Acts 23

1And Paul, looking fixedly at the Sanhedrin, said, My brothers, my life has been upright before God till this day.

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

1And Paul, looking upon the council, said: Men, brethren, I have conversed with all good conscience before God until this present day.

2And the high priest, Ananias, gave orders to those who were near him to give him a blow on the mouth.

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

2And the high priest, Ananias, commanded them that stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

3Then Paul said to him, God will give blows to you, you whitewashed wall: are you here to be my judge by law, and by your orders am I given blows against the law?

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!'

3Then Paul said to him: God shall strike thee, thou whited wall. For, sittest thou to judge me according to the law and, contrary to the law, commandest me to be struck?

4And those who were near said, Do you say such words against God's high priest?

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

4And they that stood by said: Dost thou revile the high priest of God?

5And Paul said, Brother, I had no idea that he was the high priest: for it has been said, You may not say evil about the ruler of your people.

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;'

5And Paul said: I knew not, brethren, that he is the high priest. For it is written: Thou shalt not speak evil of the prince of thy people.

6But when Paul saw that half of them were Sadducees and the rest Pharisees, he said in the Sanhedrin, Brothers, I am a Pharisee, and the son of Pharisees: I am here to be judged on the question of the hope of the coming back from the dead.

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.'

6And Paul, knowing that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council: Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

7And when he had said this, there was an argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and a division in the meeting.

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

7And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided.

8For the Sadducees say that there is no coming back from the dead, and no angels or spirits: but the Pharisees have belief in all these.

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

8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

9And there was a great outcry: and some of the scribes on the side of the Pharisees got up and took part in the discussion, saying, We see no evil in this man: what if he has had a revelation from an angel or a spirit?

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;'

9And there arose a great cry. And some of the Pharisees rising up, strove, saying: We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?

10And when the argument became very violent, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be pulled in two by them, gave orders to the armed men to take him by force from among them, and take him into the army building.

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 <FI>him<Fi> to the castle.

10And when there arose a great dissension, the tribune, fearing lest Paul should be pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the castle.

11And the night after, the Lord came to his side and said, Be of good heart, for as you have been witnessing for me in Jerusalem, so will you be my witness in Rome.

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.'

11And the night following, the Lord standing by him, said: Be constant: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

12And when it was day, the Jews came together and put themselves under an oath that they would take no food or drink till they had put Paul to death.

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;

12And when day was come, some of the Jews gathered together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they killed Paul.

13And more than forty of them took this oath.

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

13And they were more than forty men that had made this conspiracy.

14And they came to the chief priests and the rulers and said, We have taken a great oath to take no food till we have put Paul to death

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;

14Who came to the chief priests and the ancients and said: We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing till we have slain Paul.

15So now, will you and the Sanhedrin make a request to the military authorities to have him sent down to you, as if you were desiring to go into the business in greater detail; and we, before ever he gets to you, will be waiting to put him to death.

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.'

15Now therefore do you with the council signify to the tribune, that he bring him forth to you, as if you meant to know something more certain touching him. And we, before he come near, are ready to kill him.

16But Paul's sister's son had word of their design, and he came into the army building and gave news of it to Paul.

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

16Which when Paul's sister's son had heard, of their lying in wait, he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.

17And Paul sent for a captain and said, Take this young man to your chief, for he has news for him.

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.'

17And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: Bring this young man to the tribune: for he hath some thing to tell him.

18So he took him to the chief captain and said, Paul, the prisoner, made a request to me to take this young man to you, for he has something to say to you.

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

18And he, taking him, brought him to the tribune and said: Paul, the prisoner, desired me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath some thing to say to thee.

19And the chief took him by the hand and, going on one side, said to him privately, What is it you have to say to me?

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?'

19And the tribune, taking him by the hand, went aside with him privately and asked him: What is it that thou hast to tell me?

20And he said, The Jews are in agreement together to make a request to you for Paul to be taken, on the day after this, into the Sanhedrin, to be questioned in greater detail.

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;

20And he said: The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldst bring forth Paul to-morrow into the council, as if they meant to inquire some thing more certain touching him.

21But do not give way to them, for more than forty of them are waiting for him, having taken an oath not to take food or drink till they have put him to death: and now they are ready, waiting for your order.

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.'

21But do not thou give credit to them: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor to drink, till they have killed him. And they are now ready, looking for a promise from thee.

22So the chief captain let the young man go, saying to him, Do not say to anyone that you have given me word of these things.

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

22The tribune therefore dismissed the young man, charging him that he should tell no man that he had made known these things unto him.

23And he sent for two captains and said, Make ready two hundred men, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, to go to Caesarea, at the third hour of the night:

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;

23Then having called two centurions, he said to them: Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea: and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, for the third hour of the night.

24And get beasts so that they may put Paul on them, and take him safely to Felix, the ruler.

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

24And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on and bring him safe to Felix the governor.

25And he sent a letter in these words:

25he having written a letter after this description:

25(For he feared lest perhaps the Jews might take him away by force and kill him: and he should afterwards be slandered, as if he was to take money.) And he wrote a letter after this manner:

26Claudius Lysias, to the most noble ruler, Felix, peace be with you.

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

26Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting:

27This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be put to death by them, when I came on them with the army and took him out of danger, having knowledge that he was a Roman.

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;

27This man, being taken by the Jews and ready to be killed by them, I rescued, coming in with an army, understanding that he is a Roman.

28And, desiring to get at the reason for their attack on him, I took him down to their Sanhedrin:

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

28And meaning to know the cause which they objected unto him, I brought him forth into their council.

29Then it became clear to me that it was a question of their law, and that nothing was said against him which might be a reason for prison or death.

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

29Whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law; but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bands.

30And when news was given to me that a secret design was being made against the man, I sent him straight away to you, giving orders to those who are against him to make their statements before you.

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.'

30And when I was told of ambushes that they had prepared for him, I sent him to thee, signifying also to his accusers to plead before thee. Farewell.

31So the armed men, as they were ordered, took Paul and came by night to Antipatris.

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

31Then the soldiers, according as it was commanded them, taking Paul, brought him by night to Antipatris.

32But on the day after, they sent the horsemen on with him, and went back to their place:

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

32And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the castle.

33And they, when they came to Caesarea, gave the letter to the ruler, and took Paul before him.

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

33Who, when they were come to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, did also present Paul before him.

34And after reading it, he said, What part of the country do you come from? And, hearing that he was from Cilicia,

34And the governor having read <FI>it<Fi> , and inquired of what province he is, and understood that <FI>he is<Fi> from Cilicia;

34And when he had read it and had asked of what province he was and understood that he was of Cilicia:

35I will give hearing to your cause, he said, when those who are against you have come. And he gave orders for him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.

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.

35I will hear thee, said he, when thy accusers come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.