The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 23 -

And Paul behelde earnestly the Councill, and sayde, Men and brethren, I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day.

Then the hie Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth.

Then sayd Paul to him, God will smite thee, thou whited wall: for thou sittest to iudge me according to the Lawe, and transgressing the Lawe, commaundest thou me to be smitten?

And they that stood by, sayd, Reuilest thou Gods hie Priest?

Then sayd Paul, I knewe not, brethren, that he was the hie Priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people.

But when Paul perceiued that the one part were of the Sadduces, and the other of the Pharises, hee cried in the Council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharise, the sonne of a Pharise: I am accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead.

And when hee had saide this, there was a dissension betweene the Pharises and the Sadduces, so that the multitude was deuided.

For the Sadduces say that there is no resurrection, neither Angel, nor spirit: but the Pharises confesse both.

Then there was a great crye: and the Scribes of the Pharises part rose vp, and stroue, saying, Wee finde none euill in this man: but if a spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him, let vs not fight against God.

And when there was a great dissension, the chiefe captaine, fearing lest Paul should haue bene pulled in pieces of them, commanded the souldiers to go downe, and take him from among them, and to bring him into the castel.

Nowe the night folowing, the Lord stoode by him, and saide, Be of good courage, Paul: for as thou hast testified of mee in Hierusalem, so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome.

The Plot to Kill Paul

(John 16:1–4)

And when the day was come, certaine of the Iewes made an assemblie, and bounde themselues with a curse, saying, that they woulde neither eate nor drinke, till they had killed Paul.

And they were more then fourtie, which had made this conspiracie.

And they came to the chiefe Priestes and Elders, and said, We haue bound our selues with a solemne curse, that wee will eate nothing, vntill we haue slaine Paul.

Nowe therefore, ye and the Council signifie to the chiefe captaine, that hee bring him foorth vnto you to morow: as though you would know some thing more perfectly of him, and we, or euer he come neere, will be readie to kill him.

But when Pauls sisters sonne heard of their laying awaite, he went, and entred into the castel, and tolde Paul.

And Paul called one of the Centurions vnto him, and said, Take this yong man hence vnto the chiefe captaine: for he hath a certaine thing to shewe him.

So hee tooke him, and brought him to the chiefe captaine, and saide, Paul the prisoner called mee vnto him, and prayed mee to bring this yong man vnto thee, which hath some thing to say vnto thee.

Then the chiefe captaine tooke him by the hande, and went apart with him alone, and asked him, What hast thou to shewe me?

And he saide, The Iewes haue conspired to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring foorth Paul to morow into the Council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly:

But let them not perswade thee: for there lie in waite for him of them, more then fourtie men, which haue bound themselues with a curse, that they will neither eate nor drinke, till they haue killed him: and nowe are they readie, and waite for thy promise.

The chiefe captaine then let the yong man depart, after hee had charged him to vtter it to no man, that he had shewed him these things.

Paul Sent to Felix

And he called vnto him two certaine Centurions, saying, Make readie two hundred souldiers, that they may go to Cæsarea, and horsemen three score and ten, and two hundred with dartes, at the thirde houre of the night.

And let them make readie an horse, that Paul being set on, may be brought safe vnto Felix the Gouernour.

And he wrote an epistle in this maner:

Claudius Lysias vnto the most noble Gouernour Felix sendeth greeting.

As this man was taken of the Iewes, and shoulde haue bene killed of them, I came vpon them with the garison, and rescued him, perceiuing that he was a Romane.

And when I would haue knowen the cause, wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their Council.

There I perceiued that hee was accused of questions of their Lawe, but had no crime worthy of death, or of bondes.

And when it was shewed me, how that the Iewes layd waite for the man, I sent him straightway to thee, and commanded his accusers to speake before thee the thinges that they had against him. Farewell.

Then the souldiers as it was commanded them, tooke Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

And the next day, they left the horsemen to goe with him, and returned vnto the Castel.

Now when they came to Cæsarea, they deliuered the epistle to the Gouernour, and presented Paul also vnto him.

So when the Gouernour had read it, hee asked of what prouince he was: and when he vnderstoode that he was of Cilicia,

I will heare thee, said he, when thine accusers also are come, and commanded him to bee kept in Herods iudgement hall.

Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”

Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”(a)

But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.

A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”

When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would 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 barracks.

The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”

The Plot to Kill Paul

(John 16:1–4)

When it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

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.

Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.

Paul summoned one of the centurions and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”

So he took him and brought him to the commanding officer and said, “Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”

The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”

So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

Paul Sent to Felix

He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.”(b)

He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

He wrote a letter like this:

“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

“This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.

I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.

When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”

So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,

“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

Footnotes

(a)23:5 ℘ Exodus 22:28

(b)23:23 about 9:00 p.m.