Acts of the Apostles 23

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 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 At this the high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike him on the 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 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 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, 'Are you insulting the high priest of God?	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 realise it was the high priest; certainly scripture says, "You wil notcurse your people's leader." '	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 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 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 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 said this, a dissension occurred 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 claim that there is no resurrection, and neither angels, nor spirits. But the Pharisees confess both of these.
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 More than forty of them entered this pact,	13 Now there were more than forty men who had taken this oath together.
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 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 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 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 But the son of Paul's sister heard of the ambush they were laying and made his way into the fortressand told 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 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: “Lead this young man to the tribune. For he has something 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 The tribune let the young man go with this order, 'Tell no one that you have given 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 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: “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 horses for Paul, and deliver him unharmed 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 He also wrote a letter in these terms:	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 Excel ency the governor Felix, greetings.	26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent 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, 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 Wanting to find out what charge they were making against him, I brought him before their Sanhedrin.	28 And wanting to know the reason that they objected to him, I brought him 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 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 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 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 The soldiers carried out their orders; they 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 Next day they left the mounted escort to go on with him and returned to the fortress.	32 And the next day, sending the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the fortress.
33 On arriving at Caesarea the escort delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over 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, 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 which province he was from, realizing that he was from Cilicia, he said:
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 you, when your accusers have arrived.” And he ordered him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.