Πραξεις 23

1 ατενισας δε ο παυλος τω συνεδριω ειπεν ανδρες αδελφοι εγω παση συνειδησει αγαθη πεπολιτευμαι τω θεω αχρι ταυτης της ημερας

Then Paul, looking intently at the council, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

2 ο δε αρχιερευς ανανιας επεταξεν τοις παρεστωσιν αυτω τυπτειν αυτου το στομα

So the high priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike his mouth.

3 τοτε ο παυλος προς αυτον ειπεν τυπτειν σε μελλει ο θεος τοιχε κεκονιαμενε και συ καθη κρινων με κατα τον νομον και παρανομων κελευεις με τυπτεσθαι

Then Paul said to him: “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you command me to be struck contrary to the law!”

4 οι δε παρεστωτες ειπον τον αρχιερεα του θεου λοιδορεις

So those standing by said, “Do you reproach God's high priest?”

5 εφη τε ο παυλος ουκ ηδειν αδελφοι οτι εστιν αρχιερευς γεγραπται γαρ αρχοντα του λαου σου ουκ ερεις κακως

Then Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he is high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

6 γνους δε ο παυλος οτι το εν μερος εστιν σαδδουκαιων το δε ετερον φαρισαιων εκραξεν εν τω συνεδριω ανδρες αδελφοι εγω φαρισαιος ειμι υιος φαρισαιου περι ελπιδος και αναστασεως νεκρων εγω κρινομαι

Now when Paul perceived that one part were Pharisees and the other Sadducees, he called out in the council, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee; I am being judged concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead!”

7 τουτου δε αυτου λαλησαντος εγενετο στασις των φαρισαιων και των σαδδουκαιων και εσχισθη το πληθος

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

8 σαδδουκαιοι μεν γαρ λεγουσιν μη ειναι αναστασιν μητε αγγελον μητε πνευμα φαρισαιοι δε ομολογουσιν τα αμφοτερα

(Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel or spirit, but Pharisees confess both.)

9 εγενετο δε κραυγη μεγαλη και ανασταντες οι γραμματεις του μερους των φαρισαιων διεμαχοντο λεγοντες ουδεν κακον ευρισκομεν εν τω ανθρωπω τουτω ει δε πνευμα ελαλησεν αυτω η αγγελος μη θεομαχωμεν

There was a great clamor, and the scribes of the Pharisee party stood up and started arguing vigorously, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; but if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God!”

10 πολλης δε γενομενης στασεως ευλαβηθεις ο χιλιαρχος μη διασπασθη ο παυλος υπ αυτων εκελευσεν το στρατευμα καταβηναι και αρπασαι αυτον εκ μεσου αυτων αγειν τε εις την παρεμβολην

Well the dissension became such that the commander, fearing that Paul might be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and snatch him out of their midst and bring him into the barracks.

11 τη δε επιουση νυκτι επιστας αυτω ο κυριος ειπεν θαρσει παυλε ως γαρ διεμαρτυρω τα περι εμου εις ιερουσαλημ ουτως σε δει και εις ρωμην μαρτυρησαι

Now the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, Paul, because as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

12 γενομενης δε ημερας ποιησαντες τινες των ιουδαιων συστροφην ανεθεματισαν εαυτους λεγοντες μητε φαγειν μητε πιειν εως ου αποκτεινωσιν τον παυλον

And when it was day, some of the Jews formed a conspiracy by binding themselves with a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they had destroyed Paul.

13 ησαν δε πλειους τεσσαρακοντα οι ταυτην την συνωμοσιαν πεποιηκοτες

Now there were more than forty who formed this plot.

14 οιτινες προσελθοντες τοις αρχιερευσιν και τοις πρεσβυτεροις ειπον αναθεματι ανεθεματισαμεν εαυτους μηδενος γευσασθαι εως ου αποκτεινωμεν τον παυλον

They came to the chief priests and the elders and said: “We have bound ourselves with a terrible curse not to taste anything until we have killed Paul.

15 νυν ουν υμεις εμφανισατε τω χιλιαρχω συν τω συνεδριω οπως αυριον αυτον καταγαγη προς υμας ως μελλοντας διαγινωσκειν ακριβεστερον τα περι αυτου ημεις δε προ του εγγισαι αυτον ετοιμοι εσμεν του ανελειν αυτον

Now you, therefore, together with the council, explain to the commander that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you are going to determine more accurately the facts in his case; but we are ready to destroy him before he comes near.”

16 ακουσας δε ο υιος της αδελφης παυλου το ενεδρον παραγενομενος και εισελθων εις την παρεμβολην απηγγειλεν τω παυλω

But when Paul's sister's son heard about the ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

17 προσκαλεσαμενος δε ο παυλος ενα των εκατονταρχων εφη τον νεανιαν τουτον απαγαγε προς τον χιλιαρχον εχει γαρ τι απαγγειλαι αυτω

So Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander, because he has something to tell him.”

