1 T hen Paul, gazing earnestly at the council (Sanhedrin), said, Brethren, I have lived before God, doing my duty with a perfectly good conscience until this very day '> as a citizen, a true and loyal Jew].

ENTONCES Pablo, poniendo los ojos en el concilio, dice: Varones hermanos, yo con toda buena conciencia he conversado delante de Dios hasta el día de hoy.

2 A t this the high priest Ananias ordered those who stood near him to strike him on the mouth.

El príncipe de los sacerdotes, Ananías, mandó entonces á los que estaban delante de él, que le hiriesen en la boca.

3 T hen Paul said to him, God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit as a judge to try me in accordance with the Law, and yet in defiance of the Law you order me to be struck?

Entonces Pablo le dijo: Herirte ha Dios, pared blanqueada: ¿y estás tú sentado para juzgarme conforme á la ley, y contra la ley me mandas herir?

4 T hose who stood near exclaimed, Do you rail at and insult the high priest of God?

Y los que estaban presentes dijeron: ¿Al sumo sacerdote de Dios maldices?

5 A nd Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was a high priest; for the Scripture says, You shall not speak ill of a ruler of your people.

Y Pablo dijo: No sabía, hermanos, que era el sumo sacerdote; pues escrito está: Al príncipe de tu pueblo no maldecirás.

6 B ut Paul, when he perceived that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, cried out to the council (Sanhedrin), Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; it is with regard to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am indicted and being judged.

Entonces Pablo, sabiendo que la una parte era de Saduceos, y la otra de Fariseos, clamó en el concilio: Varones hermanos, yo soy Fariseo, hijo de Fariseo: de la esperanza y de la resurrección de los muertos soy yo juzgado.

7 S o when he had said this, an angry dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the whole assemblage was divided.

Y como hubo dicho esto, fué hecha disensión entre los Fariseos y los Saduceos; y la multitud fué dividida.

8 F or the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection, nor angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees declare openly and speak out freely, acknowledging them both.

Porque los Saduceos dicen que no hay resurrección, ni ángel, ni espíritu; mas los Fariseos confiesan ambas cosas.

9 T hen a great uproar ensued, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and thoroughly fought the case, and declaring, We find nothing evil or wrong in this man. But if a spirit or an angel spoke to him—? Let us not fight against God!

Y levantóse un gran clamor: y levantándose los escribas de la parte de los Fariseos, contendían diciendo: Ningún mal hallamos en este hombre; que si espíritu le ha hablado, ó ángel, no resistamos á Dios.

10 A nd when the strife became more and more tense and violent, the commandant, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the troops to go down and take him forcibly from among them and conduct him back into the barracks.

Y habiendo grande disensión, el tribuno, teniendo temor de que Pablo fuese despedazado de ellos, mandó venir soldados, y arrebatarle de en medio de ellos, y llevarle á la fortaleza.

11 A nd following night the Lord stood beside Paul and said, Take courage, Paul, for as you have borne faithful witness concerning Me at Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.

Y la noche siguiente, presentándosele el Señor, le dijo: Confía, Pablo; que como has testificado de mí en Jerusalem, así es menester testifiques también en Roma.

12 N ow when daylight came, the Jews formed a plot and bound themselves by an oath and under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they had done away with Paul.

Y venido el día, algunos de los Judíos se juntaron, é hicieron voto bajo de maldición, diciendo que ni comerían ni beberían hasta que hubiesen muerto á Pablo.

13 T here were more than forty, who formed this conspiracy.

Y eran más de cuarenta los que habían hecho esta conjuración;

14 A nd they went to the chief priests and elders, saying, We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath and under a curse not to taste any food until we have slain Paul.

Los cuales se fueron á los príncipes de los sacerdotes y á los ancianos, y dijeron: Nosotros hemos hecho voto debajo de maldición, que no hemos de gustar nada hasta que hayamos muerto á Pablo.

15 S o now you, along with the council (Sanhedrin), give notice to the commandant to bring down to you, as if you were going to investigate his case more accurately. But we are ready to slay him before he comes near.

Ahora pues, vosotros, con el concilio, requerid al tribuno que le saque mañana á vosotros como que queréis entender de él alguna cosa más cierta; y nosotros, antes que él llegue, estaremos aparejados para matarle.

16 B ut the son of Paul’s sister heard of their intended attack, and he went and got into the barracks and told Paul.

Entonces un hijo de la hermana de Pablo, oyendo las asechanzas, fué, y entró en la fortaleza, y dió aviso á Pablo.

