Acts of the Apostles 23

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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 Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have conducted myself with a perfectly clear conscience before God to this day."
2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike him on the mouth.	2 The high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike his 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 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?"
4 The attendants said, 'Are you insulting the high priest of God?	4 The attendants said, "Would you revile God's high priest?"
5 Paul answered, 'Brothers, I did not realise it was the high priest; certainly scripture says, "You wil notcurse your people's leader." '	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.'"
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 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."
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 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became 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 or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.
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 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?"
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 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.
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 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."
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 When day came, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 More than forty of them entered this pact,	13 There were more than forty who formed 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 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.
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 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."
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 The son of Paul's sister, however, heard about the ambush; so he went and entered the compound and reported it to Paul.
17 who cal ed one of the centurions and said, 'Take this young man to the tribune; he has something totel him.'	17 Paul then called one of the centurions and requested, "Take this young man to the commander; he has something to report to 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 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."
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 The commander took him by the hand, drew him aside, and asked him privately, "What is it you have to report to 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 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,
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 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."
22 The tribune let the young man go with this order, 'Tell no one that you have given me this information.'	22 As the commander dismissed the young man he directed him, "Tell no one that you gave me this information."
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 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.
24 provide horses for Paul, and deliver him unharmed to Felix the governor.'	24 Provide mounts for Paul to ride and give him safe conduct to Felix the governor."
25 He also wrote a letter in these terms:	25 Then he wrote a letter with this content:
26 'Claudius Lysias to his Excel ency the governor Felix, greetings.	26 "Claudius Lysias to his excellency the governor Felix, greetings.
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, 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.
28 Wanting to find out what charge they were making against him, I brought him before their Sanhedrin.	28 I wanted to learn the reason for their accusations against him so I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
29 I found that the accusation concerned disputed points of their Law, but that there was no chargedeserving death or imprisonment.	29 I discovered that he was accused in matters of controversial questions of their law and not of any charge deserving death or imprisonment.
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 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."
31 The soldiers carried out their orders; they took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris.	31 So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris.
32 Next day they left the mounted escort to go on with him and returned to the fortress.	32 The next day they re turned to the compound, leaving the horsemen to complete the journey with him.
33 On arriving at Caesarea the escort delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.	33 When they arrived in Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.
34 When he had read it, he asked Paul what province he came from. Learning that he was from Ciliciahe said,	34 When he had read it and asked to what province he belonged, and learned that he was from 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 he said, "I shall hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered that he be held in custody in Herod's praetorium.