Actuum Apostolorum 23

1 Intendens autem in concilium Paulus ait: Viri fratres, ego omni conscientia bona conversatus sum ante Deum usque in hodiernum diem.

And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day.

2 Princeps autem sacerdotum Ananias praecepit astantibus sibi percutere os eius.

But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth.

3 Tunc Paulus dixit ad eum: Percutiet te Deus, paries dealbate. Et tu sedens iudicas me secundum legem, et contra legem iubes me percuti?

Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten?

4 Et qui astabant dixerunt: Summum sacerdotem Dei maledicis.

And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God?

5 Dixit autem Paulus: Nesciebam fratres quia princeps est sacerdotum. Scriptum est enim: Principem populi tui non maledices.

And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.

6 Sciens autem Paulus quia una pars esset Sadducaeorum, et altera Pharisaeorum, exclamavit in concilio: Viri fratres, ego Pharisaeus sum, filius Pharisaeorum, de spe et resurrectione mortuorum ego iudicor.

But Paul, knowing that the one part [of them] were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of [the] dead.

7 Et cum haec dixisset, facta est dissensio inter Pharisaeos, et Sadducaeos, et soluta est multitudo.

And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.

8 Sadducaei enim dicunt, non esse resurrectionem, neque Angelum, neque Spiritum: Pharisaei autem utraque confitentur.

For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them.

9 Factus est autem clamor magnus. Et surgentes quidam Pharisaeorum, pugnabant, dicentes: Nihil mali invenimus in homine isto: quid si Spiritus locutus est ei, aut Angelus?

And there was a great clamour, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part rising up contended, saying, We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel...

10 Et cum magna dissensio facta esset, timens tribunus ne discerperetur Paulus ab ipsis, iussit milites descendere, et rapere eum de medio eorum, ac deducere eum in castra.

And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the fortress.

11 Sequenti autem nocte assistens ei Dominus, ait: Constans esto: sicut enim testificatus es de me in Ierusalem, sic te oportet et Romae testificari.

But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also.

12 Facta autem die collegerunt se quidam ex Iudaeis, et devoverunt se dicentes, neque manducaturos, neque bibituros donec occiderent Paulum.

And when it was day, the Jews, having banded together, put themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul.

13 Erant autem plus quam quadraginta viri, qui hanc coniurationem fecerant:

And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath;

14 qui accesserunt ad principes sacerdotum, et seniores, et dixerunt: Devotione devovimus nos nihil gustaturos, donec occidamus Paulum.

and they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul.

15 Nunc ergo vos notum facite tribuno cum concilio, ut producat illum ad vos, tamquam aliquid certius cognituri de eo. Nos vero prius quam appropiet, parati sumus interficere illum.

Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him.

16 Quod cum audisset filius sororis Pauli insidias, venit, et intravit in castra, nunciavitque Paulo.

But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported [it] to Paul.

17 Vocans autem Paulus ad se unum ex Centurionibus, ait: Adolescentem hunc perduc ad tribunum, habet enim aliquid indicare illi.

And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him.

18 Et ille quidem assumens eum duxit ad tribunum, et ait: Vinctus Paulus rogavit me hunc adolescentem perducere ad te, habentem aliquid loqui tibi.

He therefore, having taken him with [him], led him to the chiliarch, and says, The prisoner Paul called me to [him] and asked me to lead this youth to thee, who has something to say to thee.

19 Apprehendens autem tribunus manum illius, secessit cum eo seorsum, et interrogavit illum: Quid est, quod habes indicare mihi?

And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me?

20 Ille autem dixit: Iudaeis convenit rogare te, ut crastina die producas Paulum in concilium, quasi aliquid certius inquisituri sint de illo:

And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him.

21 tu vero ne credideris illis, insidiantur enim ei ex eis viri amplius quam quadraginta, qui se devoverunt non manducare, neque bibere donec interficiant eum: et nunc parati sunt, expectantes promissum tuum.

Do not thou then be persuaded by them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they kill him; and now they are ready waiting the promise from thee.

22 Tribunus igitur dimisit adolescentem, praecipiens ei ne cui loqueretur quoniam haec nota sibi fecisset.

The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding [him], Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me.

23 Et vocatis duobus Centurionibus, dixit illis: Parate milites ducentos ut eant usque Caesaream, et equites septuaginta, et lancearios ducentos a tertia hora noctis:

And having called to [him] certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night.

24 et iumenta praeparate ut imponentes Paulum, salvum perducerent ad Felicem praesidem,

And [he ordered them] to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry [him] safe through to Felix the governor,

25 (Timuit enim ne forte raperent eum Iudaei, et occiderent, et ipse postea calumniam sustineret, tamquam accepturus pecuniam)

having written a letter, couched in this form:

26 scribens ei epistolam continentem haec: CLAUDIUS Lysias optimo Praesidi, Felici salutem.

Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.

27 Virum hunc comprehensum a Iudaeis, et incipientem interfici ab eis, superveniens cum exercitu eripui, cognito quia Romanus est:

This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out [of their hands], having learned that he was a Roman.

28 Volensque scire causam, quam obiiciebant illi, deduxi eum in concilium eorum.

And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;

29 Quem inveni accusari de quaestionibus legis ipsorum, nullum vero dignum morte aut vinculis habentem crimen.

whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him [making him] worthy of death or of bonds.

30 Et cum mihi perlatum esset de insidiis, quas paraverant illi, misi eum ad te denuncians: et accusatoribus ut dicant apud te, Vale.

But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man [by the Jews], I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. [Farewell.]

31 Milites ergo secundum praeceptum sibi, assumentes Paulum, duxerunt per noctem in Antipatridem.

The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris,

32 Et postera die dimissis equitibus ut cum eo irent, reversi sunt ad castra.

and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress.

33 Qui cum venissent Caesaream, et tradidissent epistolam praesidi, statuerunt ante illum et Paulum.

And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.

34 Cum legisset autem, et interrogasset de qua provincia esset: et cognoscens quia de Cilicia,

And having read [it], and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that [he was] of Cilicia,

35 Audiam te, inquit, cum accusatores tui venerint. Iussitque in praetorio Herodis custodiri eum.

he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.