Acts

Chapter 23

1 And Paul,3972 earnestly816 beholding816 the council,4892 said,2036 Men435 and brothers,80 I have lived4176 in all3956 good18 conscience4893 before God2316 until891 this5026 day.2250

2 And the high749 priest749 Ananias367 commanded2004 them that stood3936 by him to smite5180 him on the mouth.4750

3 Then5119 said2036 Paul3972 to him, God2316 shall smite5180 you, you white washed2867 wall:5109 for sit2521 you to judge2919 me after2596 the law,3551 and command2753 me to be smitten5180 contrary3891 to the law?3891

4 And they that stood3936 by said,2036 Revile3058 you God's2316 high749 priest?749

5 Then5037 said5346 Paul,3972 I knew1492 not, brothers,80 that he was the high749 priest:749 for it is written,1125 You shall not speak2046 evil2560 of the ruler758 of your people.2992

6 But when Paul3972 perceived1097 that the one1520 part3313 were Sadducees,4523 and the other2087 Pharisees,5330 he cried2896 out in the council,4892 Men435 and brothers,80 I am1510 a Pharisee,5330 the son5207 of a Pharisee:5330 of the hope1680 and resurrection386 of the dead3498 I am called2919 in question.2919

7 And when he had so5124 said,2980 there arose1096 a dissension4714 between the Pharisees5330 and the Sadducees:4523 and the multitude4128 was divided.4977

8 For the Sadducees4523 say3004 that there is no3361 resurrection,386 neither3366 angel,32 nor3383 spirit:4151 but the Pharisees5330 confess3670 both.297

9 And there arose1096 a great3173 cry:2906 and the scribes1122 that were of the Pharisees'5330 part3313 arose,450 and strove,1264 saying,3004 We find2147 no3762 evil2556 in this5129 man:444 but if1487 a spirit4151 or2228 an angel32 has spoken2980 to him, let us not fight2313 against God.2313

10 And when there arose1096 a great4183 dissension,4714 the chief5506 captain,5506 fearing2125 lest3361 Paul3972 should have been pulled1288 in pieces1288 of them, commanded2753 the soldiers4753 to go2597 down,2597 and to take726 him by force726 from among3319 them, and to bring71 him into1519 the castle.3925

11 And the night3571 following the Lord2962 stood2186 by him, and said,2036 Be of good cheer,2293 Paul:3972 for as you have testified1263 of me in Jerusalem,2419 so3779 must1163 you bear3140 witness3140 also2532 at1519 Rome.4516

12 And when it was day,2250 certain5100 of the Jews2453 banded4160 4963 together,4963 and bound332 themselves1438 under332 a curse,332 saying3004 that they would neither3383 eat5315 nor drink4095 till2193 they had killed615 Paul.3972

13 And they were more4119 than forty5062 which3588 had made4160 this5026 conspiracy.4945

14 And they came4334 to the chief749 priests749 and elders,4245 and said,2036 We have bound332 ourselves1438 under332 a great curse,332 that we will eat1089 nothing3367 until2193 we have slain615 Paul.3972

15 Now3568 therefore3767 you with the council4892 signify1718 to the chief5506 captain5506 that he bring2609 him down2609 to you to morrow,839 as though you would3195 inquire1231 something more197 perfectly197 concerning4012 him: and we, or4253 ever4253 he come1448 near,1448 are ready2092 to kill337 him.

16 And when Paul's3972 sister's79 son5207 heard191 of their lying in wait,1747 he went3854 and entered1525 into1519 the castle,3925 and told518 Paul.3972

17 Then1161 Paul3972 called4341 one1520 of the centurions1543 to him, and said,5346 Bring520 this5126 young3494 man3494 to the chief5506 captain:5506 for he has2192 a certain5100 thing to tell518 him.

18 So3767 he took3880 him, and brought71 him to the chief5506 captain,5506 and said,5346 Paul3972 the prisoner1198 called4341 me to him, and prayed2065 me to bring71 this5126 young3494 man3494 to you, who has2192 something5100 to say2980 to you.

19 Then1161 the chief5506 captain5506 took1949 him by the hand,5495 and went402 with him aside402 privately,2596 2398 and asked2065 him, What5101 is that you have2192 to tell518 me?

20 And he said,2036 The Jews2453 have agreed4934 to desire2065 you that you would bring2609 down2609 Paul3972 to morrow839 into1519 the council,4892 as though they would3195 inquire4441 somewhat5100 of him more197 perfectly.197

21 But do not you yield3982 to them: for there lie in wait1748 for him of them more4119 than forty5062 men,435 which3748 have bound332 themselves1438 with an oath,332 that they will neither3383 eat5315 nor drink4095 till2193 they have killed337 him: and now3568 are they ready,2092 looking4327 for a promise1860 from you.

22 So3767 the chief5506 captain5506 then let630 the young3494 man3494 depart,630 and charged3853 him, See you tell1583 no3367 man3367 that you have showed1718 these5023 things to me.

23 And he called4341 to him two1417 centurions,1543 saying,2036 Make2090 ready2090 two1250 hundred1250 soldiers4757 to go4198 to Caesarea,2542 and horsemen2460 three score1440 and ten, and spearmen1187 two1250 hundred,1250 at575 the third5154 hour5610 of the night;3571

24 And provide3936 them beasts,2934 that they may set1913 Paul3972 on,1913 and bring1295 him safe1295 to Felix5344 the governor.2232

25 And he wrote1125 a letter1992 after4023 this5126 manner:5179

26 Claudius2804 Lysias3079 to the most2903 excellent2903 governor2232 Felix5344 sends greeting.5463

27 This5126 man435 was taken4815 of the Jews,2453 and should3195 have been killed615 of them: then came2186 I with an army,4753 and rescued1807 him, having understood3129 that he was a Roman.4514

28 And when I would have known1097 the cause156 why1223 3739 they accused1458 him, I brought2609 him forth2609 into1519 their council:4892

29 Whom3739 I perceived2147 to be accused1458 of questions2213 of their law,3551 but to have2192 nothing3367 laid1462 to his charge1462 worthy514 of death336 or2228 of bonds.1199

30 And when it was told3377 me how that the Jews2453 laid2071 wait1917 for the man,435 I sent3992 straightway1824 to you, and gave commandment3853 to his accusers2725 also2532 to say3004 before1909 you what3588 they had against4314 him. Farewell.4517

31 Then3767 the soldiers,4757 as it was commanded1299 them, took353 Paul,3972 and brought71 him by night3571 to Antipatris.494

32 On the morrow1887 they left1439 the horsemen2460 to go4198 with him, and returned5290 to the castle:3925

33 Who,3748 when they came1525 to Caesarea 2542and delivered325 the letter1992 to the governor,2232 presented3936 Paul3972 also2532 before him.

34 And when the governor2232 had read314 the letter, he asked1905 of what4169 province1885 he was. And when he understood4441 that he was of Cilicia;2791

35 I will hear1251 you, said5346 he, when3752 your4675 accusers2725 are also2532 come.3854 And he commanded2753 him to be kept5442 in Herod's2264 judgment4232 hall.4232