1 T hen Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

Then 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].

2 A nd the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

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

3 T hen Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

Then 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?

4 A nd those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”

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

5 T hen Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”

And 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.

6 B ut when Paul perceived that 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; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

But 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.

7 A nd when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.

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

8 F or Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.

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

9 T hen there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, 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.”

Then 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!

10 N ow when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. The Plot Against Paul

And 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.

11 B ut the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

And 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.

12 A nd when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

Now 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.

13 N ow there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy.

There were more than forty, who formed this conspiracy.

14 T hey came to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

And 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.

15 N ow you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

So 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.

16 S o when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

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

17 T hen Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.”

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

18 S o he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.”

So 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.

19 T hen the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

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

20 A nd he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him.

And 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.

21 B ut do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”

But 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.

22 S o the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” Sent to Felix

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

23 A nd he called for two centurions, saying, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night;

Then 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.

24 a nd provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

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

25 H e wrote a letter in the following manner:

And he wrote a letter having this message:

26 C laudius Lysias, To the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

Claudius Lysias sends greetings to His Excellency Felix the governor.

27 T his man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

This 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.

28 A nd when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council.

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

29 I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains.

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.

30 A nd when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell.

when 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.

31 T hen the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

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

32 T he next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks.

And the next day they returned to the barracks, leaving the mounted men to proceed with him.

33 W hen they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

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

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

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

35 h e said, “I will hear you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.

He 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).