Act 23 | Murd | STEP | And when Paul had looked on the assembly of them, he said: Men, my brethren; I have lived in all good conscience before God up to this day.

‏ Acts 23

1 And when Paul had looked on the assembly of them, he said: Men, my brethren; I have lived in all good conscience before God up to this day. 2 And Ananias, the priest, commanded those who stood by his side, to smite Paul on the mouth. 3 And Paul said to him: God is here-after to smite thee, thou Whited Wall! For, sittest thou judging me agreeably to law, while thou transgressest the law, and commandest to smite me? 4 And those standing by, said to him: Dost thou reproach the priest of God! 5 Paul said to them: I was not aware, my brethren, that he was the priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people. 6 And, as Paul knew that a part of the people were of the Sadducees, and a part of the Pharisees, he cried out, in the assembly: Men, my brethren; I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee; and for the hope of the resurrection of the dead, I am judged. 7 And when he had said this, the Pharisees and Sadducees fell upon one another, and the people were divided 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor a spirit: but the Pharisees confess all these. 9 And there was great vociferation. And some Scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose up, and contended with them, and said. We have found nothing evil in this man: for if a spirit or an angel hath conversed with him, what is there in that? 10 And, as there was great commotion among them, the Chiliarch was afraid lest they should tear Paul in pieces. And he sent Romans, to go and pluck him from their midst, and bring him into the castle. 11 And when night came, our Lord appeared to Paul, and said to him: Be strong; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so also art thou to testify at Rome. 12 And when it was morning, several of the Jews assembled together, and bound themselves by imprecations that they would neither eat nor drink until they had slain Paul. 13 And they who had established this compact by oath, were more than forty persons. 14 And they went to the priests and Elders, and said: We have bound ourselves by imprecations, that we will taste of nothing, until we shall have slain Paul. 15 And now, do ye and the chiefs of the congregation request of the Chiliarch, that he would bring him unto you, as if ye were desirous to investigate truly his conduct: and we are prepared to slay him, ere he shall come to you. 16 And the son of Paul's sister, heard of this plot: and he went into the castle, and informed Paul. 17 And Paul sent and called one of the centurions, and said to him: Conduct this youth to the Chiliarch; for he hath something to tell him. 18 And the centurion took the young man, and introduced him to the Chiliarch, and said: Paul the prisoner called me, and requested me to bring this youth to thee, for he hath something to tell thee. 19 And the Chiliarch took the young man by his hand, and led him one side, and asked him: What hast thou to tell me? 20 And the young man said to him: The Jews have projected to ask thee to bring down Paul to-morrow to their assembly, as if wishing to learn something more from him. 21 But be not thou persuaded by them: for, lo, more than forty persons of them watch for him in ambush, and have bound themselves by imprecations, that they will neither eat nor drink until they shall have slain him: and lo, they are prepared, and are waiting for thy promise 22 And the Chiliarch dismissed the young man, after charging him: Let no man know, that thou hast showed me these things. 23 And he called two centurions, and said to them: Go and prepare two hundred Romans to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and shooters with the right hand two hundred; and let them set out at the third hour of the night. 24 And provide also a saddle beast, that they may set Paul on it, and carry him safely to Felix the governor. 25 And he wrote a letter and gave them, in which was, thus: 26 Claudius Lysias to the excellent governor Felix; greeting. 27 The Jews seized this man, in order to kill him; but I came with Romans, and rescued him, when I learned that he was a Roman. 28 And as I wished to know the offence, for which they criminated him, I brought him to their assembly. 29 And I found, that it was about questions of their law they accused him, and that an offence worthy of bonds or of death, was not upon him. 30 And when the wiles of a plot formed by the Jews against him came to my knowledge, I forthwith sent him to thee. And I have directed his accusers, to go and contend with him, before thee. Farewell. 31 Then the Romans, as they had been commanded, took Paul by night, and brought him to the city of Antipatris. 32 And the next day, the horsemen dismissed the footmen their associates, that they might return to the castle. 33 And they brought him to Caesarea: and they delivered the letter to the governor, and set Paul before him. 34 And when he had read the letter, he asked him of what province he was? And when he learned that he was of Cilicia, 35 he said to him: I will give thee audience, when thy accusers arrive. And he ordered him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.