Acts of the Apostles 23

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have conducted myself with a perfectly clear conscience before God to this day."	1 Then Paul, gazing intently at the council, said, “Noble brothers, I have spoken with all good conscience before God, even to this present day.”
2 The high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike his mouth.	2 And the high priest, Ananias, instructed those who were standing nearby to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you indeed sit in judgment upon me according to the law and yet in violation of the law order me to be struck?"	3 Then Paul said to him: “God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! For would you sit and judge me according to the law, when, contrary to the law, you order me to be struck?”
4 The attendants said, "Would you revile God's high priest?"	4 And those who were standing nearby said, “Are you speaking evil about the high priest of God?”
5 Paul answered, "Brothers, I did not realize he was the high priest. For it is written, 'You shall not curse a ruler of your people.'"	5 And Paul said: “I did not know, brothers, that he is the high priest. For it is written: ‘You shall not speak evil of the leader of your people.’ ”
6 Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; (I) am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead."	6 Now Paul, knowing that one group were Sadducees and the other were Pharisees, exclaimed in the council: “Noble brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees! It is over the hope and resurrection of the dead that I am being judged.”
7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided.	7 And when he had said this, a dissension occurred between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.	8 For the Sadducees claim that there is no resurrection, and neither angels, nor spirits. But the Pharisees confess both of these.
9 A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, "We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"	9 Then there occurred a great clamor. And some of the Pharisees, rising up, were fighting, saying: “We find nothing evil in this man. What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?”
10 The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound.	10 And since a great dissension had been made, the tribune, fearing that Paul might be torn apart by them, ordered the soldiers to descend and to seize him from their midst, and to bring him into the fortress.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome."	11 Then, on the following night, the Lord stood near him and said: “Be constant. For just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so also it is necessary for you to testify at Rome.”
12 When day came, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.	12 And when daylight arrived, some of the Jews gathered together and bound themselves with an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
13 There were more than forty who formed this conspiracy.	13 Now there were more than forty men who had taken this oath together.
14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have bound ourselves by a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.	14 And they approached the leaders of the priests, and the elders, and they said: “We have sworn ourselves by an oath, so that we will taste nothing, until we have killed Paul.
15 You, together with the Sanhedrin, must now make an official request to the commander to have him bring him down to you, as though you meant to investigate his case more thoroughly. We on our part are prepared to kill him before he arrives."	15 Therefore, with the council, you should now give notice to the tribune, so that he may bring him to you, as if you intended to determine something else about him. But before he approaches, we have made preparations to put him to death.”
16 The son of Paul's sister, however, heard about the ambush; so he went and entered the compound and reported it to Paul.	16 But when Paul’s sister’s son had heard of this, about their treachery, he went and entered into the fortress, and he reported it to Paul.
17 Paul then called one of the centurions and requested, "Take this young man to the commander; he has something to report to him."	17 And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: “Lead this young man to the tribune. For he has something to tell him.”
18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and explained, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked that I bring this young man to you; he has something to say to you."	18 And indeed, he took him and led him to the tribune, and he said, “Paul, the prisoner, asked me to lead this young man to you, since he has something to say to you.”
19 The commander took him by the hand, drew him aside, and asked him privately, "What is it you have to report to me?"	19 Then the tribune, taking him by the hand, withdrew with him by themselves, and he asked him: “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20 He replied, "The Jews have conspired to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomor row, as though they meant to inquire about him more thoroughly,	20 Then he said: “The Jews have met to ask you to bring Paul tomorrow to the council, as if they intended to question him about something else.
21 but do not believe them. More than forty of them are lying in wait for him; they have bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are now ready and only wait for your consent."	21 But truly, you should not believe them, for they would ambush him with more than forty men from among them, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat, nor to drink, until they have put him to death. And they are now prepared, hoping for an affirmation from you.”
22 As the commander dismissed the young man he directed him, "Tell no one that you gave me this information."	22 And then the tribune dismissed the young man, instructing him not to tell anyone that he had made known these things to him.
23 Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea by nine o'clock tonight, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred auxiliaries.	23 Then, having called two centurions, he said to them: “Prepare two hundred soldiers, so that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, for the third hour of the night.
24 Provide mounts for Paul to ride and give him safe conduct to Felix the governor."	24 And prepare beasts of burden to carry Paul, so that they may lead him safely to Felix, the governor.”
25 Then he wrote a letter with this content:	25 For he was afraid, lest perhaps the Jews might seize him and kill him, and that afterwards he would be falsely accused, as if he had accepted a bribe. And so he wrote a letter containing the following:
26 "Claudius Lysias to his excellency the governor Felix, greetings.	26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor, Felix: greetings.
27 This man, seized by the Jews and about to be murdered by them, I rescued after intervening with my troops when I learned that he was a Roman citizen.	27 This man, having been apprehended by the Jews and being about to be put to death by them, I rescued, overwhelming them with soldiers, since I realized that he is a Roman.
28 I wanted to learn the reason for their accusations against him so I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.	28 And wanting to know the reason that they objected to him, I brought him into their council.
29 I discovered that he was accused in matters of controversial questions of their law and not of any charge deserving death or imprisonment.	29 And I discovered him to be accused about questions of their law. Yet truly, nothing deserving of death or imprisonment was within the accusation.
30 Since it was brought to my attention that there will be a plot against the man, I am sending him to you at once, and have also notified his accusers to state (their case) against him before you."	30 And when I had been given news of ambushes, which they had prepared against him, I sent him to you, notifying his accusers also, so that they may plead their accusations before you. Farewell.”
31 So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris.	31 Therefore the soldiers, taking Paul according to their orders, brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 The next day they re turned to the compound, leaving the horsemen to complete the journey with him.	32 And the next day, sending the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the fortress.
33 When they arrived in Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.	33 And when they had arrived at Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul before him.
34 When he had read it and asked to what province he belonged, and learned that he was from Cilicia,	34 And when he had read it and had asked which province he was from, realizing that he was from Cilicia, he said:
35 he said, "I shall hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered that he be held in custody in Herod's praetorium.	35 “I will hear you, when your accusers have arrived.” And he ordered him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.