Acts 23

¹Then Paul, gazing intently at the council, said, “Noble brothers, I have spoken with all good conscience before God, even to this present day.”

²And the high priest, Ananias, instructed those who were standing nearby to strike him on the mouth.

³Then Paul said to him: “God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! For would you sit and judge me according to the law, when, contrary to the law, you order me to be struck?”

⁴And those who were standing nearby said, “Are you speaking evil about the high priest of God?”

⁵And Paul said: “I did not know, brothers, that he is the high priest. For it is written: ‘You shall not speak evil of the leader of your people.’ ”

⁶Now Paul, knowing that one group were Sadducees and the other were Pharisees, exclaimed in the council: “Noble brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees! It is over the hope and resurrection of the dead that I am being judged.”

⁷And when he had said this, a dissension occurred between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided.

⁸For the Sadducees claim that there is no resurrection, and neither angels, nor spirits. But the Pharisees confess both of these.

⁹Then there occurred a great clamor. And some of the Pharisees, rising up, were fighting, saying: “We find nothing evil in this man. What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?”

¹⁰And since a great dissension had been made, the tribune, fearing that Paul might be torn apart by them, ordered the soldiers to descend and to seize him from their midst, and to bring him into the fortress.

¹¹Then, on the following night, the Lord stood near him and said: “Be constant. For just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so also it is necessary for you to testify at Rome.”

¹²And when daylight arrived, some of the Jews gathered together and bound themselves with an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

¹³Now there were more than forty men who had taken this oath together.

¹⁴And they approached the leaders of the priests, and the elders, and they said: “We have sworn ourselves by an oath, so that we will taste nothing, until we have killed Paul.

¹⁵Therefore, with the council, you should now give notice to the tribune, so that he may bring him to you, as if you intended to determine something else about him. But before he approaches, we have made preparations to put him to death.”

¹⁶But when Paul’s sister’s son had heard of this, about their treachery, he went and entered into the fortress, and he reported it to Paul.

¹⁷And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: “Lead this young man to the tribune. For he has something to tell him.”

¹⁸And indeed, he took him and led him to the tribune, and he said, “Paul, the prisoner, asked me to lead this young man to you, since he has something to say to you.”

¹⁹Then the tribune, taking him by the hand, withdrew with him by themselves, and he asked him: “What is it that you have to tell me?”

²⁰Then he said: “The Jews have met to ask you to bring Paul tomorrow to the council, as if they intended to question him about something else.

²¹But truly, you should not believe them, for they would ambush him with more than forty men from among them, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat, nor to drink, until they have put him to death. And they are now prepared, hoping for an affirmation from you.”

²²And then the tribune dismissed the young man, instructing him not to tell anyone that he had made known these things to him.

²³Then, having called two centurions, he said to them: “Prepare two hundred soldiers, so that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, for the third hour of the night.

²⁴And prepare beasts of burden to carry Paul, so that they may lead him safely to Felix, the governor.”

²⁵For he was afraid, lest perhaps the Jews might seize him and kill him, and that afterwards he would be falsely accused, as if he had accepted a bribe. And so he wrote a letter containing the following:

²⁶“Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor, Felix: greetings.

²⁷This man, having been apprehended by the Jews and being about to be put to death by them, I rescued, overwhelming them with soldiers, since I realized that he is a Roman.

²⁸And wanting to know the reason that they objected to him, I brought him into their council.

²⁹And I discovered him to be accused about questions of their law. Yet truly, nothing deserving of death or imprisonment was within the accusation.

³⁰And when I had been given news of ambushes, which they had prepared against him, I sent him to you, notifying his accusers also, so that they may plead their accusations before you. Farewell.”

³¹Therefore the soldiers, taking Paul according to their orders, brought him by night to Antipatris.

³²And the next day, sending the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the fortress.

³³And when they had arrived at Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul before him.

³⁴And when he had read it and had asked which province he was from, realizing that he was from Cilicia, he said:

³⁵“I will hear you, when your accusers have arrived.” And he ordered him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.

Acts 23

¹And Paul, looking upon the council, said: Men, brethren, I have conversed with all good conscience before God until this present day.

²And the high priest, Ananias, commanded them that stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

³Then Paul said to him: God shall strike thee, thou whited wall. For, sittest thou to judge me according to the law and, contrary to the law, commandest me to be struck?

⁴And they that stood by said: Dost thou revile the high priest of God?

⁵And Paul said: I knew not, brethren, that he is the high priest. For it is written: Thou shalt not speak evil of the prince of thy people.

⁶And Paul, knowing that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council: Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

⁷And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided.

⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

⁹And there arose a great cry. And some of the Pharisees rising up, strove, saying: We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?

¹⁰And when there arose a great dissension, the tribune, fearing lest Paul should be pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the castle.

¹¹And the night following, the Lord standing by him, said: Be constant: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

¹²And when day was come, some of the Jews gathered together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they killed Paul.

¹³And they were more than forty men that had made this conspiracy.

¹⁴Who came to the chief priests and the ancients and said: We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing till we have slain Paul.

¹⁵Now therefore do you with the council signify to the tribune, that he bring him forth to you, as if you meant to know something more certain touching him. And we, before he come near, are ready to kill him.

¹⁶Which when Paul's sister's son had heard, of their lying in wait, he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.

¹⁷And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: Bring this young man to the tribune: for he hath some thing to tell him.

¹⁸And he, taking him, brought him to the tribune and said: Paul, the prisoner, desired me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath some thing to say to thee.

¹⁹And the tribune, taking him by the hand, went aside with him privately and asked him: What is it that thou hast to tell me?

²⁰And he said: The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldst bring forth Paul to-morrow into the council, as if they meant to inquire some thing more certain touching him.

²¹But do not thou give credit to them: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor to drink, till they have killed him. And they are now ready, looking for a promise from thee.

²²The tribune therefore dismissed the young man, charging him that he should tell no man that he had made known these things unto him.

²³Then having called two centurions, he said to them: Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea: and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, for the third hour of the night.

²⁴And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on and bring him safe to Felix the governor.

²⁵(For he feared lest perhaps the Jews might take him away by force and kill him: and he should afterwards be slandered, as if he was to take money.) And he wrote a letter after this manner:

²⁶Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting:

²⁷This man, being taken by the Jews and ready to be killed by them, I rescued, coming in with an army, understanding that he is a Roman.

²⁸And meaning to know the cause which they objected unto him, I brought him forth into their council.

²⁹Whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law; but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bands.

³⁰And when I was told of ambushes that they had prepared for him, I sent him to thee, signifying also to his accusers to plead before thee. Farewell.

³¹Then the soldiers, according as it was commanded them, taking Paul, brought him by night to Antipatris.

³²And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the castle.

³³Who, when they were come to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, did also present Paul before him.

³⁴And when he had read it and had asked of what province he was and understood that he was of Cilicia:

³⁵I will hear thee, said he, when thy accusers come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.