrong/evil.”
2 Le souverain sacrificateur Ananias ordonna à ceux qui étaient près de lui de le frapper sur la bouche.
When Ananias the supreme priest [heard what Paul said], he commanded the men who were standing near Paul to hit him on the mouth.
3 Alors Paul lui dit: Dieu te frappera, muraille blanchie! Tu es assis pour me juger selon la loi, et tu violes la loi en ordonnant qu’on me frappe!
Then Paul said to Ananias, “God will punish you [(sg) for that], you hypocrite [MET]! You sit there and judge me, using the laws that [God gave Moses]. But you [yourself] disobey those laws, because you commanded me to be struck {[these men] to strike me} [without having proved that I have done anything that is wrong!]”
4 Ceux qui étaient près de lui dirent: Tu insultes le souverain sacrificateur de Dieu!
The men who were standing near Paul [rebuked him. They] said, “Are not you [(sg)] afraid to insult God’s [servant, our] supreme priest?”
5 Et Paul dit: Je ne savais pas, frères, que ce fût le souverain sacrificateur; car il est écrit: Tu ne parleras pas mal du chef de ton peuple.
Paul replied, “My fellow Jews, I [am sorry that I said that]. I did not know that the man [who told one of you to hit me] is the high priest. [If I had known that, I would not have insulted our supreme priest], because I [know that] it is written {[that Moses] wrote} [in our Jewish law], ‘Do not speak evil of any of your rulers!’”
6 Paul, sachant qu’une partie de l’assemblée était composée de sadducéens et l’autre de pharisiens, s’écria dans le sanhédrin: Hommes frères, je suis pharisien, fils de pharisiens; c’est à cause de l’espérance et de la résurrection des morts que je suis mis en jugement.
Paul realized that some of the [Council members] were Sadducees and others were Pharisees. So, [in order to cause the Pharisees and Sadducees to argue among themselves instead of accusing him], he called out loudly in the Council [hall], “My fellow Jews, I am a Pharisee, like my father was. I have been put {[You] have put me} on trial [here] because I confidently expect that [some day God] will (cause people who have died to become alive again/raise people from the dead).”
7 Quand il eut dit cela, il s’éleva une discussion entre les pharisiens et les sadducéens, et l’assemblée se divisa.
When he said that, the Pharisees and Sadducees started to argue with one another [about whether people who have died will become alive again or not].
8 Car les sadducéens disent qu’il n’y a point de résurrection, et qu’il n’existe ni ange ni esprit, tandis que les pharisiens affirment les deux choses.
The Sadducees believe that after people die, they will not become alive again. They also believe that there are no angels and no [other kinds of] spirits. But the Pharisees believe [that all people who have died will one day become alive again. They also believe] that there are [angels and other kinds of spirits].
9 Il y eut une grande clameur, et quelques scribes du parti des pharisiens, s’étant levés, engagèrent un vif débat, et dirent: Nous ne trouvons aucun mal en cet homme; peut-être un esprit ou un ange lui a-t-il parlé.
So the Council members (were divided/did not agree with each other), and they began shouting at one another [as they argued]. Some of the teachers of the laws that [God gave Moses] who were Pharisees stood up. One of them said, “We [(exc)] think that this man has done nothing wrong.” Another said, “Maybe an angel or some [other] spirit [really] spoke to him [and what he says is true].”
10 Comme la discorde allait croissant, le tribun craignant que Paul ne fût mis en pièces par ces gens, fit descendre les soldats pour l’enlever du milieu d’eux et le conduire à la forteresse.
Then the [Pharisees and Sadducees] argued even more loudly [with one another]. As a result, the commander (was afraid/thought) that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he [commanded] soldiers to go down [from the barracks] and forcefully take Paul away from the Council members and bring him up into the barracks. [So the soldiers did that].
11 La nuit suivante, le Seigneur apparut à Paul, et dit: Prends courage; car, de même que tu as rendu témoignage de moi dans Jérusalem, il faut aussi que tu rendes témoignage dans Rome.
