Beginning

21 And when it came about that we set sail, having parted from them, having run a straight course, we came to Cos. And on the next day we got to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

² And having found an oniyah crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.

³ And having come within sight of Cyprus, and leaving Cyprus behind on our left, we were sailing to Syria and we arrived in Tzor, for there the oniyah was unloading its cargo.

⁴ And after having searched for Moshiach’s talmidim there, we stayed in Tzor shivah yamim. And Moshiach’s talmidim were telling Rav Sha’ul by the Ruach Hakodesh not to make any aliyah (ascent) to Yerushalayim.

⁵ But when our yamim there were ended, we departed and everyone, including nashim and yeladim, were accompanying us as far as the outskirts of the city; and falling down on the beach, we all were davening.

⁶ And having bid them "Shalom," we embarked in the oniyah, and they returned to their own batim.

⁷ And when we had completed the voyage from Tzor, we arrived in Ptolemais, and, having given a "Shalom" greeting to the Achim b’Moshiach there, we stayed yom echad with them.

⁸ And on the next day, having left, we came to Caesarea; and entered the bais of Philippos, the maggid of the Besuras HaGeulah who was one of HaShivah [see 6:3]. And we stayed with him.

⁹ And Philippos was the abba of arbah banot, betulot, who were gifted in giving a dvar nevuah. [Ex 15:20; Judg 4:4; Neh 6:14]

¹⁰ And remaining there many yamim, a certain one came down from Yehudah, a navi, Agav by name.

¹¹ And when he came to us, he took Rav Sha’ul’s gartel and, having bound his own feet and hands with it, Agav said, "So says the Ruach Hakodesh: this is the way the Yehudim in Yerushalayim will bind the man who owns this gartel, and they will hand him over to the Goyim.” [MELACHIM ALEF 22:11; Isa 20:2- 4; Jer 13:1-11]

¹² And when we heard these things, we were begging Rav Sha’ul, both we and the locals, not to make any aliyah (ascent) to Yerushalayim.

¹³ Then Rav Sha’ul answered, "What are you doing weeping and breaking my lev (heart)? For I am prepared not only to be bound but to die al kiddush ha-Shem in Yerushalayim, for haShem of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua."

¹⁴ And not persuading him, we remained silent, having said, "Let the ratzon Hashem be done."

¹⁵ And after these yamim, having made preparations, we were making an aliyah to Yerushalayim.

¹⁶ And also some of Moshiach’s talmidim from Caesarea traveled with us, bringing us for hachnosas orchim to the bais of the Cyprian Mnason, one of Moshiach’s talmidim of long standing [an early disciple].

¹⁷ And when we arrived in Yerushalayim, the Achim b’Moshiach there gave us a kabbalat panim welcome with lev same’ach.

¹⁸ And on the following day Rav Sha’ul was going in with us to Ya’akov [see p.848], and all the Ziknei HaKehillah came.

¹⁹ And having given them a "Shalom" greeting, Rav Sha’ul was explaining one by one the things Hashem did through his avodas kodesh as Moshiach’s Shliach to the Goyim.

²⁰ And the ones who heard were saying, "Baruch Hashem!" And they said to him, "You see, Ach b’Moshiach, how many thousands there are among the Yehudim who have emunah [in our Moshiach] and they all have kanous (zealousness), are shomer mitzvot for the Torah [Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot].

²¹ "And these Orthodox Jewish ma’aminim hameshichiyim have heard a rumor informing them about you, that you teach the Yehudim living among the Goyim in the Golus to be shmad and to commit apostasy from Moshe [Rabbeinu, i.e., Orthodox Judaism], telling them to abandon bris milah for Bnei Yisroel and not to be shomer regarding the darkhei haTorah [“ways of the Torah,” i.e. the Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot]. [BAMIDBAR 6:2,5]

²² "What then is to be done? Certainly these Orthodox Jewish ma’aminim hameshichiyim [i.e., who have emunah in our Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua, Ac 21:20] will get word that you have come.

²³ "This, therefore, do what we tell you. There are with us arba’ah anashim who are under a neder Nezirim.

²⁴ "Go! Take these for hitkaddeshut (purification) and purify yourself with them and pay expenses for them, that they may cut their hair; then all shall have da’as that there is no emes to the rumor; then it shall be clear that you yourself are in agreement and frum regarding the darkhei haTorah and that you are charedi and shomer mitzvot, in the ranks of those who practice Orthodox Judaism." [BAMIDBAR 6:1-21, Mishnah tractate Nazir]

²⁵ “And concerning the Goyim coming to [Orthodox Jewish] emunah, we have sent an iggeret with our decision that they avoid what is offered to elilim and dahm and what is strangled and zenut."