18 ο μεν ουν παραλαβων αυτον ηγαγεν προς τον χιλιαρχον και φησιν ο δεσμιος παυλος προσκαλεσαμενος με ηρωτησεν τουτον τον νεανιαν αγαγειν προς σε εχοντα τι λαλησαι σοι

So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

19 επιλαβομενος δε της χειρος αυτου ο χιλιαρχος και αναχωρησας κατ ιδιαν επυνθανετο τι εστιν ο εχεις απαγγειλαι μοι

So taking him by the hand, the commander went aside and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

20 ειπεν δε οτι οι ιουδαιοι συνεθεντο του ερωτησαι σε οπως αυριον εις το συνεδριον καταγαγης τον παυλον ως μελλοντων τι ακριβεστερον πυνθανεσθαι περι αυτου

So 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.

21 συ ουν μη πεισθης αυτοις ενεδρευουσιν γαρ αυτον εξ αυτων ανδρες πλειους τεσσαρακοντα οιτινες ανεθεματισαν εαυτους μητε φαγειν μητε πιειν εως ου ανελωσιν αυτον και νυν ετοιμοι εισιν προσδεχομενοι την απο σου επαγγελιαν

But you should not believe them, because more than forty of their men are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves with a curse neither to eat not to drink until they have destroyed him; even now they are ready, looking for your promise.”

22 ο μεν ουν χιλιαρχος απελυσεν τον νεανιαν παραγγειλας μηδενι εκλαλησαι οτι ταυτα ενεφανισας προς με

Then the commander dismissed the young man commanding, “Don't tell anyone that you have revealed these things to me!”

23 και προσκαλεσαμενος δυο τινας των εκατονταρχων ειπεν ετοιμασατε στρατιωτας διακοσιους οπως πορευθωσιν εως καισαρειας και ιππεις εβδομηκοντα και δεξιολαβους διακοσιους απο τριτης ωρας της νυκτος

Summoning two of the centurions he said: “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night;

24 κτηνη τε παραστησαι ινα επιβιβασαντες τον παυλον διασωσωσιν προς φηλικα τον ηγεμονα

and provide mounts to set Paul on so as to deliver him safely to Felix, the governor.”

25 γραψας επιστολην περιεχουσαν τον τυπον τουτον

He wrote a letter with this content:

26 κλαυδιος λυσιας τω κρατιστω ηγεμονι φηλικι χαιρειν

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

27 τον ανδρα τουτον συλληφθεντα υπο των ιουδαιων και μελλοντα αναιρεισθαι υπ αυτων επιστας συν τω στρατευματι εξειλομην αυτον μαθων οτι ρωμαιος εστιν

This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them; but I came with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman.

28 βουλομενος δε γνωναι την αιτιαν δι ην ενεκαλουν αυτω κατηγαγον αυτον εις το συνεδριον αυτων

And wanting to know the reason they were accusing him, I took him down to their council.

29 ον ευρον εγκαλουμενον περι ζητηματων του νομου αυτων μηδεν δε αξιον θανατου η δεσμων εγκλημα εχοντα

I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but there was no accusation worthy of death or bonds.

30 μηνυθεισης δε μοι επιβουλης εις τον ανδρα μελλειν εσεσθαι υπο των ιουδαιων εξαυτης επεμψα προς σε παραγγειλας και τοις κατηγοροις λεγειν τα προς αυτον επι σου ερρωσο

When I was told that the Jews were about to execute a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also directing his accusers to state the charges against him before you. Farewell.”

31 οι μεν ουν στρατιωται κατα το διατεταγμενον αυτοις αναλαβοντες τον παυλον ηγαγον δια της νυκτος εις την αντιπατριδα

So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 τη δε επαυριον εασαντες τους ιππεις πορευεσθαι συν αυτω υπεστρεψαν εις την παρεμβολην

The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him and returned to the barracks.

33 οιτινες εισελθοντες εις την καισαρειαν και αναδοντες την επιστολην τω ηγεμονι παρεστησαν και τον παυλον αυτω

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

34 αναγνους δε ο ηγεμων και επερωτησας εκ ποιας επαρχιας εστιν και πυθομενος οτι απο κιλικιας

When the governor read it, he asked what province he was from; learning that it was Cilicia,

35 διακουσομαι σου εφη οταν και οι κατηγοροι σου παραγενωνται εκελευσεν τε αυτον εν τω πραιτωριω του ηρωδου φυλασσεσθαι

he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers also arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's Praetorium.