Acts 23

1And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

1And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience withGod unto this day.

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

2But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth.

3Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

3Then Paul said to him,God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten?

4And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?

4And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest ofGod?

5Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

5And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.

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

6But Paul, knowing that the one part [of them] were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of [the] dead.

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

7And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.

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

8For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them.

9And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

9And there was a great clamour, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part rising up contended, saying, We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel...

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

10And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the fortress.

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

11But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also.

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

12And when it was day, the Jews, having banded together, put themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul.

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

13And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath;

14And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

14and they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul.

15Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

15Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him.

16And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

16But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported [it] to Paul.

17Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

17And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him.

18So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.

18He therefore, having taken him with [him], led him to the chiliarch, and says, The prisoner Paul called me to [him] and asked me to lead this youth to thee, who has something to say to thee.

19Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?

19And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me?

20And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

20And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him.

21But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

21Do not thou then be persuaded by them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they kill him; and now they are ready waiting the promise from thee.

22So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.

22The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding [him], Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me.

23And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;

23And having called to [him] certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night.

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

24And [he ordered them] to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry [him] safe through to Felix the governor,

25And he wrote a letter after this manner:

25having written a letter, couched in this form:

26Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.

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

27This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

27This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out [of their hands], having learned that he was a Roman.

28And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

28And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;

29Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

29whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him [making him] worthy of death or of bonds.

30And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.

30But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man [by the Jews], I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. [Farewell.]

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

31The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris,

32On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

32and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress.

33Who, when they came to Cesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

33And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.

34And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;

34And having read [it], and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that [he was] of Cilicia,

35I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.

35he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.