Chapter 23 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren,
I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the
mouth.
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall!
Forsittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary
to the law?
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
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.
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.
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the
Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit.
But the Pharisees confess both.
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.
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.
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.
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.
And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
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.
Now therefore ye with the council signified to the chief captain that he
bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would inquire something more
perfectly concerning him.
And we, wherever he come near, are ready to kill him.
And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered
into the castle and told Paul.
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.
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.
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?
And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldst bring down
Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of
him more perfectly.
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.
So the chief captain then let the young man depart and charged him, See thou tell
no man that thou hast showed these things to me.
And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to
go to Caesarea, and horsemen, three score and ten, and spearmen, two hundred,
at the third hour of the night, and provide them beasts, that they may set
Paul on and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
And he wrote a letter after this manner, Claudius Lysias, unto the most excellent
governor Felix, sendeth greeting.
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.
And when I would have known that cause were for they accused him, I brought him
forth into their council, 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.
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.
Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night
to Antipatris.
On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him and returned to the castle,
who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor,
presented Paul also before him.
And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was.
And when he understood that he was of Cilicia, I will hear thee, said he,
when thine accusers are also come.
And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.