23
1 Paul,
looking steadfastly at the
council, said, “Brothers,
I have lived
before God in
all good
conscience until today.”
2 The high
priest, Ananias, commanded those
who stood by
him to strike
him on the
mouth.
3 Then
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?”
4 Those
who stood by
said, “Do
you malign God’s
high priest?”
5 Paul
said, “I didn’t
know, brothers, that
he was high priest.
For it is
written, ‘You
shall not speak
evil of a 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 brothers, I am
a Pharisee, a
son of Pharisees.
Concerning the
hope and resurrection
of the dead
I am being
judged!”
7 When
he had said
this, an argument
arose between the
Pharisees and
Sadducees, and the
crowd was divided.
8 For
the Sadducees say
that there is
no resurrection, nor angel,
nor spirit; but
the Pharisees
confess all of
these.
9 A
great clamor arose,
and some of
the scribes of
the Pharisees’
part stood up,
and contended, saying, “We
find no evil
in this man.
But if a
spirit or angel
has spoken to
him, let’s
not fight against
God!”
10 When
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.
11 The
following night,
the Lord stood
by him and
said,
“Cheer up, Paul,
for as you
have testified
about me at
Jerusalem, so
you must testify
also at
Rome.”
12 When
it was day,
some of the
Jews banded
together and bound
themselves under a curse,
saying that they
would neither eat
nor drink until
they had killed
Paul.
13 There
were more than
forty people who
had made this
conspiracy.
14 They
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.
15 Now
therefore, you
with the
council inform the commanding
officer that he
should bring him
down to
you tomorrow, as
though you were
going to judge
his case
more exactly. We
are ready to kill
him before he
comes near.”
16 But
Paul’s sister’s son heard
they were lying in
wait, and he
came and entered
into the barracks
and told Paul.
17 Paul
summoned one of
the centurions and
said, “Bring this
young man to
the commanding officer, for
he has something
to tell him.”
18 So
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.
He has something
to tell you.”
19 The commanding officer took
him by the
hand, and going
aside, asked him
privately, “What
is it that
you have to tell
me?”
20 He
said, “The Jews
have agreed to
ask you to
bring Paul down
to the
council tomorrow, as
though intending
to inquire
somewhat more accurately
concerning him.
21 Therefore don’t
yield to them,
for more than
forty men lie in
wait for him,
who have bound
themselves under
a curse to neither
eat nor drink
until they
have killed him.
Now they are
ready, looking for
the promise from
you.”
22 So
the commanding officer
let the young
man go, charging
him, “Tell no
one that you
have revealed these
things to me.”
23 He
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.”
24 He asked
them to provide
mounts, that
they might set
Paul on one,
and bring him
safely to Felix
the governor.
25 He
wrote a letter
like this:
26 “Claudius
Lysias to the
most excellent
governor Felix:
Greetings.
27 “This
man was seized
by the Jews,
and was about
to be killed by
them when I
came with the
soldiers and
rescued him,
having learned
that he was
a Roman.
28 Desiring
to know the
cause why they
accused him, I
brought him down
to their council.
29 I
found him to
be accused about
questions of their
law, but not
to be charged with
anything worthy of
death or of
imprisonment.
30 When
I was told
that the Jews lay
in wait for
the man, I
sent him to
you immediately,
charging his
accusers also to
bring their accusations
against him before
you. Farewell.”
31 So
the soldiers, carrying
out their orders,
took Paul and
brought him by
night to Antipatris.
32 But
on the next
day they left
the horsemen to
go with him,
and returned to
the barracks.
33 When
they came to
Caesarea and delivered
the letter to
the governor, they
also presented
Paul to him.
34 When
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.