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 behelde earnestly the Councill, and sayde, Men and brethren, I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day.

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

Then the hie Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the 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 sayd Paul to him, God will smite thee, thou whited wall: for thou sittest to iudge me according to the Lawe, and transgressing the Lawe, commaundest thou me to be smitten?

4 Et qui astabant dixerunt: Summum sacerdotem Dei maledicis.

And they that stood by, sayd, Reuilest thou Gods hie Priest?

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

Then sayd Paul, I knewe not, brethren, that he was the hie Priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speake euill 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 when Paul perceiued that the one part were of the Sadduces, and the other of the Pharises, hee cried in the Council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharise, the sonne of a Pharise: I am accused of 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 hee had saide this, there was a dissension betweene the Pharises and the Sadduces, so that the multitude was deuided.

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

For the Sadduces say that there is no resurrection, neither Angel, nor spirit: but the Pharises confesse both.

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?

Then there was a great crye: and the Scribes of the Pharises part rose vp, and stroue, saying, Wee finde none euill in this man: but if a spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him, let vs not fight against God.

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 when there was a great dissension, the chiefe captaine, fearing lest Paul should haue bene pulled in pieces of them, commanded the souldiers to go downe, and take him from among them, and to bring him into the castel.

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

Nowe the night folowing, the Lord stoode by him, and saide, Be of good courage, Paul: for as thou hast testified of mee in Hierusalem, so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome.

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

And when the day was come, certaine of the Iewes made an assemblie, and bounde themselues with a curse, saying, that they woulde neither eate nor drinke, till they had killed Paul.

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

And they were more then fourtie, which had made this conspiracie.

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

And they came to the chiefe Priestes and Elders, and said, We haue bound our selues with a solemne curse, that wee will eate nothing, vntill we haue slaine 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.

Nowe therefore, ye and the Council signifie to the chiefe captaine, that hee bring him foorth vnto you to morow: as though you would know some thing more perfectly of him, and we, or euer he come neere, will be readie to kill him.

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

But when Pauls sisters sonne heard of their laying awaite, he went, and entred into the castel, and tolde Paul.

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

And Paul called one of the Centurions vnto him, and said, Take this yong man hence vnto the chiefe captaine: for he hath a certaine thing to shewe 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.

So hee tooke him, and brought him to the chiefe captaine, and saide, Paul the prisoner called mee vnto him, and prayed mee to bring this yong man vnto thee, which hath some thing to say vnto thee.

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

Then the chiefe captaine tooke him by the hande, and went apart with him alone, and asked him, What hast thou to shewe 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 saide, The Iewes haue conspired to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring foorth Paul to morow into the Council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly:

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.

But let them not perswade thee: for there lie in waite for him of them, more then fourtie men, which haue bound themselues with a curse, that they will neither eate nor drinke, till they haue killed him: and nowe are they readie, and waite for thy promise.

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

The chiefe captaine then let the yong man depart, after hee had charged him to vtter it to no man, that he had shewed him these things.

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 he called vnto him two certaine Centurions, saying, Make readie two hundred souldiers, that they may go to Cæsarea, and horsemen three score and ten, and two hundred with dartes, at the thirde houre of the night.

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

And let them make readie an horse, that Paul being set on, may be brought safe vnto Felix the Gouernour.

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

And he wrote an epistle in this maner:

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

Claudius Lysias vnto the most noble Gouernour Felix sendeth greeting.

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

As this man was taken of the Iewes, and shoulde haue bene killed of them, I came vpon them with the garison, and rescued him, perceiuing that he was a Romane.

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

And when I would haue knowen the cause, wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their Council.

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

There I perceiued that hee was accused of questions of their Lawe, but had no crime worthy of death, or of bondes.

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

And when it was shewed me, how that the Iewes layd waite for the man, I sent him straightway to thee, and commanded his accusers to speake before thee the thinges that they had against him. Farewell.

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

Then the souldiers as it was commanded them, tooke Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

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

And the next day, they left the horsemen to goe with him, and returned vnto the Castel.

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

Now when they came to Cæsarea, they deliuered the epistle to the Gouernour, and presented Paul also vnto him.

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

So when the Gouernour had read it, hee asked of what prouince he was: and when he vnderstoode that he was of Cilicia,

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

I will heare thee, said he, when thine accusers also are come, and commanded him to bee kept in Herods iudgement hall.