Acts

1Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

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 didn’t 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 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!”

7When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd 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. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”

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, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”

12When 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.

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 tomorrow, 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 they were 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. He 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 Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

21Therefore 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.”

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 mounts, 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 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.

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 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.”

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.

1And Paul having earnestly beheld the sanhedrim, said, 'Men, brethren, I in all good conscience have lived to God unto this day;'

2and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to smite him on the mouth,

3then Paul said unto him, 'God is about to smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, and thou — thou dost sit judging me according to the law, and, violating law, dost order me to be smitten!'

4And those who stood by said, 'The chief priest of God dost thou revile?'

5and Paul said, 'I did not know, brethren, that he is chief priest: for it hath been written, Of the ruler of thy people thou shalt not speak evil;'

6and Paul having known that the one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the sanhedrim, 'Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee — son of a Pharisee — concerning hope and rising again of dead men I am judged.'

7And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,

8for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no rising again, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.

9And there came a great cry, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part having arisen, were striving, saying, 'No evil do we find in this man; and if a spirit spake to him, or a messenger, we may not fight against God;'

10and a great dissension having come, the chief captain having been afraid lest Paul may be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiery, having gone down, to take him by force out of the midst of them, and to bring [him] to the castle.

11And on the following night, the Lord having stood by him, said, 'Take courage, Paul, for as thou didst fully testify the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so it behoveth thee also at Rome to testify.'

12And day having come, certain of the Jews having made a concourse, did anathematize themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink till they may kill Paul;

13and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,

14who having come near to the chief priests and to the elders said, 'With an anathema we did anathematize ourselves — to taste nothing till we have killed Paul;

15now, therefore, ye, signify ye to the chief captain, with the sanhedrim, that to-morrow he may bring him down unto you, as being about to know more exactly the things concerning him; and we, before his coming nigh, are ready to put him to death.'

16And the son of Paul's sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the castle, told Paul,

17and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, 'This young man lead unto the chief captain, for he hath something to tell him.'

18He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him unto the chief captain, and saith, 'The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked [me] this young man to bring unto thee, having something to say to thee.'

19And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, 'What is that which thou hast to tell me?'

20and he said — 'The Jews agreed to request thee, that to-morrow to the sanhedrim thou mayest bring down Paul, as being about to enquire something more exactly concerning him;

21thou, therefore, mayest thou not yield to them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who did anathematize themselves — not to eat nor to drink till they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from thee.'

22The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged [him] to tell no one, 'that these things thou didst shew unto me;'

23and having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, 'Make ready soldiers two hundred, that they may go on unto Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, from the third hour of the night;

24beasts also provide, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe unto Felix the governor;'

25he having written a letter after this description:

26'Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, hail:

27This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them — having come with the soldiery, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman;

28and, intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their sanhedrim,

29whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;

30and a plot having been intimated to me against this man — about to be of the Jews — at once I sent unto thee, having given command also to the accusers to say the things against him before thee; be strong.'

31Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris,

32and on the morrow, having suffered the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the castle;

33those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, did present also Paul to him.

34And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;

35'I will hear thee — said he — when thine accusers also may have come;' he also commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.