That night, [in a vision Paul saw] the Lord [Jesus come and] stand near him. The Lord said [to him], “Be courageous! You [(sg)] have told people [here] in Jerusalem about me, and you must tell people in Rome [about me], too.”
12 Quand le jour fut venu, les Juifs formèrent un complot, et firent des imprécations contre eux-mêmes, en disant qu’ils s’abstiendraient de manger et de boire jusqu’à ce qu’ils eussent tué Paul.
The next morning [some] of the Jews [MTY] [who hated Paul] met secretly and talked [about how they could kill him]. They promised [themselves] that they would not eat or drink anything until they had killed him. They asked God to curse them [if they did not do what they promised].
13 Ceux qui formèrent ce complot étaient plus de quarante,
There were more than 40 men who planned to do that.
14 et ils allèrent trouver les principaux sacrificateurs et les anciens, auxquels ils dirent: Nous nous sommes engagés, avec des imprécations contre nous-mêmes, à ne rien manger jusqu’à ce que nous ayons tué Paul.
They went to the chief priests and [Jewish] elders and told them, “God has heard us promise/vow that we [(exc)] will not eat [or drink] anything until we [(exc)] have killed Paul.
15 Vous donc, maintenant, adressez-vous avec le sanhédrin au tribun, pour qu’il l’amène devant vous, comme si vous vouliez examiner sa cause plus exactement; et nous, avant qu’il approche, nous sommes prêts à le tuer.
So [we request that] you go to the commander and ask him, on behalf of the whole Jewish Council, to bring Paul down to us [from the barracks]. Tell the commander that you want to question Paul some more. But we [(exc)] will be waiting to kill Paul while he is on the way here.”
16 Le fils de la sœur de Paul, ayant eu connaissance du guet-apens, alla dans la forteresse en informer Paul.
But the son of Paul’s sister heard what they were planning to do, so he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Paul appela l’un des centeniers, et dit: Mène ce jeune homme vers le tribun, car il a quelque chose à lui rapporter.
[When Paul heard that], he called one of the officers and said to him, “[Please] take this young man to the commander, because he needs to tell him something [important].”
18 Le centenier prit le jeune homme avec lui, le conduisit vers le tribun, et dit: Le prisonnier Paul m’a appelé, et il m’a prié de t’amener ce jeune homme, qui a quelque chose à te dire.
So the officer took Paul’s nephew to the commander. The officer said to the commander, “That prisoner, Paul, called me and said, ‘Please take this young man to the commander, because he needs to tell him something [important].’”
19 Le tribun, prenant le jeune homme par la main, et se retirant à l’écart, lui demanda: Qu’as-tu à m’annoncer?
The commander took the young man by the hand, led him off by himself, and asked him, “What do you [(sg)] need to tell me?”
20 Il répondit: Les Juifs sont convenus de te prier d’amener Paul demain devant le sanhédrin, comme si tu devais t’enquérir de lui plus exactement.
The young man said, “[There are some] [SYN] Jews who have planned to ask you [(sg)] to bring Paul before their Council tomorrow. They will say that they want to ask him some more questions. [But that is not true].
21 Ne les écoute pas, car plus de quarante d’entre eux lui dressent un guet-apens, et se sont engagés, avec des imprécations contre eux-mêmes, à ne rien manger ni boire jusqu’à ce qu’ils l’aient tué; maintenant ils sont prêts, et n’attendent que ton consentement.
Do not do what they ask you [(sg)] to do, because there are more than 40 [Jewish] men who will be hiding and waiting [to attack Paul when he passes by on the way to the Council]. They even promised/vowed to God that they will not eat or drink anything until they have killed Paul. They are ready [to do it], and right now they are waiting for you [(sg)] to agree [to do what they are asking you to do].”
22 Le tribun renvoya le jeune homme, après lui avoir recommandé de ne parler à personne de ce rapport qu’il lui avait fait.
The commander said to [Paul’s] young nephew, “Do not tell anyone that you [(sg)] have told me [about their plan].” Then he sent the young man away.
