Acts 23

Whiston^{(i) 1} And Paul earnestly beholding the council, said, Men, brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God, until this day. ² And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him, to smite him on the mouth. ³ Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou and judgest 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 Now Paul [said], I knew 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, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of the Pharisees: 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 dissolved. 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 some of the Pharisees arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: What if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him? 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 take him by force from among them, and to lead him away 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 an anathema, 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 our selves under a great anathema, 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, 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 prayed me tobring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. ¹⁹ Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went 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 tomorrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. ²¹ But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves with an anathema, 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 let the young man depart, and charged [him,] Tell no man, that thou hast shewed these things to me. ²³ And he called unto him two centurions, saying. Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night. ²⁴ And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring [him] safe unto Felix the governor. For he was afraid lest the Jews should seize on him, and kill him; and he should afterward bear the reproach, as if he would have taken money. ²⁵ And he wrote a letter, containing what follows. ²⁶ Claudius Lysias, unto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. ²⁷ This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them; then came Iwith 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: 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 striaghtway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also, to say before thee what [they had] against him. Farewel. ³¹ Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought [him] by night to Antipatris. ³² On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle. ³³ Who when they came to Cesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. ³⁴ And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia; ³⁵ Iwill hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment-hall.