Acts 22-24

American Standard Version

22 Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.

² And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,

³ I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day: ⁴ and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. ⁵ As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. ⁶ And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. ⁷ And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁸ And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. ⁹ And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. ¹⁰ And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. ¹¹ And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus. ¹² And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, ¹³ came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I ^[a]looked up on him. ¹⁴ And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. ¹⁵ For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name. ¹⁷ And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, ¹⁸ and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me. ¹⁹ And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: ²⁰ and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him. ²¹ And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.

²² And they gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. ²³ And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air, ²⁴ the ^[b]chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him. ²⁵ And when they had tied him up ^[c]with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? ²⁶ And when the centurion heard it, he went to the ^[d]chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman. ²⁷ And the ^[e]chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea. ²⁸ And the ^[f]chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born. ²⁹ They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the ^[g]chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

³⁰ But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

23 And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. ² And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. ³ Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? ⁴ And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest? ⁵ And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, ^[h]Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people. ⁶ But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. ⁷ And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. ⁹ And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel? ¹⁰ And when there arose a great dissension, the ^[i]chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.

¹¹ And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

¹² And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy. ¹⁴ And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the ^[j]chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him. ¹⁶ But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, ^[k]and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul. ¹⁷ And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the ^[l]chief captain; for he hath something to tell him. ¹⁸ So he took him, and brought him to the ^[m]chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee. ¹⁹ And the ^[n]chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that thou hast to tell me? ²⁰ And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul to-morrow unto the council, as though thou wouldest inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him. ²¹ Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee. ²² So the ^[o]chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified these things to me. ²³ And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night: ²⁴ and he bade them provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. ²⁵ And he wrote a letter after this form:

²⁶ Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. ²⁷ This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. ²⁸ And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, ^[p]I brought him down unto their council: ²⁹ whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. ³⁰ And when it was shown to me that there would be a plot ^[q]against the man, I sent him to thee forthwith, charging his accusers also to speak against him before thee. ^[r]

³¹ So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³² But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: ³³ and they, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him. ³⁴ And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, ³⁵ I will hear thee fully, said he, when thine accusers also are come: and he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s ^[s]palace.

24 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with certain elders, and with an orator, one Tertullus; and they informed the governor against Paul. ² And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying,

Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that by thy providence evils are corrected for this nation, ³ we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. ⁴ But, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I entreat thee to hear us of thy clemency a few words. ⁵ For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout ^[t]the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: ⁶ who moreover assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold: ^{[u] 8} from whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself, to take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him. ⁹ And the Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that these things were so.

¹⁰ And when the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, Paul answered,

Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I cheerfully make my defence: ¹¹ seeing that thou canst take knowledge that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem: ¹² and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city. ¹³ Neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they now accuse me. ¹⁴ But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; ¹⁵ having hope toward God, which these also themselves ^[v]look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust. ^16 [w]Herein I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always. ¹⁷ Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings: ^18 [x]amidst which they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd, nor yet with tumult: but there were certain Jews from Asia— ¹⁹ who ought to have been here before thee, and to make accusation, if they had aught against me. ²⁰ Or else let these men themselves say what wrong-doing they found when I stood before the council, ²¹ except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question before you this day.

²² But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, When Lysias the ^[y]chief captain shall come down, I will determine your matter. ²³ And he gave order to the centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his friends to minister unto him.

²⁴ But after certain days, Felix came with Drusilla, ^[z]his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ And as he reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, Go thy way for this time; and when I have a convenient season, I will call thee unto me. ²⁶ He hoped withal that money would be given him of Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. ²⁷ But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.