Acts 23

1PaulG3972 looked directlyG816 at theG3588 SanhedrinG48921 and saidG2036, “BrothersG435G80, IG1473 have conducted myselfG4176 before GodG2316 in allG3956 goodG18 conscienceG4893 toG891 thisG3778 dayG2250.”

2At thisG1161, theG3588 high priestG749 AnaniasG367 orderedG2004 thoseG3588 standing nearG3936 Paul to strikeG5180 himG846 on theG3588 mouthG4750.

3ThenG5119 PaulG3972 saidG2036 toG4314 himG846, “GodG2316 willG3195 strikeG5180 you, youG4771 whitewashedG2867 wallG5109! YouG4771 sitG2521 here to judgeG2919 meG1473 according toG2596 theG3588 lawG3551, yetG2532 you yourself violate the lawG3891 by commandingG2753 that IG1473 be struckG5180.”

4ButG1161 thoseG3588 standing nearbyG3936 saidG2036, “How dare you insultG3058 theG3588 high priestG749 of GodG2316!”

5“BrothersG80,” PaulG3972 repliedG5346, “I was not awareG3756G1492 thatG3754 he wasG1510 the high priestG749, forG1063 it is writtenG1125: ‘Do not speakG3756G2046 evilG2560 about the rulerG758 ofG3588 yourG4771 peopleG2992.’2”

6ThenG1161 PaulG3972, knowingG1097 thatG3754 some of themG1520G3313 wereG1510 SadduceesG4523 andG1161 theG3588 othersG2087 PhariseesG5330, called outG2896 inG1722 theG3588 SanhedrinG4892, “BrothersG435G80, IG1473 amG1510 a PhariseeG5330, the sonG5207 of a PhariseeG5330. It is because ofG4012 my hopeG1680 in the resurrectionG386 of the deadG3498 that IG1473 am on trialG2919.”

7As soon asG3778G1161 heG846 had saidG2980 this, a disputeG4714 broke outG1096 between theG3588 PhariseesG5330 andG2532 SadduceesG4523, andG2532 theG3588 assemblyG4128 was dividedG4977. 8ForG1063G3303 the SadduceesG4523 sayG3004 that there isG1510 neitherG3361 a resurrectionG386 norG3383 angelsG32 norG3383 spiritsG4151, butG1161 the PhariseesG5330 acknowledgeG3670 them allG297.

9

A greatG3173 clamorG2906 aroseG1096, andG2532 someG5100 scribesG1122 from theG3588 partyG3313 of theG3588 PhariseesG5330 got upG450 and contended sharplyG1264G3004, “We findG2147 nothingG3762 wrongG2556 withG1722 thisG3778 manG444. What ifG1487 a spiritG4151 orG2228 an angelG32 has spokenG2980 to himG846?” 10The disputeG4714 grewG1096 so violentG4183 that theG3588 commanderG5506 was afraidG5399G3361 theyG5259G846 would tear Paul to piecesG1288G3588G3972. He orderedG2753 theG3588 soldiersG4753 to go downG2597 and remove him by forceG726G846G1537G3319 andG5037 bringG71 him intoG1519 theG3588 barracksG3925.

11

TheG3588 followingG1966 nightG3571 theG3588 LordG2962 stood nearG2186 Paul and saidG2036, “Take courageG2293! AsG5613 you have testifiedG1263 aboutG4012 MeG1473 inG1519 JerusalemG2419, soG3779 alsoG2532 youG4771 mustG1163 testifyG3140 inG1519 RomeG4516.”

12

The Plot to Kill Paul

(John 16:1–4)

When daylight cameG1096G2250, theG3588 JewsG2453 formedG4160 a conspiracyG4963 and bound themselves with an oathG332G1438G3004 notG3383 to eatG5315 or drinkG4095 untilG2193G3739 they had killedG615 PaulG3972. 13More thanG4119 fortyG5062 of them wereG1510 involvedG4160 in thisG3778 plotG4945. 14TheyG3748 wentG4334 to theG3588 chief priestsG749 andG2532 eldersG4245 and saidG2036, “We have boundG332 ourselvesG1438 with a solemn oathG331 not to eatG1089 anything untilG2193G3739 we have killedG615 PaulG3972. 15NowG3568 thenG3767, youG4771 andG4862 theG3588 SanhedrinG4892 petitionG1718 theG3588 commanderG5506 toG3704 bring him downG2609G846 toG1519 youG4771 on the pretextG5613G3195 of examiningG1231 his caseG3588G4012G846 more carefullyG199. WeG1473 areG1510 readyG2092 to killG337 himG846 on the wayG4253G846G3588G1448.”

