Acts, 23

1. Paul looked steadily at the Sanhedrin and began to speak, 'My brothers, to this day I have conducted myself before God with a perfectly clear conscience.'

1. And Paul, looking intently at the council, said, "Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience up to this day."

2. At this the high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike him on the mouth.

2. And the high priest Anani'as commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

3. Then Paul said to him, 'God will surely strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there to judge me according to the Law, and then break the Law by ordering a man to strike me?'

3. Then Paul said to him, "God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?"

4. The attendants said, 'Are you insulting the high priest of God?

4. Those who stood by said, "Would you revile God's high priest?"

5. Paul answered, 'Brothers, I did not realise it was the high priest; certainly scripture says, "You will not curse your people's leader." '

5. And Paul said, "I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, `You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

6. Now Paul was well aware that one party was made up of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees, so he called out in the Sanhedrin, 'Brothers, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees. It is for our hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.'

6. But when Paul perceived that one part were Sad'ducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am on trial."

7. As soon as he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was split between the two parties.

7. And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sad'ducees; and the assembly was divided.

8. For the Sadducees say there is neither resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, while the Pharisees accept all three.

8. For the Sad'ducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

9. The shouting grew louder, and some of the scribes from the Pharisees' party stood up and protested strongly, 'We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?'

9. Then a great clamor arose; and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended, "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?"

10. Feeling was running high, and the tribune, afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered his troops to go down and haul him out and bring him into the fortress.

10. And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid 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.

11. Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.'

11. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome."

12. When it was day, the Jews held a secret meeting at which they made a vow not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

12. When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

13. More than forty of them entered this pact,

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

14. and they went to the chief priests and elders and told them, 'We have made a solemn vow to let nothing pass our lips until we have killed Paul.

14. And they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, "We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul.

15. Now it is up to you and the Sanhedrin together to apply to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you meant to examine his case more closely; we, on our side, are prepared to dispose of him before he reaches you.'

15. You therefore, along with the council, give notice now to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near."

16. But the son of Paul's sister heard of the ambush they were laying and made his way into the fortress and told Paul,

16. Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush; so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

17. who called one of the centurions and said, 'Take this young man to the tribune; he has something to tell him.'

17. And Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the tribune; for he has something to tell him."

18. So the man took him to the tribune, and reported, 'The prisoner Paul summoned me and requested me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you.'

18. So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, "Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you."

19. Then the tribune took him by the hand and drew him aside and questioned him in private, 'What is it you have to tell me?'

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

20. He replied, 'The Jews have made a plan to ask you to take Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they meant to enquire more closely into his case.

20. And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him.

21. Do not believe them. There are more than forty of them lying in wait for him, and they have vowed not to eat or drink until they have got rid of him. They are ready now and only waiting for your order to be given.'

21. But do not yield to them; for more than forty of their men lie in ambush for him, having bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you."

22. The tribune let the young man go with this order, 'Tell no one that you have given me this information.'

22. So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, "Tell no one that you have informed me of this."

23. Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, 'Get two hundred soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea by the third hour of the night with seventy cavalry and two hundred auxiliaries;

23. Then he called two of the centurions and said, "At the third hour of the night get ready two hundred soldiers with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesare'a.

24. provide horses for Paul, and deliver him unharmed to Felix the governor.'

24. Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and bring him safely to Felix the governor."

25. He also wrote a letter in these terms:

25. And he wrote a letter to this effect:

26. 'Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings.

26. "Claudius Lys'ias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greeting.

27. This man had been seized by the Jews and would have been murdered by them; but I came on the scene with my troops and got him away, having discovered that he was a Roman citizen.

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

28. Wanting to find out what charge they were making against him, I brought him before their Sanhedrin.

28. And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council.

29. I found that the accusation concerned disputed points of their Law, but that there was no charge deserving death or imprisonment.

29. I found that he was accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment.

30. Acting on information that there was a conspiracy against the man, I hasten to send him to you, and have notified his accusers that they must state their case against him in your presence.'

30. And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him."

31. The soldiers carried out their orders; they took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris.

31. So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antip'atris.

32. Next day they left the mounted escort to go on with him and returned to the fortress.

32. And on the morrow they returned to the barracks, leaving the horsemen to go on with him.

33. On arriving at Caesarea the escort delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.

33. When they came to Caesare'a and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.

34. When he had read it, he asked Paul what province he came from. Learning that he was from Cilicia he said,

34. On reading the letter, he asked to what province he belonged. When he learned that he was from Cili'cia

35. 'I will hear your case as soon as your accusers are here too.' Then he ordered him to be held in Herod's praetorium.

35. he said, "I will hear you when your accusers arrive." And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's praetorium.