Acts 23

¹Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."

²The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

³Then 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?"

⁴Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priest?"

⁵Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted 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!"

⁷When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.

⁹A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit spoke to him, or an angel?"

¹⁰When 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 among them, and bring him into the barracks.

¹¹The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, "Cheer up, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome."

¹²When it was day, the Judeans banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

¹³There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

¹⁴They 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.

¹⁵Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near."

¹⁶But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.

¹⁷Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him."

¹⁸So 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, who has something to tell you."

¹⁹The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

²⁰He said, "The Judeans have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

²¹Therefore do not yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."

²²So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me."

²³He 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."

²⁴He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

²⁵He wrote a letter like this:

²⁶"Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

²⁷"This man was seized by the Judeans, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

²⁸Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.

²⁹I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.

³⁰When I was told that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you."

³¹So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

³²But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

³³When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

³⁴When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,

³⁵"I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's palace.

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.