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

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

^{3 Ref} then 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!'

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

^{5 Ref} and 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;'

^{6 Ref} and 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.'

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

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

^{9 Ref} And 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;'

^{10 Ref} and 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 `him' to the castle.

^{11 Ref} And 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.'

^{12 Ref} And 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;

^{13 Ref} and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,

^{14 Ref} who 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;

^{15 Ref} now, 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.'

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

^{17 Ref} and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, `This young man lead unto the chief captain, for he hath something to tell him.'

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

^{19 Ref} And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, `What is that which thou hast to tell me?'

^{20 Ref} and 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;

^{21 Ref} thou, 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.'

^{22 Ref} The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged `him' to tell no one, `that these things thou didst shew unto me;'

^{23 Ref} and 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;

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

²⁵ he having written a letter after this description:

^{26 Ref} `Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, hail:

^{27 Ref} This 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;

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

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

^{30 Ref} and 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.'

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

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

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

^{34 Ref} And the governor having read `it', and inquired of what province he is, and understood that `he is' from Cilicia;

^{35 Ref} `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.

^{1 Ref} And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.

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

^{3 Ref} Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

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

^{5 Ref} And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.

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

^{7 Ref} And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.

^{8 Ref} For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.

^{9 Ref} And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?

^{10 Ref} And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.

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

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

^{13 Ref} And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy.

^{14 Ref} And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

^{15 Ref} Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him.

^{16 Ref} But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.

^{17 Ref} And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him.

^{18 Ref} So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee.

^{19 Ref} And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that thou hast to tell me?

^{20 Ref} And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow unto the council, as though thou wouldest inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him.

^{21 Ref} Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee.

^{22 Ref} So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified these things to me.

^{23 Ref} And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:

^{24 Ref} and `he bade them' provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

²⁵ And he wrote a letter after this form:

^{26 Ref} Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.

^{27 Ref} This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

^{28 Ref} And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him down unto their council:

^{29 Ref} whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

^{30 Ref} And when it was shown to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to thee forthwith, charging his accusers also to speak against him before thee.

^{31 Ref} So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

^{32 Ref} But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

^{33 Ref} and they, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

^{34 Ref} And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,

^{35 Ref} I will hear thee fully, said he, when thine accusers also are come: and he commanded him to be kept in Herod's palace.

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

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

^{3 Ref} Then 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?

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

^{5 Ref} And 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.

^{6 Ref} But 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.

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

^{8 Ref} For 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.

^{9 Ref} And 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?

^{10 Ref} And 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.

^{11 Ref} And 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.

^{12 Ref} And 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.

^{13 Ref} And more than forty of them took this oath.

^{14 Ref} And 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

^{15 Ref} So 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.

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

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

^{18 Ref} So 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.

^{19 Ref} And 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?

^{20 Ref} And 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.

^{21 Ref} But 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.

^{22 Ref} So 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.

^{23 Ref} And 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:

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

²⁵ And he sent a letter in these words:

^{26 Ref} Claudius Lysias, to the most noble ruler, Felix, peace be with you.

^{27 Ref} This 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.

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

^{29 Ref} Then 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.

^{30 Ref} And 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.

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

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

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

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

^{35 Ref} I 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.