Acts, 23

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

1. Paul looked directly at the Council and said, "Brothers, to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God."

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

2. At that the High Priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike him on the mouth.

3. Then 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?

3. Then Paul said, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the Law, and you break the Law by ordering me to be struck!"

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

4. At this the attendants protested, "How dare you insult God's High Priest?"

5. Then 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.

5. Paul answered, "Brothers, I did not know that he was the High Priest. For Scripture says: You shall not curse the ruler of your people."

6. But 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.

6. Paul knew that part of the Council were Sadducees and others Pharisees; so he spoke out in the Council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee. It is for the hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial here."

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

7. At these words, an argument broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the whole assembly was divided.

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

8. For the Sadducees claim that there is neither resurrection, nor angels nor spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all these things.

9. And 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.

9. Then the shouting grew louder, and some teachers of the Law of the Pharisee party protested, "We find nothing wrong with this man. Maybe a spirit or an angel has spoken to him."

10. And 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.

10. With this the argument became so violent that the commander feared that Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He therefore ordered the soldiers to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him back to the fortress.

11. And 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.

11. That night the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Courage! As you have borne witness to me here in Jerusalem, so must you do in Rome."

12. And 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.

12. When it was day, certain Jews formed a conspiracy: they bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

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

13. There were more than forty of them who joined in this conspiracy.

14. And 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.

14. They went to the high priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves by oath not to taste food until we have killed Paul.

15. Now 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.

15. Now then, it is up to you and the Council together to convince the Roman commander to bring him down to you on the pretext that you want to investigate his case more thoroughly. We, for our part, are prepared to kill him before he gets there."

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

16. But the son of Paul's sister heard about the planned ambush, so he went to the headquarters and informed Paul.

17. Then 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.

17. Paul sent for one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander for he has something to report to him."

18. So 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.

18. So the officer took him and brought him to the commander, saying, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this boy to you because he has something to tell you."

19. Then 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?

19. The commander took him by the hand and drawing him aside asked him privately, "What is it that you have to report to me?"

20. And 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.

20. The boy replied, "The Jews have agreed among themselves to ask you tomorrow to have Paul brought down to the Council as if to inquire more thoroughly about him.

21. But 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.

21. But do not be persuaded by them, for there are more than forty of them ready to ambush him, having bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are now ready to do it and are awaiting your decision."

22. So 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.

22. The commander let the boy go with this advice, "Do not tell anyone that you gave me this information."

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

23. Then the commander summoned two of his officers and said to them, "Get ready to leave for Caesarea by nine o'clock tonight, with two hundred infantrymen, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.

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

24. Provide horses also for Paul to ride, so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor."

25. And he wrote a letter after this manner:

25. He then wrote the governor a letter to this effect:

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

26. "Claudius Lysias greets the Most Excellent Governor Felix and communicates to him the following:

27. This 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.

27. The Jews had arrested this man and were about to kill him when I intervened with my troops and took him out of their hands, since I knew he was a Roman citizen.

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

28. As I wanted to know what charge they had against him, I presented him before the Sanhedrin

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

29. and I discovered that the accusation related to matters of their Law, but there was nothing which deserved death or imprisonment.

30. And 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.

30. When I was informed that the Jews had prepared a plot against this man, I decided to send him to you and told his accusers to present their complaints before you. Farewell."

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

31. The soldiers acted in accordance with these instructions. They took Paul and brought him to Antipatris by night.

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

32. On the following day, they returned to the fortress but the horsemen continued journeying with him.

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

33. Upon entering Caesarea they handed the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.

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

34. When Felix had read the letter, he asked Paul from which province he was, and when he learned that Paul was from Cilicia,

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

35. he said to him: "I shall hear your accusers when they come." And he ordered that he be kept in custody in the palace of Herod.