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23 保罗定睛看着公议会的各人,说:“各位弟兄,我在 神面前,行事为人一向都是凭着良心的。” 大祭司亚拿尼亚就吩咐站在他旁边的人打保罗的嘴巴。 保罗对他说:“你这粉饰的墙啊, 神要击打你!你坐堂要按着律法审问我,现在你竟然违背律法吩咐人打我吗?” 站在旁边的人民说:“你敢辱骂 神的大祭司吗?” 保罗说:“弟兄们,我不知道他是大祭司。经上说:‘不可咒诅你人民的领袖。’”

保罗看出其中一部分是撒都该人,另一部分是法利赛人,就在公议会中大声说:“我是法利赛人,也是法利赛人的子孙,我现在受审,是为了盼望死人复活!” 他说了这话,法利赛人和撒都该人就起了争论,会众也分裂了,成为两派。 原来撒都该人说没有复活,没有天使,也没有鬼灵,法利赛人却认定这些都有。 于是众人大嚷大闹,有几个法利赛派的经学家站起来辩论说:“我们看不出这个人作过甚么坏事;说不定有灵或天使对他说过话。” 10 争论越来越大,千夫长怕保罗被他们撕碎了,就吩咐士兵下去,把他从人群中抢救出来,带到营楼去。

11 当天晚上,主站在保罗身边,说:“你要壮起胆来,你怎样在耶路撒冷作见证,也必照样在罗马为我作见证。”

犹太人设计谋害保罗

12 到了天亮,犹太人在一起秘密计谋,并且发誓说,不杀保罗,就不吃不喝。 13 一同策划这项阴谋的有四十多人。 14 他们来见众祭司长和长老,说:“我们已经发了誓,不杀保罗,就不吃东西。 15 现在你们和公议会要通知千夫长,带保罗到你们这里来,装作要详细审查他。我们已经预备好了,不等他走近,就把他杀了。” 16 但保罗的外甥听见这项埋伏的诡计,就到营楼去,告诉保罗。 17 保罗请了一个百夫长来,说:“请你带这个青年人去见千夫长,他有事要报告。” 18 百夫长就带保罗的外甥去见千夫长,说:“囚犯保罗请了我去,求我带这个青年人来见你,他有事要向你报告。” 19 千夫长拉着他的手,走到一边,私下问他:“你有甚么事要向我报告?” 20 他说:“犹太人已经约好了,要求你明天把保罗带到公议会里去,装作要详细审查他。 21 你不要听他们,因为他们有四十多人正在埋伏起来等着保罗;他们发了誓,不杀保罗,就不吃不喝。现在他们已经准备好了,只等你答应。” 22 千夫长嘱咐那青年人:“不要告诉人你把这事告诉了我。”然后就打发他走了。

保罗被交送腓力斯

23 千夫长叫了两个百夫长来,说:“预备两百个步兵,七十个骑兵、两百个长枪手,晚上九点钟往该撒利亚去。 24 也要预备好牲口,好让保罗骑上,护送他安全到达腓力斯总督那里。” 25 千夫长写了一封信,大意如下:

26 “革老丢.吕西亚问候总督腓力斯大人。 27 这个人被犹太人捉住,快要遭害的时候,我听说他是罗马公民,就带兵去把他救出来。 28 为要知道犹太人控告他的原因,我就带他到他们的公议会那里去。 29 我发现他被控告,是为了他们律法上的问题,并没有甚么该死该绑的罪名。 30 后来我接到密报,得知害他的阴谋,就立刻把他送到你那里去,并且吩咐原告到你面前来控告他。”

31 于是士兵照着吩咐,把保罗提出来,连夜带到安提帕底。 32 第二天,他们把保罗交给骑兵队护送,就回营楼去了。 33 骑兵到了该撒利亚,把信呈上总督,同时把保罗也交给他。 34 总督读了信,就问保罗是哪一省的人;知道了他是基利家人, 35 就说:“等到原告也来了,我才审问你。”于是吩咐人把他拘留在希律的王府里。

23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin(A) and said, “My brothers,(B) I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience(C) to this day.” At this the high priest Ananias(D) ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.(E) Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!(F) You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”(G)

Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”

Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’[a](H)

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees(I) and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers,(J) I am a Pharisee,(K) descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.”(L) When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,(M) and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)

There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees(N) stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,”(O) they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”(P) 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.(Q)

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!(R) As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”(S)

The Plot to Kill Paul

12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy(T) and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.(U) 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.(V) 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin(W) petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks(X) and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner,(Y) sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin(Z) tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.(AA) 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty(AB) of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him.(AC) They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”

22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

Paul Transferred to Caesarea

23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen[b] to go to Caesarea(AD) at nine tonight.(AE) 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”(AF)

25 He wrote a letter as follows:

26 Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency,(AG) Governor Felix:

Greetings.(AH)

27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him,(AI) but I came with my troops and rescued him,(AJ) for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen.(AK) 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin.(AL) 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law,(AM) but there was no charge against him(AN) that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed(AO) of a plot(AP) to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers(AQ) to present to you their case against him.

31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry(AR) go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.(AS) 33 When the cavalry(AT) arrived in Caesarea,(AU) they delivered the letter to the governor(AV) and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,(AW) 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers(AX) get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard(AY) in Herod’s palace.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 23:5 Exodus 22:28
  2. Acts 23:23 The meaning of the Greek for this word is uncertain.

The Jerusalem Jews Plot to Kill Paul

23 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, (A)I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him (B)to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and (C)do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”

Then Paul said, (D)“I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, (E)‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’

But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, (F)I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; (G)concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. (H)For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, (I)“We find no evil in this man; [a]but (J)if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, (K)let us not fight against God.”

10 Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

The Plot Against Paul

11 But (L)the following night the Lord stood by him and said, [b]“Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in (M)Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at (N)Rome.”

12 And when it was day, (O)some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had (P)killed Paul. 13 Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. 14 They came to the chief priests and (Q)elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you [c]tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

16 So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.”

19 Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

20 And he said, (R)“The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. 21 But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”

22 So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

Sent to Felix

23 And he called for two centurions, saying, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to (S)Caesarea at the third hour of the night; 24 and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 He wrote a letter in the following manner:

26 Claudius Lysias,

To the most excellent governor Felix:

Greetings.

27 (T)This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28 (U)And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council. 29 I found out that he was accused (V)concerning questions of their law, (W)but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. 30 And (X)when it was told me that [d]the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and (Y)also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him.

Farewell.

31 Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. 33 When they came to (Z)Caesarea and had delivered the (AA)letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34 And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from (AB)Cilicia, 35 he said, (AC)“I will hear you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept in (AD)Herod’s [e]Praetorium.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 23:9 NU what if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him? omitting the last clause
  2. Acts 23:11 Take courage
  3. Acts 23:15 NU omits tomorrow
  4. Acts 23:30 NU there would be a plot against the man
  5. Acts 23:35 Headquarters