Acts 23

¹And Paul behelde earnestly the Councill, and sayde, Men and brethren, I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day.

²Then the hie Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth.

³Then 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?

⁴And they that stood by, sayd, Reuilest thou Gods hie Priest?

⁵Then 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.

⁶But 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.

⁷And when hee had saide this, there was a dissension betweene the Pharises and the Sadduces, so that the multitude was deuided.

⁸For the Sadduces say that there is no resurrection, neither Angel, nor spirit: but the Pharises confesse both.

⁹Then 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.

¹⁰And 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.

¹¹Nowe 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.

¹²And 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.

¹³And they were more then fourtie, which had made this conspiracie.

¹⁴And 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.

¹⁵Nowe 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.

¹⁶But when Pauls sisters sonne heard of their laying awaite, he went, and entred into the castel, and tolde Paul.

¹⁷And 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.

¹⁸So 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.

¹⁹Then the chiefe captaine tooke him by the hande, and went apart with him alone, and asked him, What hast thou to shewe me?

²⁰And 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:

²¹But 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.

²²The 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.

²³And 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.

²⁴And let them make readie an horse, that Paul being set on, may be brought safe vnto Felix the Gouernour.

²⁵And he wrote an epistle in this maner:

²⁶Claudius Lysias vnto the most noble Gouernour Felix sendeth greeting.

²⁷As 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.

²⁸And when I would haue knowen the cause, wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their Council.

²⁹There I perceiued that hee was accused of questions of their Lawe, but had no crime worthy of death, or of bondes.

³⁰And 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.

³¹Then the souldiers as it was commanded them, tooke Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

³²And the next day, they left the horsemen to goe with him, and returned vnto the Castel.

³³Now when they came to Cæsarea, they deliuered the epistle to the Gouernour, and presented Paul also vnto him.

³⁴So when the Gouernour had read it, hee asked of what prouince he was: and when he vnderstoode that he was of Cilicia,

³⁵I will heare thee, said he, when thine accusers also are come, and commanded him to bee kept in Herods iudgement hall.

Acts 23

¹And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

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

³Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

⁴And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?

⁵Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of 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 the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

¹⁰And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of 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 stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

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

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

¹⁴And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

¹⁵Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

¹⁶And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

¹⁷Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

¹⁸So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.

¹⁹Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?

²⁰And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

²¹But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

²²So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.

²³And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;

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

²⁵And he wrote a letter after this manner:

²⁶Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.

²⁷This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

²⁸And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

²⁹Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

³⁰And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.

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

³²On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

³³Who, when they came to Cesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

³⁴And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;

³⁵I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.