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

Paul looked straight at the court and said, “Brother Jews, I have lived for God with a heart that has said I am not guilty to this day.”

2 A nd the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

Then Ananias, the head religious leader, told those standing near him to hit him on the mouth.

3 T hen Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, for dost thou sit to judge me after the law and command me to be smitten contrary to the law?

Paul said, “God will hit you, you white-washed wall! Do you sit there and say I am guilty by the Law when you break the Law by having me hit?”

4 A nd those that stood by said, Dost thou revile God’s high priest?

Those standing near said, “Do you talk like that to God’s head religious leader?”

5 T hen Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the prince of the priests, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

Paul said, “Brother Jews, I did not know that he was God’s head religious leader. I know the Holy Writings say, ‘You must not speak against the leader of your people.’”

6 ¶ But 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, and of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

Paul saw that part of the court was made up of the religious group who believe no one is raised from the dead. The other part were proud religious law-keepers. Then he cried out, “Brother Jews, I am a proud religious law-keeper and from a family of proud religious law-keepers. I have been brought in front of this court because of the hope of being raised from the dead.”

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

When they heard this, both religious groups started to argue and the people of the court were divided in what they thought.

8 F or the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.

The one religious group believes that no one is raised from the dead. Also, they do not believe in angels or spirits. But the other religious group, the proud religious law-keepers, believe that people are raised from the dead and that there are angels and spirits.

9 A nd 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 has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

The courtroom was filled with noise. Some of the teachers of the Law working with the proud religious law-keepers stood up and said, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if an angel or spirit has spoken to him?”

10 A nd when there arose a great dissension, the tribunal, fearing lest Paul should have been 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 fortress.

They argued all the more. Then the captain was afraid they would pull Paul to pieces. He told his men to get Paul out of there and take him back to the soldiers’ building.

11 A nd 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 also bear witness at Rome.

The next night the Lord came to Paul and said, “Paul, do not be afraid! You will tell about Me in the city of Rome the same as you have told about Me in Jerusalem.” The Plan to Kill Paul

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

In the morning some of the Jews gathered together and made a plan to kill Paul. They promised each other that they would not eat or drink until they had killed him.

13 A nd they were more than forty who had made this conspiracy.

There were more than forty of them who had made this promise.

14 A nd they came to the princes of the priests and the elders and said, We have made a vow of anathema that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

These people came to the head religious leader and to the leaders of the people and said, “We have made a promise not to eat any food until we have killed Paul.

15 N ow therefore ye with the council signify to the tribunal that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would enquire something more certain concerning him, and we, before he arrives, are ready to kill him.

We ask you and the court to have the captain bring Paul down to you tomorrow. It will look as if you want to ask him some things. Before he gets near you, we will be waiting to kill him.”

16 A nd when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered into the fortress and told Paul.

Paul’s nephew heard about the plan. He went to the soldiers’ building and told Paul.

17 T hen Paul called one of the centurions unto him and said, Bring this young man unto the tribunal, for he has a certain thing to tell him.

Paul called one of the soldiers and said, “Take this young man to the captain. He has something to tell him.”

18 S o he took him and brought him to the tribunal and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who has something to say unto thee.

The soldiers brought the young man to the captain and said, “Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”

19 T hen the tribunal took him by the hand and went with him aside privately and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?

The captain took him by the hand and they walked over where they could be alone. He said, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

20 A nd he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee that thou would bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would enquire something more certain of him.

The young man said, “The Jews have made a plan to ask you to bring Paul to the courtroom tomorrow. It would look as if they were going to ask him some things.

21 B ut do not believe them, for more than forty of them lie in wait to ambush him, who have vowed under a curse that they will neither eat nor drink until they have killed him, and now they are ready, looking for a promise from thee.

Do not let them talk you into it. More than forty men are waiting in secret to kill him. They have promised each other not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are all waiting for you to say the word.”

22 S o the tribunal then let the young man depart and charged him, See thou tell no one that thou hast showed these things to me.

The captain told the young man to go. He said, “Do not tell anyone you have told me this.” Paul Is Sent to Felix in Caesarea

23 A nd he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night

Then the captain called two soldiers and said, “Get 200 men ready to go to the city of Caesarea by nine o’clock tonight. Also have seventy men ride on horses and 200 men carry spears.

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

Get horses ready for Paul to ride. Take him to Felix, the leader of the people.”

25 A nd he wrote a letter after this manner:

He wrote a letter which said,

26 C laudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sends greeting.

“Claudius Lysias greets Felix, the best leader of the people.

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

This man Paul was taken by the Jews. He was about to be killed by them. But I came along with my soldiers and kept him from being killed. I did this when I learned that he was a Roman citizen.

28 A nd when I desired to know the cause of why they accused him, I brought him forth into their council,

I wanted to know what they had against him. So I took him to the religious leaders’ court.

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

I learned they were holding him because of something about their Law. There was no reason for him to be killed or to be put in prison.

30 A nd when it was told me how the Jews lay in wait to ambush the man, I sent straightway to thee and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.

I was told that the Jews had a plan to kill this man. At once I sent him to you. I told the Jews who wanted to kill him to tell you what they have against him. Good-bye.”

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

The soldiers took Paul as they were told. They brought him during the night to Antipatris.

32 O n the next day they left the horsemen to go with him and returned to the fortress,

The next day they went back to their building in Jerusalem. The men riding horses went on with Paul.

33 w ho, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

When they came to Caesarea, they gave the letter to the leader of the people. They also handed Paul over to him.

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

After he read the letter, he asked what part of the country Paul was from. He was told that Paul was from the city of Cilicia.

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

He said, “I will listen to all of this when the men come who want to kill you.” He had Paul kept in King Herod’s building.