使徒行傳 23
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
23 保羅注視著公會的人，說：「弟兄們，我在上帝面前行事為人一向問心無愧。」 2 大祭司亞拿尼亞一聽，就命那些站在旁邊的人打保羅的嘴。 3 保羅對亞拿尼亞說：「你這偽君子[a]，上帝要擊打你！你坐在那裡不是應當依法審問我嗎？你怎麼違法叫人打我？」
4 站在旁邊的人說：「你竟敢辱罵上帝的大祭司？」 5 保羅說：「弟兄們，我不知道他是大祭司。我知道聖經上說，『不可咒詛百姓的官長。』」
6 保羅發現他們一些是法利賽人，一些是撒都該人，就在公會中高聲說：「弟兄們，我是法利賽人，也是法利賽人的子孫。我因為盼望死人復活，才在這裡受審！」 7 這句話立刻引起法利賽人和撒都該人之間的爭論，公會分成了兩派。 8 因為撒都該人認為沒有復活，也沒有天使和靈，而法利賽人認為這些都有。
9 眾人大聲喧嚷，有幾個法利賽派的律法教師站起來爭辯說：「我們找不出這人有什麼錯處，也許真的有靈或天使跟他說過話。」 10 爭論越來越激烈，千夫長怕保羅會被他們扯碎了，就派人把他從人群中救出來，帶回軍營。
11 當天晚上，主站在保羅身旁對他說：「要勇敢！正如你在耶路撒冷為我作了見證，你也必須在羅馬為我做見證。」
陰謀殺害保羅
12 天亮後，猶太人設下陰謀，並起誓說：「不殺保羅，誓不吃喝！」 13 有四十多人參與了這個陰謀。 14 他們去見祭司長和長老，說：「我們已經發了誓，不殺保羅不吃飯。 15 請你們和公會出面通知千夫長，請他把保羅押到你們這裡來，就說要進一步審訊他。我們準備在他到達之前殺掉他！」
16 保羅的外甥聽到這一陰謀，就去軍營通知保羅。 17 保羅請來一位百夫長，說：「請趕快帶這青年去見千夫長，他有要事稟告！」 18 百夫長領那青年去見千夫長，說：「那囚犯保羅叫我帶這青年來，說有要事稟告。」
19 千夫長就拉著那青年的手走到一旁，私下問他：「你有什麼事要告訴我？」 20 他說：「那些猶太人約好了，要請求你明天帶保羅到公會受審，假裝要詳細審問他的事。 21 你不要答應他們，因為他們有四十多個人會埋伏在半路，並且還起誓說，『不殺保羅就不吃不喝』。他們現在已經準備就緒，就等你答應了。」
22 千夫長聽後，就叫他回去，並叮囑道：「你向我稟告的事，不要告訴別人。」
保羅被押往凱撒利亞
23 於是，千夫長召來兩名百夫長，吩咐道：「預備二百名步兵、七十名騎兵、二百名長槍手，今晚九時出發去凱撒利亞。 24 要給保羅預備坐騎，護送他安全抵達腓利斯總督那裡。」
25 千夫長寫了公文給腓利斯總督，內容如下： 26 「克勞狄·呂西亞敬問腓利斯總督大人安。 27 這人被猶太人抓住，險些被他們殺害。我得知他是羅馬公民，便帶兵去救了他。 28 為了弄清楚他們控告他的緣由，我押他到猶太人的公會受審， 29 發現他被控告與他們的律法有關，他並沒有犯該被監禁或處死的罪。 30 我得知有人準備暗殺他，便立即護送他到你那裡，並通知他的控告者去你那裡告他。」
31 軍兵奉命行事，連夜護送保羅到安提帕底。 32 第二天，由騎兵繼續護送，其餘軍兵返回軍營。 33 他們到了凱撒利亞，將公文呈交總督，把保羅交給他。 34 總督看過公文，便問保羅是哪省的人，得知保羅是基利迦人，就說： 35 「等告你的人來了，我會審理你的案子。」於是下令把保羅關在希律的王府裡。
Footnotes
- 23·3 「偽君子」希臘文是「粉飾的牆」。
Acts 23
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 23
1 Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brethren, to this very day, I have conducted myself before God with a perfectly clear conscience.” 2 At this, the high priest Ananias[a] ordered his attendants to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there to judge me according to the Law and then in defiance of the Law order me to be struck?” 4 The attendants said, “Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?” 5 Paul replied, “Brethren, I did not realize that he was the high priest. It is clearly written: ‘You shall not curse the ruler of your people.’ ”
6 Well aware that some of them were Sadducees and the others were Pharisees, Paul called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning our hope in the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute ensued between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection and that there are no angels or spirits, while the Pharisees believe in all three.
