1 P aul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

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 T he high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike 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 to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck 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 T hose who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”

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

5 P aul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your 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 B ut when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

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 W hen he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly 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, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.

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 great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s 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 W hen a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would 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 barracks.

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 T he following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also 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 W hen it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves 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 T here were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

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

14 T hey 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.

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, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

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 B ut Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.

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

17 P aul summoned one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something 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 commanding officer, and said, “Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you.”

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 he commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have 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 H e said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning 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 T herefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”

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 commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed 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 H e called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, 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 H e asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

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

25 H e wrote a letter like this:

He wrote a letter which said,

26 “ Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

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

27 “ This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned 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 D esiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.

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

29 I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.

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 W hen I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. 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 S o the soldiers, carrying out their orders, 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 B ut on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

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

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

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

34 W hen the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,

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 you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

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.