²⁶ Then Rav Sha’ul took the anashim on the following day, and he went with them for hitkaddeshut (purification) and was entering the Beis Hamikdash, giving notice of the completion of the yamim of the tohorah until was offered for each one of them the korban. [BAMIDBAR 6:13 20]

²⁷ Now when the shivat yamim were about to be completed, unbelieving Yehudim from the Province of Asia [Ephesus], having seen Rav Sha’ul in the Beis Hamikdash, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid their hands on him, [YIRMEYAH 26:8]

²⁸ Crying out, "Anashim, Bnei Yisroel, help us! This one is the ish who is giving shiurim to everyone everywhere keneged (against, in opposition to) HaAm [Yisroel] and the Torah of Moshe Rabbenu and this Makom HaKadosh, and in addition also he brought Yevanim into the Beis Hamikdash and has defiled Makom HaKadosh HaZeh [the Beis Hamikdash]."

²⁹ —For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Rav Sha’ul and they had jumped to the conclusion and made the unwarranted assumption that Rav Sha’ul had brought Trophimus past the Soreg [barrier of the holy precinct] in the Beis Hamikdash.

³⁰ —And the whole city was aroused and the people were rushing together, and they seized Rav Sha’ul, and they were dragging him outside the Beit Hamikdash; and immediately the delatot were shut.

³¹ And while they were trying to kill him, a report went up to a tribune of the Roman cohort that all Yerushalayim was in an oifshtand (uprising) uproar.

³² At once he took his chaiyalim and centurions and ran down to them, and when the rioters saw the Roman tribune and the chaiyalim, they stopped beating Rav Sha’ul.

³³ Then the Roman tribune came near and took hold of Rav Sha’ul and ordered him to be bound with two sharsherot (chains), and the tribune was inquiring who he might be and what he had done.

³⁴ Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another, and the tribune was not able to have da’as of anything definite because of the noise, so he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

³⁵ And when Rav Sha’ul was on the steps, it came about that he was carried by the chaiyalim, because of the violence of the multitude,

³⁶ For the crowd kept following and shouting, "Away with him!"

³⁷ And just when he was about to be brought into the barracks, Rav Sha’ul says to the Roman tribune, "Is it permissible for me to say something to you?" And the tribune said, "Ellinisti Ginoskeis? (Do you know Greek?)

³⁸ "Then you are not the Egyptian who recently stirred up an intifada and led out four thousand assassins into the wilderness?"

³⁹ And Rav Sha’ul said, "I gufa (myself) am an ish Yehudi from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. And I ask you to allow me to speak to the people."

⁴⁰ And when the tribune had given permission, Rav Sha’ul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. And a great silence fell upon the crowd. Then Rav Sha’ul addressed the multitude in the language of the Hebrews.

22 Rav Sha’ul said, "Anashim, Achim, Avot, listen now to my hitstaddekut (defense)."

² And when they heard that Rav Sha’ul was addressing them in the language of the Hebrews, they were even more quiet. And Rav Sha’ul said,

³ "I am an ish Yehudi, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but having been brought up in a yeshiva in this city of Yerushalayim at the feet of Rabban Gamliel, having learned with irreproachable frumkeit according to all machmir chumra strictness the Torah of Avoteinu, and I have a kinat Hashem just as all of you do today; [MELACHIM ALEF 19:10]

⁴ "I brought redifah on this ‘Derech,’ even to the point of mavet, binding and delivering both anashim and nashim over to the beis hasohar,

⁵ "As even the Kohen Gadol and all the Zekenim of the Sanhedrin could give solemn eidus for me. For from them I also was authorized with iggrot to the Achim in Damascus, and I was going there to lead away also the ones who were there in order to bring them bound back to Yerushalayim to have them punished.

⁶ "And it happened to me while traveling and drawing near to Damascus, lav davka (approximately) noon, suddenly from Shomayim, a very bright ohr (light) shone around me;

⁷ "And I fell to the ground. Then I heard a bat kol saying to me, ‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why are you bringing redifah on me?'’

⁸ "And I answered, ‘Who are you, Adoni?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Yehoshua of Natzeret, upon whom you are bringing redifah.’

⁹ "And the ones with me saw the ohr (light) but they did not have real hearing (understanding) of the voice speaking to me.

