Actuum Apostolorum 23
1 Intendens autem in concilium Paulus ait: Viri fratres, ego omni conscientia bona conversatus sum ante Deum usque in hodiernum diem.
Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”
2 Princeps autem sacerdotum Ananias praecepit astantibus sibi percutere os eius.
The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike 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 Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
4 Et qui astabant dixerunt: Summum sacerdotem Dei maledicis.
Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”
5 Dixit autem Paulus: Nesciebam fratres quia princeps est sacerdotum. Scriptum est enim: Principem populi tui non maledices.
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.’”
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 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!”
7 Et cum haec dixisset, facta est dissensio inter Pharisaeos, et Sadducaeos, et soluta est multitudo.
When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.
8 Sadducaei enim dicunt, non esse resurrectionem, neque Angelum, neque Spiritum: Pharisaei autem utraque confitentur.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.
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?
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!”
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.
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.
11 Sequenti autem nocte assistens ei Dominus, ait: Constans esto: sicut enim testificatus es de me in Ierusalem, sic te oportet et Romae testificari.
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.”
12 Facta autem die collegerunt se quidam ex Iudaeis, et devoverunt se dicentes, neque manducaturos, neque bibituros donec occiderent Paulum.
When it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Erant autem plus quam quadraginta viri, qui hanc coniurationem fecerant:
There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.
14 qui accesserunt ad principes sacerdotum, et seniores, et dixerunt: Devotione devovimus nos nihil gustaturos, donec occidamus Paulum.
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.
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, 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.”
16 Quod cum audisset filius sororis Pauli insidias, venit, et intravit in castra, nunciavitque Paulo.
But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Vocans autem Paulus ad se unum ex Centurionibus, ait: Adolescentem hunc perduc ad tribunum, habet enim aliquid indicare illi.
Paul summoned one of the centurions and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell 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 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.”
19 Apprehendens autem tribunus manum illius, secessit cum eo seorsum, et interrogavit illum: Quid est, quod habes indicare mihi?
The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20 Ille autem dixit: Iudaeis convenit rogare te, ut crastina die producas Paulum in concilium, quasi aliquid certius inquisituri sint de illo:
He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to enquire somewhat more accurately 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.
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.”
22 Tribunus igitur dimisit adolescentem, praecipiens ei ne cui loqueretur quoniam haec nota sibi fecisset.
So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed 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:
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.”
24 et iumenta praeparate ut imponentes Paulum, salvum perducerent ad Felicem praesidem,
He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.
25 (Timuit enim ne forte raperent eum Iudaei, et occiderent, et ipse postea calumniam sustineret, tamquam accepturus pecuniam)
He wrote a letter like this:
26 scribens ei epistolam continentem haec: CLAUDIUS Lysias optimo Praesidi, Felici salutem.
“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
27 Virum hunc comprehensum a Iudaeis, et incipientem interfici ab eis, superveniens cum exercitu eripui, cognito quia Romanus est:
“This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learnt that he was a Roman.
28 Volensque scire causam, quam obiiciebant illi, deduxi eum in concilium eorum.
Desiring to know the cause why 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.
I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.
30 Et cum mihi perlatum esset de insidiis, quas paraverant illi, misi eum ad te denuncians: et accusatoribus ut dicant apud te, Vale.
When I was told that the Jews 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.”
31 Milites ergo secundum praeceptum sibi, assumentes Paulum, duxerunt per noctem in Antipatridem.
So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 Et postera die dimissis equitibus ut cum eo irent, reversi sunt ad castra.
But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.
33 Qui cum venissent Caesaream, et tradidissent epistolam praesidi, statuerunt ante illum et Paulum.
When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 Cum legisset autem, et interrogasset de qua provincia esset: et cognoscens quia de Cilicia,
When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,
35 Audiam te, inquit, cum accusatores tui venerint. Iussitque in praetorio Herodis custodiri eum.
“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.
