Acts of the Apostles 23

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Paul looked steadily at the Sanhedrin and began to speak, 'My brothers, to this day I have conductedmyself before God with a perfectly clear conscience.'	1 And Paul looking upon the council, said: Men, brethren, I have conversed with all good conscience before God until this present day.
2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike him on the mouth.	2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, 'God wil surely strike you, you whitewashed wal ! How can you sit there tojudge me according to the Law, and then break the Law by ordering a man to strike me?'	3 Then Paul said to him: God shall strike thee, thou whited wall. For sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and contrary to the law commandest me to be struck?
4 The attendants said, 'Are you insulting the high priest of God?	4 And they that stood by said: Dost thou revile the high priest of God?
5 Paul answered, 'Brothers, I did not realise it was the high priest; certainly scripture says, "You wil notcurse your people's leader." '	5 And Paul said: I knew not, brethren, that he is the high priest. For it is written: Thou shalt not speak evil of the prince of thy people.
6 Now Paul was wel aware that one party was made up of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees, so hecal ed out in the Sanhedrin, 'Brothers, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees. It is for our hope in theresurrection of the dead that I am on trial.'	6 And Paul knowing that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council: Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7 As soon as he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assemblywas split between the two parties.	7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say there is neither resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, while the Pharisees accept allthree.	8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9 The shouting grew louder, and some of the scribes from the Pharisees' party stood up and protestedstrongly, 'We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?'	9 And there arose a great cry. And some of the Pharisees rising up, strove, saying: We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?
10 Feeling was running high, and the tribune, afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered histroops to go down and haul him out and bring him into the fortress.	10 And when there arose a great dissension, the tribune fearing lest Paul should be pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
11 Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'Courage! You have borne witness for me inJerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.'	11 And the night following the Lord standing by him, said: Be constant; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
12 When it was day, the Jews held a secret meeting at which they made a vow not to eat or drink untilthey had kil ed Paul.	12 And when day was come, some of the Jews gathered together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying, that they would neither eat, nor drink, till they killed Paul.
13 More than forty of them entered this pact,	13 And they were more than forty men that had made this conspiracy.
14 and they went to the chief priests and elders and told them, 'We have made a solemn vow to letnothing pass our lips until we have killed Paul.	14 Who came to the chief priests and the ancients, and said: We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing till we have slain Paul.
15 Now it is up to you and the Sanhedrin together to apply to the tribune to bring him down to you, asthough you meant to examine his case more closely; we, on our side, are prepared to dispose of him before hereaches you.'	15 Now therefore do you with the council signify to the tribune, that he bring him forth to you, as if you meant to know something more certain touching him. And we, before he come near, are ready to kill him.
16 But the son of Paul's sister heard of the ambush they were laying and made his way into the fortressand told Paul,	16 Which when Paul's sister's son had heard, of their lying in wait, he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
17 who cal ed one of the centurions and said, 'Take this young man to the tribune; he has something totel him.'	17 And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: Bring this young man to the tribune, for he hath some thing to tell him.
18 So the man took him to the tribune, and reported, 'The prisoner Paul summoned me and requestedme to bring this young man to you; he has something to tel you.'	18 And he taking him, brought him to the tribune, and said: Paul, the prisoner, desired me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath some thing to say to thee.
19 Then the tribune took him by the hand and drew him aside and questioned him in private, 'What is ityou have to tel me?'	19 And the tribune taking him by the hand, went aside with him privately, and asked him: What is it that thou hast to tell me?
20 He replied, 'The Jews have made a plan to ask you to take Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, asthough they meant to enquire more closely into his case.	20 And he said: The Jews have agreed to desire thee, that thou wouldst bring forth Paul to morrow into the council, as if they meant to inquire some thing more certain touching him.
21 Do not believe them. There are more than forty of them lying in wait for him, and they have vowed notto eat or drink until they have got rid of him. They are ready now and only waiting for your order to be given.'	21 But do not thou give credit to them; for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves by oath neither to eat, nor to drink, till they have killed him: and they are now ready, looking for a promise from thee.
22 The tribune let the young man go with this order, 'Tell no one that you have given me this information.'	22 The tribune therefore dismissed the young man, charging him that he should tell no man, that he had made known these things unto him.
23 Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, 'Get two hundred soldiers ready to leave forCaesarea by the third hour of the night with seventy cavalry and two hundred auxiliaries;	23 Then having called two centurions, he said to them: Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen for the third hour of the night:
24 provide horses for Paul, and deliver him unharmed to Felix the governor.'	24 And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe to Felix the governor.
25 He also wrote a letter in these terms:	25 (For he feared lest perhaps the Jews might take him away by force and kill him, and he should afterwards be slandered, as if he was to take money.) And he wrote a letter after this manner:
26 'Claudius Lysias to his Excel ency the governor Felix, greetings.	26 Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting.
27 This man had been seized by the Jews and would have been murdered by them; but I came on thescene with my troops and got him away, having discovered that he was a Roman citizen.	27 This man being taken by the Jews, and ready to be killed by them, I rescued coming in with an army, understanding that he is a Roman:
28 Wanting to find out what charge they were making against him, I brought him before their Sanhedrin.	28 And meaning to know the cause which they objected unto him, I brought him forth into their council.
29 I found that the accusation concerned disputed points of their Law, but that there was no chargedeserving death or imprisonment.	29 Whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law; but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bands.
30 Acting on information that there was a conspiracy against the man, I hasten to send him to you, and have notified his accusers that they must state their case against him in your presence.'	30 And when I was told of ambushes that they had prepared for him, I sent him to thee, signifying also to his accusers to plead before thee. Farewell.
31 The soldiers carried out their orders; they took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris.	31 Then the soldiers, according as it was commanded them, taking Paul, brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 Next day they left the mounted escort to go on with him and returned to the fortress.	32 And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the castle.
33 On arriving at Caesarea the escort delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.	33 Who, when they were come to Caesarea, and had delivered the letter to the governor, did also present Paul before him.
34 When he had read it, he asked Paul what province he came from. Learning that he was from Ciliciahe said,	34 And when he had read it, and had asked of what province he was, and understood that he was of Cilicia;
35 'I wil hear your case as soon as your accusers are here too.' Then he ordered him to be held inHerod's praetorium.	35 I will hear thee, said he, when thy accusers come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.