17 T hen Paul, calling in one of the centurions, said, Take this young man to the commandant, for he has something to report to him.

Y Pablo, llamando á uno de los centuriones, dice: Lleva á este mancebo al tribuno, porque tiene cierto aviso que darle.

18 S o he took him and conducted him to the commandant and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him and requested me to conduct this young man to you, for he has something to report to you.

El entonces tomándole, le llevó al tribuno, y dijo: El preso Pablo, llamándome, me rogó que trajese á ti este mancebo, que tiene algo que hablarte.

19 T he commandant took him by the hand, and going aside with him, asked privately, What is it that you have to report to me?

Y el tribuno, tomándole de la mano y retirándose aparte, le preguntó: ¿Qué es lo que tienes que decirme?

20 A nd he replied, The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council (Sanhedrin) tomorrow, as if intending to examine him more exactly.

Y él dijo: Los Judíos han concertado rogarte que mañana saques á Pablo al concilio, como que han de inquirir de él alguna cosa más cierta.

21 B ut do not yield to their persuasion, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush waiting for him, having bound themselves by an oath and under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him; and even now they are all ready, waiting for your promise.

Mas tú no los creas; porque más de cuarenta hombres de ellos le acechan, los cuales han hecho voto debajo de maldición, de no comer ni beber hasta que le hayan muerto; y ahora están apercibidos esperando tu promesa.

22 S o the commandant sent the youth away, charging him, Do not disclose to anyone that you have given me this information.

Entonces el tribuno despidió al mancebo, mandándole que á nadie dijese que le había dado aviso de esto.

23 T hen summoning two of the centurions, he said, Have two hundred footmen ready by the third hour of the night (about 9: 00 p. m.) to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.

Y llamados dos centuriones, mandó que apercibiesen para la hora tercia de la noche doscientos soldados, que fuesen hasta Cesarea, y setenta de á caballo, y doscientos lanceros;

24 A lso provide beasts for mounts for Paul to ride, and bring him in safety to Felix the governor.

Y que aparejasen cabalgaduras en que poniendo á Pablo, le llevasen en salvo á Félix el Presidente.

25 A nd he wrote a letter having this message:

Y escribió una carta en estos términos:

26 C laudius Lysias sends greetings to His Excellency Felix the governor.

Claudio Lisias al excelentísimo gobernador Félix: Salud.

27 T his man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the troops and rescued him, because I learned that he is a Roman citizen.

A este hombre, aprehendido de los Judíos, y que iban ellos á matar, libré yo acudiendo con la tropa, habiendo entendido que era Romano.

28 A nd wishing to know the exact accusation which they were making against him, I brought him down before their council (Sanhedrin),

Y queriendo saber la causa por qué le acusaban, le llevé al concilio de ellos:

29 I found that he was charged in regard to questions of their own law, but he was accused of nothing that would call for death or for imprisonment.

Y hallé que le acusaban de cuestiones de la ley de ellos, y que ningún crimen tenía digno de muerte ó de prisión.

30 w hen it was pointed out to me that there would be a conspiracy against the man, I sent him to you immediately, directing his accusers also to present before you their charge against him.

Mas siéndome dado aviso de asechanzas que le habían aparejado los Judíos, luego al punto le he enviado á ti, intimando también á los acusadores que traten delante de ti lo que tienen contra él. Pásalo bien.

31 S o the soldiers, in compliance with their instructions, took Paul and conducted him during the night to Antipatris.

Y los soldados, tomando á Pablo como les era mandado, lleváronle de noche á Antipatris.

32 A nd the next day they returned to the barracks, leaving the mounted men to proceed with him.

Y al día siguiente, dejando á los de á caballo que fuesen con él, se volvieron á la fortaleza.

33 W hen these came to Caesarea and gave the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul before him.

y como llegaron á Cesarea, y dieron la carta al gobernador, presentaron también á Pablo delante de él.

34 H aving read the letter, he asked to what province belonged. When he discovered that he was from Cilicia,

Y el gobernador, leída la carta, preguntó de qué provincia era; y entendiendo que de Cilicia,

35 H e said, I will hear your case fully when your accusers also have come. And he ordered that an eye be kept on him in Herod’s palace (the Praetorium).

Te oiré, dijo, cuando vinieren tus acusadores. Y mandó que le guardasen en el pretorio de Herodes.