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Chapter 23 |
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1 | And Paul, earnestly beholding the
council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God
until this day. |
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2 | And the high priest Ananias commanded them that
stood by him to smite him on the mouth. |
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3 | Then said Paul unto him, God
shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after 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 | Then said
Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written,
Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy 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:
of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. |
| 7 |
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the
Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. |
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8 | For the Sadducees say that
there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess
both. |
| 9 |
And 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 hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
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| 10 | And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest
Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go
down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the
castle. |
| 11
| And 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 bear witness also at Rome. |
| 12 | And when it was day, certain
of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that
they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. |
| 13 | And they
were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. |
| 14 | And they
came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a
great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. |
| 15 | Now
therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him
down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly
concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. |
| 16 |
And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered
into the castle, and told Paul. |
| 17 | Then Paul called one of the
centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for
he hath a certain thing to tell him. |
| 18 | So he took him, and brought
him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and
prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto
thee. |
| 19 |
Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him
aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? |
| 20 |
And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down
Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him
more perfectly. |
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21 | But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in
wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an
oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now
are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. |
| 22 | So the chief
captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man
that thou hast shewed these things to me. |
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23 | And he called unto him two
centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and
horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the
night; |
| 24
| And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and
bring him safe unto Felix the governor. |
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25 | And he wrote a letter
after this manner: |
| 26 | Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent
governor Felix sendeth greeting. |
| 27 | This man was taken of the
Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and
rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. |
| 28 | And when I
would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into
their council: |
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29 | Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of
their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of
bonds. |
| 30
| And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for
the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also
to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell. |
| 31 | Then the
soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to
Antipatris. |
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32 | On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with
him, and returned to the castle: |
| 33 | Who, when they came to
Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before
him. |
| 34 |
And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what
province he was. And when he understood that he was 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. |