9 Then a great uproar arose, and some of the scribes belonging to the party of the Pharisees stood up and forcefully stated, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has really spoken to him?” 10 When a violent dissension arose, the commander was fearful that Paul would be torn to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down, seize him from their midst, and bring him into the barracks.
11 On the following night, the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Keep up your courage! For just as you have borne witness to me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
12 A Plot To Kill Paul.[b] When morning came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves by an oath[c] not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who entered this pact. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves by a solemn oath not to consume any food until we have killed Paul. 15 You and the Sanhedrin should make an official request to the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext that you want to investigate his case more thoroughly. We on our part have arranged to kill him before he arrives.”
16 However, the son of Paul’s sister learned of the plot. He thereupon went to the barracks and related the news to Paul. 17 Paul then summoned one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” 18 He brought him to the commander and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and requested that I bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
19 The commander took him by the hand, drew him aside, and asked him in private, “What is it that you have to report to me?” 20 He replied, “The Jews have agreed to request you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of inquiring more thoroughly into his case. 21 Do not believe them. More than forty of them are waiting for your consent to their request, for they have sworn an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now and are waiting only for your consent.” 22 The commander dismissed the young man, ordering him, “Tell no one that you have given me this information.”
Paul’s Imprisonment and Defenses at Caesarea
23 Paul Is Imprisoned at Caesarea.[d] Then he summoned two of his centurions and said, “Have two hundred soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea by nine o’clock tonight,[e] along with seventy cavalrymen and two hundred auxiliaries. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and deliver him to Felix the governor.” 25 He then wrote a letter as follows:
26 Claudius Lysias,
To his Excellency the governor Felix:[f]
Greetings.
27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them; but when I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I arrived on the scene with my troops and rescued him.
28 Wanting to learn what charge they were making against him, I had him brought before their Sanhedrin. 29 I discovered that the accusation dealt with questions about their Law, but that there was no charge against him that merited death or imprisonment. 30 Now I have been informed of a plot to assassinate this man. I am sending him to you without delay, and I have instructed his accusers to present to you their case against him.
31 Therefore, the soldiers, acting in accordance with their orders, took Paul and escorted him during the night to Antipatris. 32 On the next day, they returned to the barracks, leaving the cavalrymen to escort him the rest of the way. 33 When they arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed over Paul to him.
34 After reading the letter, the governor asked Paul what province he was from, and on learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case as soon as your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that he be held in custody in Herod’s praetorium.
Footnotes
- Acts 23:2 Ananias was high priest from A.D. 47 to 59.
- Acts 23:12 Luke contrasts the correct behavior of the Roman authorities with the blind fanaticism of the Jews: from the outset the Romans realized that there was nothing subversive about Christianity. This is proof of the loyalty of Christians. Note the reference to Paul’s sister and nephew; this is the only information we have about his family.
- Acts 23:12 Oath: they call God’s curse upon themselves if they fail to carry out the commitment they have assumed.
- Acts 23:23 The commander cannot risk having a Roman citizen assassinated while in his custody, so he seeks to transfer Paul to the jurisdiction of Felix, the governor of the province of Judea. He also sends a letter to Felix summarizing the events, from the riot in the temple to the commander’s discovery of a plot against Paul’s life. The most important thing he says is that there is no charge against Paul deserving of death or punishment. Felix then agrees to hear the case himself.
- Acts 23:23 Nine o’clock tonight: literally, “the third hour of the night.”
- Acts 23:26 Felix: M. Antonius Felix was governor (procurator) of Judea from A.D. 52 to 60, and he ruled with an iron hand.
