Act 23 | Anderson | STEP | And Paul, looking earnestly upon the Sanhedrim, said: Brethren, I have lived in all good conscience toward God to this day.

‏ Acts 23

1 And Paul, looking earnestly upon the Sanhedrim, said: Brethren, I have lived in all good conscience toward God to this day. 2 And the chief priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by to smite him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him: God will smite you, you whitened wall! for do you sit to judge me according to the law, and yet violate the law by commanding me to be smitten? 4 And those who stood by said: Do you revile God’s chief priest? 5 And Paul replied: I did not know, brethren, that he was the chief priest: for it is written, You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.

6 But when Paul perceived that one part belonged to the Sadducees, and the other to the Pharisees, he cried out, in the Sanhedrim: Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; for the hope of the resurrection of the dead am I judged. 7 And when he had said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection; neither angel nor spirit: but the Pharisees acknowledge both. And there arose a great clamor. And the scribes, on the part of the Pharisees, arose and contended, saying: 9 We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God. 10 And when there arose a great dissension, the officer, fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the fortress.

11 And on the following night, the Lord stood by him, and said: Take courage; for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you testify also in Rome.

12 And when it was day, the Jews combined together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 And there were more than forty who formed this conspiracy. 14 And they went to the chief priests and elders, and said: We have surely bound ourselves under a curse, that we will taste nothing till we have killed Paul. 15 Now, therefore, do you, together with the Sanhedrim, give notice to the officer, that he bring him down to you to-morrow, as if you intended to inquire more accurately into the matters concerning him: and before he comes near, we are ready to kill him.

16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard of the plot, and he went and entered the fortress, and told Paul. 17 And Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said: Conduct this young man to the officer, for he has something to tell him. 18 So he took him, and led him to the officer, and said: The prisoner Paul called me to him, and requested me to conduct this young man to you; for he has something to tell you. 19 And the officer took him by the hand, and went aside with him privately, and inquired: What is it that you have to tell me? 20 He answered: The Jews have agreed to request you to bring Paul down into the Sanhedrim to-morrow, as if they intended to inquire something more accurately concerning him. 21 Do not, however, be persuaded by them; for more than forty men of them are lying in wait for him; and they have bound themselves under a curse, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for a promise from you. 22 Then the officer sent the young man away, with this charge: Tell no one that you have made these things known to me.

23 And he called to him two centurions, and said: Make ready two hundred soldiers, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, that they may depart to Cæsarea at the third hour of the night. 24 And provide beasts on which they may set Paul, and take him in safety to Felix the governor. 25 And he wrote a letter in this form: 26 Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting: 27 This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them. Then I went with soldiers, and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28 But wishing to know the cause for which they accused him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrim. 29 And I found that he was accused about questions of their law, but had nothing worthy of death or of bonds charged against him. 30 And as I was informed that a plot was about to be laid against the man by the Jews, I immediately sent him to you, and commanded his accusers to say in your presence what they had against him. Farewell.

31 Then the soldiers took Paul, as they were commanded, and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 And, on the morrow, they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the fortress. 33 When they came to Cæsarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34 And when he had read the letter, he inquired to what province he belonged. And learning that he was from Cilicia, he said: I will hear you when your accusers also have come. And he ordered him to be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.