16ButG1161 when theG3588 sonG5207 of Paul’sG3972 sisterG79 heard aboutG191 theG3588 plotG1747,3 he wentG3854G2532G1525 intoG1519 theG3588 barracksG3925 and toldG518 PaulG3972. 17ThenG1161 PaulG3972 calledG4341 oneG1520 of theG3588 centurionsG1543 and saidG5346, “TakeG520 thisG3778 young manG3494 toG4314 theG3588 commanderG5506; he hasG2192 somethingG5100 to tellG518 himG846.”

18SoG3767 the centurion took himG3880G846G71 toG4314 theG3588 commanderG5506 andG2532 saidG5346, “PaulG3972 theG3588 prisonerG1198 sentG4341 and askedG2065 meG1473 to bringG71 thisG3778 young manG3495 toG4314 youG4771. He hasG2192 somethingG5100 to tellG2980 youG4771.”

19

TheG3588 commanderG5506 tookG1949 the young man by theG3588 handG5495, drewG402 him asideG2596G2398, and askedG4441, “WhatG5101 do you needG1510G3739G2192 to tellG518 meG1473?”

20

He answeredG2036, “TheG3588 JewsG2453 have agreedG4934 to askG2065 youG4771 toG3704 bringG2609 PaulG3972 toG1519 theG3588 SanhedrinG4892 tomorrowG839 on the pretextG5613G3195 of acquiringG4441 more informationG199G5100 aboutG4012 himG846. 21Do not letG3361 themG846 persuadeG3982 youG4771, becauseG1063 more thanG4119 fortyG5062 menG435 are waiting to ambushG1748 himG846. They have bound themselves with an oathG332G1438 notG3383 to eatG5315 or drinkG4095 untilG2193G3739 they have killedG337 himG846; they areG1510 readyG2092 nowG3568, awaitingG4327 yourG575G4771 consentG1860.”

22SoG3767 theG3588 commanderG5506 dismissedG630 theG3588 young manG3495 and instructedG3853 him, “Do not tellG1583 anyone thatG3754 you have reportedG1718 thisG3778 toG4314 meG1473.”

Paul Sent to Felix

23ThenG2532 he calledG4341 twoG1417 ofG3588 his centurionsG1543 and saidG2036, “PrepareG2090 two hundredG1250 soldiersG4757, seventyG1440 horsemenG2460, andG2532 two hundredG1250 spearmenG1187 toG3704 goG4198 toG2193 CaesareaG2542 inG575 the thirdG5154 hourG5610 of theG3588 nightG3571.4 24ProvideG3936 mountsG2934 for PaulG3972 to take him safelyG1295 toG4314 GovernorG2232 FelixG5344.” 25And he wroteG1125 the followingG3778 letterG1992:

26ClaudiusG2804 LysiasG3079,

ToG3588 His ExcellencyG2903, GovernorG2232 FelixG5344:

GreetingsG5463.

27ThisG3778 manG435 was seizedG4815 byG5259 theG3588 JewsG2453, andG2532 theyG846 were aboutG3195 to killG337 him when I cameG2186 withG4862 my troopsG4753 to rescueG1807 him. For I had learnedG3129 thatG3754 he isG1510 a Roman citizenG4514, 28andG5037 since I wantedG1014 to understandG1921 their chargesG156 against himG846, I brought him downG2609 toG1519 theirG846 SanhedrinG4892. 29I found thatG2147 the accusationG1458 involvedG4012 questionsG2213 about theirG846 own lawG3551, butG1161 there wasG2192 noG3367 chargeG1462 worthyG514 of deathG2288 orG2228 imprisonmentG1199.

30When IG1473 was informed thatG3377 there wasG1510 a plotG1917 againstG1519 theG3588 manG435, I sentG3992 him toG4314 youG4771 at onceG1824. I also instructedG2532G3853 his accusersG2725 to presentG3004 their case againstG4314 himG846 beforeG1909 youG4771.

31SoG3767 theG3588 soldiersG4757 followed their ordersG2596G3588G1299G846 and broughtG353G71 PaulG3972 byG1223 nightG3571 toG1519 AntipatrisG494. 32TheG3588 next dayG1887 they returnedG5290 toG1519 theG3588 barracksG3925 and letG1439 theG3588 horsemenG2460 go onG565 withG4862 himG846. 33When the horsemen arrivedG1525 inG1519 CaesareaG2542, they deliveredG325 theG3588 letterG1992 to theG3588 governorG2232 andG2532 presentedG3936 PaulG3972 to himG846.

34

The governor readG314 the letter andG2532 askedG1905 whatG4169 provinceG1885 Paul wasG1510 fromG1537. LearningG4441 thatG3754 he was fromG575 CiliciaG2791, 35he saidG5346, “I will hear your caseG1251G4771 whenG3752 yourG4771 accusersG2725 arriveG3854.” Then he ordered thatG2753 Paul be kept under guardG5442 inG1722 Herod’sG2264 PraetoriumG4232.