Acts 23:1–35

¹Looking intently at the San′he‧drin Paul said: “Men, brothers, I have behaved before God with a perfectly clear conscience down to this day.”²At this the high priest An‧a‧ni′as ordered those standing by him to strike him on the mouth.³Then Paul said to him: “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you at one and the same time sit to judge me in accord with the Law and, transgressing the Law, command me to be struck?”⁴Those standing by said: “Are you reviling the high priest of God?”⁵And Paul said: “Brothers, I did not know he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You must not speak injuriously of a ruler of your people.’”

⁶Now when Paul took note that the one part was of Sadducees but the other of Pharisees, he proceeded to cry out in the San′he‧drin: “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Over the hope of resurrection of the dead I am being judged.”⁷Because he said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the multitude was split.⁸For Sadducees say there is neither resurrection nor angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees publicly declare them all.⁹So there broke out a loud screaming, and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose and began contending fiercely, saying: “We find nothing wrong in this man; but if a spirit or an angel spoke to him,—.”¹⁰Now when the dissension grew great, the military commander became afraid that Paul would be pulled to pieces by them, and he commanded the force of soldiers to go down and snatch him from their midst and bring him into the soldiers’ quarters.

¹¹But the following night the Lord stood by him and said: “Be of good courage! For as you have been giving a thorough witness on the things about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”

¹²Now when it became day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with a curse, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.¹³There were more than forty men that formed this oath‐bound conspiracy;¹⁴and they went to the chief priests and the older men and said: “We have solemnly bound ourselves with a curse not to take a bite of food until we have killed Paul.¹⁵Now, therefore, ​YOU​ together with the San′he‧drin make it clear to the military commander why he should bring him down to ​YOU​ as though ​YOU​ intended to determine more accurately the matters involving him. But before he gets near we will be ready to do away with him.”

¹⁶However, the son of Paul’s sister heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the soldiers’ quarters and reported it to Paul.¹⁷So Paul called one of the army officers to him and said: “Lead this young man off to the military commander, for he has something to report to him.”¹⁸Therefore this man took him and led him to the military commander and said: “The prisoner Paul called me to him and requested me to lead this young man to you, as he has something to tell you.”¹⁹The military commander took him by the hand and withdrew and began inquiring privately: “What is it you have to report to me?”²⁰He said: “The Jews have agreed to request you to bring Paul down to the San′he‧drin tomorrow as though intending to learn something more accurate about him.²¹Above all things, do not let them persuade you, for more than forty men of theirs are lying in wait for him, and they have bound themselves with a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have done away with him; and they are now ready, waiting for the promise from you.”²²Therefore the military commander let the young man go after ordering him: “Do not blab to anyone that you have made these things clear to me.”

²³And he summoned a certain two of the army officers and said: “Get two hundred soldiers ready to march clear to Caes‧a‧re′a, also seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night.²⁴Also, provide beasts of burden that they may have Paul ride and convey him safely to Felix the governor.”²⁵And he wrote a letter having this form:

²⁶“Claudius Lys′i‧as to his excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!²⁷This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be done away with by them, but I came suddenly with a force of soldiers and rescued him, because I learned he was a Roman.²⁸And wishing to ascertain the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their San′he‧drin.²⁹I found him to be accused about questions of their Law, but not charged with a single thing deserving of death or bonds.³⁰But because a plot that is to be laid against the man has been disclosed to me, I am at once sending him to you, and commanding the accusers to speak against him before you.”

³¹Therefore these soldiers took Paul according to their orders and brought him by night to An‧tip′a‧tris.³²The next day they permitted the horsemen to go on with him, and they returned to the soldiers’ quarters.³³The [horsemen] entered into Caes‧a‧re′a and delivered the letter to the governor and also presented Paul to him.³⁴So he read it and inquired from what province he was, and ascertained that he was from Ci‧li′cia.³⁵“I shall give you a thorough hearing,” he said, “when your accusers arrive also.” And he commanded that he be kept under guard in the prae‧to′ri‧an palace of Herod.