¹⁰ "And I said, ‘What shall I do, Adoni?'’ And HaAdon said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything which has been appointed for you to do.'’

¹¹ "And because I had been blinded from the kavod (glory) of that ohr (light), I was led by the hand by the ones who were with me and who led me into Damascus.

¹² "A certain man, Chananyah by name, an ehrliche Yid (a truly pious Jew), charedi according to the Torah and with a shem tov with all the Yehudim living in Damascus,

¹³ "Came to me and stood next to me, saying, ‘Ach b’Moshiach Sha’ul, receive your sight.’ And at that moment I looked up at him.

¹⁴ "And he said, ‘Elohei Avoteinu has chosen and appointed you to have da’as of His ratzon (will) and to see the Tzaddik [Moshiach] and to hear the kol (voice) from His mouth.

¹⁵ ‘For you will be an eidus (witness) to him to all anashim of what you have seen and heard.

¹⁶ ‘And now what do you intend to do? Get up and receive Moshiach’s tevilah of teshuva and wash away your averos (sins) by calling upon SHMO.' [VAYIKRA 8:6; TEHILLIM 51:2; YECHEZKEL 36:25; YOEL 3:5(2:32) ZECHARYAH 6:12]

¹⁷ "And it happened that after I had returned to Yerushalayim and as I was davening in the Beis Hamikdash, that I fell into a trance,

¹⁸ "And saw Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out quickly from Yerushalayim, because they will not receive your edut (testimony) concerning me.'

¹⁹ "And I said ‘Adoni, they themselves have da’as that in every shul I was imprisoning and beating the ones with emunah in you.

²⁰ ‘And when in al kiddush ha-Shem, the dahm of your eidus (witness) Stefanos was being poured out, I myself also had been standing by and agreeing and protecting the kaftans of the ones killing him.'

²¹ "And Moshiach said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you out, far away to the Goyim.’'"

²² And they were listening to Rav Sha’ul up to the word "Goyim;" and then they lifted up their kol, saying, "Away with such a one from ha’aretz! He should not be allowed to live!"

²³ And while they were crying out, while they were throwing off their kaftans and tossing dust into the air, [SHMUEL BAIS 16:13]

²⁴ the Roman tribune directed him to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by the flagellum’s scourge, that the tribune might have da’as of the reason for the mob’s shouting thus keneged (against, in opposition to) Rav Sha’ul.

²⁵ And when the Roman soldiers stretched Rav Sha’ul out with the straps, he said to the centurion who was standing by, "If a man is a Roman citizen and uncondemned, it is lawful for you to scourge him?"

²⁶ And having heard this, the centurion approached the tribune and reported, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man has Roman citizenship."

²⁷ And having approached, the tribune said to Rav Sha’ul, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" And Rav Sha’ul said, "Etiam." [T.N. Latin: "Yes, certainly."]

²⁸ And the tribune answered, "It cost me a large sum of money for me to acquire my Roman citizenship. " And Rav Sha’ul said, "But indeed I have been born a Roman citizen."

²⁹ Ofen ort, then, the ones about to examine him drew back from Rav Sha’ul. Also the tribune did the same. For he was afraid, learning that Rav Sha’ul is a Roman and that he had bound him.

³⁰ And on the next day, desiring to know something definite about why Rav Sha’ul was accused by the Yehudim, the tribune released him and ordered the Rashei Hakohanim and all the Sanhedrin to be assembled. Then, having brought down Rav Sha’ul, the tribune had him set before them.

23 And as he gazed at the Sanhedrin, Rav Sha’ul said, “Anashim, Achim, I have lived before Hashem until this day with a lev tahor.”

² And the Kohen Gadol Chananyah ordered the ones standing by Rav Sha’ul to strike his mouth.

³ Then Rav Sha’ul said to him, “Hashem is about to strike you, you white-washed wall! You sit judging me according to Torah and yet in violation of the Torah you command me to be struck?” [Lv 19:15; Dt 25:1,2]

⁴ And the ones standing by said, “Do you revile the Kohen Gadol of Hashem?”

⁵ And Rav Sha’ul said, “I was without da’as, Achim, that he is the Kohen Gadol, for it has been written, NASI V’AMMECHA LO TA’OR (“A ruler of your people you will not speak evil of, curse,” Ex 22:27(28)

⁶ And Rav Sha’ul, having da’as that one kat is of Tzedukim (Sadducees) and the other of Perushim (Pharisees), was crying out in the Sanhedrin, “Anashim, Achim, I am a Parush ben Parush and it is for the tikvah of the Techiyas HaMesim that I am being judged.”

