Acts 23

1And Paul having earnestly beheld the Sanhedrin, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived to God in all good conscience to this day”;

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

3then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall, and you sit judging me according to the Law, and violating law, order me to be struck!”

4And those who stood by said, “Do you revile the chief priest of God?”

5And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he is chief priest, for it has been written: You will not speak evil of the ruler of your people”;

6and Paul having known that one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee—son of a Pharisee—concerning [the] hope and resurrection of [the] dead 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 resurrection, 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, “We find no evil in this man; and if a spirit spoke 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 army, having gone down, to seize him out of their midst, and to bring [him] into the stronghold.

11And on the following night, the LORD having stood by him, said, “Take courage, Paul, for as you fully testified [to] the things concerning Me at Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome.”

12And day having come, certain of the Jews having made a concourse, cursed themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink until 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 a curse we accursed ourselves—to taste nothing until we have killed Paul;

15now, therefore, you, signify to the chief captain, with the Sanhedrin, that tomorrow he may bring him down to you, as being about to know more exactly the things concerning him; and we, before his coming near, 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 stronghold, told Paul,

17and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, “Lead this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell him.”

18He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him to the chief captain and says, “The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked [me] to bring to you this young man, having something to say to you.”

19And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, “What is that which you have to tell me?”

20And he said, “The Jews agreed to request you, that tomorrow you may bring down Paul to the Sanhedrin, as being about to inquire something more exactly concerning him;

21you, therefore, may you not yield to them, for there more than forty men of them lie in wait for him, who cursed themselves—not to eat nor to drink until they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”

22The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged [him], “Tell no one that you have shown these things to me”;

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

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

25he having written a letter after this description:

26“Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, greetings:

27This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them—having come with the army, 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 Sanhedrin,

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—I sent to you at once, having also given command to the accusers to say the things against him before you; 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 next day, having permitted the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the stronghold;

33those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, also presented 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 you,” he said, “when your accusers may also have come”; he also commanded him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.