Acts 23

Wesley^{(i) 1} And Paul earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God till this day. ² And Ananias the high priest commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth. ³ Then said Paul to him, God is about to smite thee, thou whited wall. For sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? ⁴ But they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? ⁵ Then said Paul, I was not aware, brethren, that it was the high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not revile the ruler of thy people. ⁶ But Paul perceiving, that the one part were Saducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; for the hope of the resurrection of the dead am I called in question. ⁷ And when he had said this, there arose a contention between the Pharisees and the Saducees: and the multitude was divided. ⁸ For the Saducees say, there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. ⁹ And there was a great clamour: and the scribes of the Pharisees side arising, contended, 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. ¹⁰ And as a great disturbance arose, the tribune fearing lest Paul should 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 castle. ¹¹ And the night following, the Lord standing by him, said, Be of good courage, Paul: for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must testify at Rome also. ¹² And when it was day, some of the Jews entering into a conspiracy, 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, who had made this confederacy. ¹⁴ And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves by a solemn curse, not to taste anything, till we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now therefore ye with the council signify to the tribune, that he bring him down to you to-morrow, as though ye would more accurately examine the things concerning him: and we, before he came near, are ready to kill him. ¹⁶ But Paul's sister's son, hearing of the ambush, came, and entering into the castle, told Paul. ¹⁷ And Paul calling to him one of the centurions, said, Conduct this young man to the tribune; for he hath something to tell him. ¹⁸ So he took and led him to the tribune, and said, Paul the prisoner, calling me to him, desired me, to bring this young man to thee, who hath something to tell thee. ¹⁹ And the tribune taking him by the hand, and going aside privately asked, What is it, that thou hast to tell me? ²⁰ And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee, to bring down Paul to-morrow to the council, as if they would enquire something concerning him more accurately. ²¹ But do not yield to them; for there are more than forty of them lie in wait, who have bound themselves with a curse, neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, expecting a promise from thee. ²² So the tribune dismissed the young man, having charged him, Tell no man, that thou hast discovered these things to me. ²³ And having called to him two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, by the third hour of the night. ²⁴ And provide beasts, to set Paul upon, and conduct him safe to Felix the governor. ²⁵ And he wrote a letter after this manner, Claudius Lysias to the most excellent Governor Felix, greeting. ²⁶ As this man was seized by the Jews, ²⁷ and about to be killed by them, I came with the soldiery and rescued him, having learned, that he was a Roman. ²⁸ And desiring to know the crime of which they accused him, I brought him before their council: Whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law, ²⁹ but to be charged with nothing worthy of death or of bonds. ³⁰ And when it was shewn me, that an ambush was about to be laid for the man by the Jews, I immediately sent him to thee, commanding his accusers also, to say before thee what they have against him. Farewel. ³¹ The soldiers therefore, taking Paul, as it was commanded them, brought him by night to Antipatris. ³² On the morrow they returned to the castle, leaving the horsemen to go with him: ³³ Who entering into Cesarea, and delivering the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him. ³⁴ And having read it, he asked, of what province he was? ³⁵ And being informed, that he was of Cilicia, I will give thee, said he, a thorough hearing, when thy accusers also are come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's palace.