⁷ Now when Rav Sha’ul said this, there came about a machlochet (controversy) between the Perushim and Tzedukim, and the multitude was divided.

⁸ Loit (according to) the Tzedukim, there is no Techiyas HaMesim nor a malach nor ruchot, but Perushim acknowledge all these things.

⁹ And there was a kol gadol and some of the Sofrim of the kat of the Perushim were arguing vigorously, saying, “Nothing rah do we find keneged this ish, and what if a ruach did speak to him or a malach?”

¹⁰ And fearing much more machloket was coming, the Roman tribune ordered the troops to go down to take Rav Sha’ul away from the midst of them and to bring him into the barracks lest he be torn to pieces by them.

¹¹ And on the following lailah, HaAdon stood by Rav Sha’ul and said, “Chazak! For as you gave solemn edut about me in Yerushalayim, thus it is necessary for you also to bear solemn eidus in Rome.”

¹² In the boker, the Judeans joined in a kesher and bound themselves with a shevu’ah that none of them would eat or drink until they had carried out their plot of retzichah b’seter of Rav Sha’ul.

¹³ Now there were more than arba’im anashim (forty men) who joined in this kesher.

¹⁴ After they approached the Rashei HaKohanim (Chief Priests) and the Zekenim (Elders), they said, "We have bound ourselves with a shevu’ah (oath) to eat nothing until we have killed Rav Sha’ul.

¹⁵ "Now, therefore, you with the Sanhedrin notify the tribune so that he may bring Rav Sha’ul down to you as if intending to determine more accurately the things concerning him, and, before he draws near, we are ready to kill him."

¹⁶ Now when Rav Sha’ul’s achyon (nephew) heard about the ma’arav (ambush), he went and gained entrance into the barracks and reported this to Rav Sha’ul.

¹⁷ And Rav Sha’ul summoned one of the centurions and said, "Bring this bochur to the tribune for he has something to report to him."

¹⁸ So the centurion took the bochur and brought him to the tribune and says, "The prisoner Rav Sha’ul has summoned me and asked me to bring this bochur to you; he has something to say to you."

¹⁹ The tribune grasped the bochur’s hand and drew him aside privately, inquiring, "What is it you have to report to me?"

²⁰ And the bochur said, "The Judeans agreed to ask you to bring Rav Sha’ul down machar (tomorrow) to the Sanhedrin as if intending to inquire something more accurate concerning him.

²¹ "Therefore, you should not be persuaded by them, for more than arba’im anashim are lying in wait for him and these took a shevu’ah upon themselves neither to eat nor to drink until they have assassinated him, and now they are ready, waiting for your consent."

²² Therefore, the tribune dismissed the bochur, ordering him, "Tell no one that you reported these things to me."

²³ And having summoned two of the centurions, the tribune said, "Prepare to leave for Caesarea by nine o’clock tonight the following: two hundred chaiyalim, seventy horsemen, and two hundred bowmen.

²⁴ "And also provide mounts for Rav Sha’ul to ride, that he may be given safe passage to Felix the Moshel."

²⁵ Then the tribune wrote an iggeret to this effect:

²⁶ "Claudius Lysias to the most excellent Moshel, Felix. Greetings.

²⁷ "This man was seized by the Judeans and was about to be killed by them, but when I learned that he is a Roman citizen, I came with the chaiyalim and rescued him.

²⁸ "Desiring to have da’as of the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

²⁹ "I found he was being accused about issues of their Torah and the charge was nothing worthy of mavet or of imprisonment.

³⁰ "And when I received information of a kesher (plot) keneged (against) the man, I sent him immediately to you, having given orders also to his accusers to state their case against Rav Sha’ul before your excellency."

³¹ Therefore, as they were ordered, the chaiyalim took Rav Sha’ul along and brought him under cover of lailah to Antipatris.

³² And on the next day, having allowed the horsemen to go on with Rav Sha’ul, they returned to the barracks.

³³ When the horsemen entered into Caesarea, they delivered the iggeret to the Moshel and also presented Rav Sha’ul to him.

³⁴ And having read it, and having asked from what province Rav Sha’ul hailed, the Moshel learned that he was from Cilicia.

³⁵ "I will give you a hearing," Felix said, "when also your accusers arrive." Then the Moshel commanded Rav Sha’ul to be watched by shomrim in the Praetorium of Herod.