23 Ensuite il appela deux des centeniers, et dit: Tenez prêts, dès la troisième heure de la nuit, deux cents soldats, soixante-dix cavaliers et deux cents archers, pour aller jusqu’à Césarée.
Then the commander called two of his officers and told them, “Get a group of 200 soldiers ready [to travel]. Take along 70 soldiers riding horses, and 200 other soldiers carrying spears. [All of you must be ready] to leave at nine o’clock tonight, to go [down] to Caesarea.
24 Qu’il y ait aussi des montures pour Paul, afin qu’on le mène sain et sauf au gouverneur Félix.
And take along horses for Paul [and those accompanying him] to ride, and safely escort him to [the palace of] Governor Felix.”
25 Il écrivit une lettre ainsi conçue:
Then the commander wrote a letter [to send to the governor]. This is what he wrote:
26 Claude Lysias au très excellent gouverneur Félix, salut!
“[I am] Claudius Lysias [writing to you]. You, Felix, are our governor whom we [(exc)] respect, [and I sincerely send you] my greetings.
27 Cet homme, dont les Juifs s’étaient saisis, allait être tué par eux, lorsque je survins avec des soldats et le leur enlevai, ayant appris qu’il était Romain.
I [have sent you(sg)] this man, [Paul, because certain] Jews seized him and were about to kill him. But I heard [someone tell me] that he is a Roman citizen, so I and my soldiers went and rescued him.
28 Voulant connaître le motif pour lequel ils l’accusaient, je l’amenai devant leur sanhédrin.
I wanted to know what those Jews were saying that he had done wrong, so I took him to their Jewish Council.
29 J’ai trouvé qu’il était accusé au sujet de questions relatives à leur loi, mais qu’il n’avait commis aucun crime qui mérite la mort ou la prison.
I listened [while they asked this man questions and he answered them]. The things [they] accused him about were entirely concerned with their [Jewish] laws. But Paul has not disobeyed any of our [Roman] laws. [So our officials] should not execute him or [even] put him in prison [MTY].
30 Informé que les Juifs lui dressaient des embûches, je te l’ai aussitôt envoyé, en faisant savoir à ses accusateurs qu’ils eussent à s’adresser eux-mêmes à toi. Adieu.
[Someone] told me that some [SYN] Jews were secretly planning to kill this man, so I immediately am sending him to you, [so that you(sg) may give him a fair trial there]. I have also [commanded] the Jews who have accused him to [go there to Caesarea and] tell you [(sg) what they are accusing him about].”
31 Les soldats, selon l’ordre qu’ils avaient reçu, prirent Paul, et le conduisirent pendant la nuit jusqu’à Antipatris.
So the soldiers did what [the commander commanded] them, [taking this letter with them]. They [got Paul and] took him with them during the night [down] to Antipatris [city].
32 Le lendemain, laissant les cavaliers poursuivre la route avec lui, ils retournèrent à la forteresse.
The next day, the foot soldiers returned to the barracks [in Jerusalem], and the soldiers who rode horses went on with Paul.
33 Arrivés à Césarée, les cavaliers remirent la lettre au gouverneur, et lui présentèrent Paul.
When the men escorting Paul arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor, and they delivered Paul to the governor. [Then the horsemen returned to Jerusalem].
34 Le gouverneur, après avoir lu la lettre, demanda de quelle province était Paul. Ayant appris qu’il était de la Cilicie:
The governor read the letter, and then he said to Paul, “What province are you [(sg)] from?” [Paul answered], “I am from Cilicia [province].”
35 Je t’entendrai, dit-il, quand tes accusateurs seront venus. Et il ordonna qu’on le gardât dans le prétoire d’Hérode.
Then the governor said, “When the people who have accused you [(sg)] arrive, I will listen [to what each of you says] and then I will judge your case.” Then he [commanded] that Paul be guarded {[soldiers] to guard Paul} in the palace that King Herod [the Great had built].
