Acts 23
23
1 Then Paul, gazing intently at the council, said, "Noble brothers, I have spoken with all good conscience before God, even to this present day."
2 And the high priest, Ananias, instructed those who were standing nearby to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then 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?"
4 And those who were standing nearby said, "Are you speaking evil about the high priest of God?"
5 And 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.' "
6 Now 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."
7 And when he had said this, a dissension occurred between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided.
8 For the Sadducees claim that there is no resurrection, and neither angels, nor spirits. But the Pharisees confess both of these.
9 Then 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?"
10 And 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.
11 Then, 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."
12 And 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.
13 Now there were more than forty men who had taken this oath together.
14 And 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.
15 Therefore, 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."
16 But 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.
17 And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: "Lead this young man to the tribune. For he has something to tell him."
18 And 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."
19 Then 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?"
20 Then 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.
21 But 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."
22 And then the tribune dismissed the young man, instructing him not to tell anyone that he had made known these things to him.
23 Then, 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.
24 And prepare beasts of burden to carry Paul, so that they may lead him safely to Felix, the governor."
25 For 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.
27 This 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.
28 And wanting to know the reason that they objected to him, I brought him into their council.
29 And I discovered him to be accused about questions of their law. Yet truly, nothing deserving of death or imprisonment was within the accusation.
30 And 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."
31 Therefore the soldiers, taking Paul according to their orders, brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 And the next day, sending the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the fortress.
33 And when they had arrived at Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul before him.
34 And 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.
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Acts 23: CPDV
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The Acts 23
23
1And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day. 2But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten? 4And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God? 5And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.
6But Paul, knowing that the one part of them were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead. 7And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. 8For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them. 9And there was a great clamour, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part rising up contended, saying, We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel... 10And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring him into the fortress. 11But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also.
12And when it was day, the Jews, having banded together, put themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul. 13And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath; 14and they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul. 15Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him. 16But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported it to Paul. 17And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him. 18He therefore, having taken him with him, led him to the chiliarch, and says, The prisoner Paul called me to him and asked me to lead this youth to thee, who has something to say to thee. 19And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me? 20And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him. 21Do not thou then be persuaded by them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they kill him; and now they are ready waiting the promise from thee. 22The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding him, Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me. 23And having called to him certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night. 24And he ordered them to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry him safe through to Felix the governor, 25having written a letter, couched in this form: 26Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. 27This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out of their hands, having learned that he was a Roman. 28And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council; 29whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him making him worthy of death or of bonds. 30But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man by the Jews, I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. Farewell. 31The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris, 32and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress. 33And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him. 34And having read it, and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that he was of Cilicia, 35he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.