Acts 23
1
Then Paul, looking intently at the council, said, "Men, brothers, I have lived with
all good conscience toward God until this day."
2
But the high priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike his mouth.
3
Then Paul said to him, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you
sit judging me according to the law, and contrary to the law do you command that I
should be struck?"
4
But those standing by said, "Do you revile the high priest of God?"
5
Then Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he is the high priest; for it is written,
'You shall not speak wickedly of a ruler of your people.' "
6
But when Paul perceived that one part was of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees,
he cried out in the Sanhedrin, "Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee;
concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"
7
And when he had spoken this, there came to be a dispute between the Pharisees and
the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection-nor angel nor spirit; but the
Pharisees confess both.
9
And there came to be a great outcry, and the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood
up and contended sharply, saying, "We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or
an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God."
10
And when much dissension developed, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be torn
apart by them, commanded the detachment of soldiers to go down and seize him from
the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the barracks.
11
Now on the next night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage, Paul; for as
you solemnly testified about the things concerning Me in Jerusalem, so you must also
testify in Rome."
12
Now when it was day, some of the Jews joined in a conspiracy and bound themselves
by a curse, saying neither would they eat nor drink until they would kill Paul.
13
And there were over four hundred who had made this plot;
14
who came to the chief priests and to the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves
by oath with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul.
15
Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be
brought down to you tomorrow, as though you are going to determine more accurately
the things concerning him; but we, before he comes near, are prepared to kill him."
16
But when Paul's sister's son heard about the ambush, he came and entered into the
barracks, and told [this] to Paul.
17
And Paul, summoning one of the centurions and said, "Lead this young man away to the
commander, for he has something to tell him."
18
Therefore taking him along, he brought him to the commander and said, "The prisoner
Paul, having summoned me, asked me to bring this young man to you, for he has something
to say to you."
19
And the commander, taking him by his hand, withdrew to a private place and inquired,
"What is it that you have to tell me?"
20
And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask that tomorrow you bring Paul down to the
Sanhedrin, as though they are going to learn something more accurate concerning him.
21
Therefore you [must] not be persuaded by them; for more than four hundred of them
are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves by a curse neither to eat nor
to drink until they kill him; and now they are prepared, waiting for the promise from
you."
22
Then the commander dismissed the young man, and commanded him, "Tell no one that you
have made known these things to me."
23
And having summoned two of the centurions he said, "Make ready two hundred soldiers,
and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, in order that they may go to Caesarea,
to leave at the third hour of the night;
24
and place mounts at [their] disposal, in order that they may put Paul on them, and
bring him safely to Felix the governor."
25
And he wrote a letter which contained this content:
26
Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
27
This man, having been arrested by the Jews, was about to be killed by them. I came
upon [them] with the detachment of soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he
is a Roman.
28
And desiring to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I took him down to
their council;
29
and I found that he was accused concerning questions of their law, [but] had no accusation
[against him] worthy of death or chains.
30
And when it became known to me that a plot against the man by the Jews was about to
happen, I sent him at once to you, and also commanded the accusers to state the charges
against him before you. Farewell.
31
Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him during the night
to Antipatris.
32
And on the next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the
barracks.
33
When they entered into Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, [they] also
presented Paul to him.
34
And when the governor read the letter, he asked what province he was from. And learning
that he was from Cilicia,
35
he said, "I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive."And he commanded him
to be guarded in Herod's Praetorium.