1 | And Paul,
earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all
good conscience before God until this day. |
2 | And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by
him to smite him on the mouth. |
3
| Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for
sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten
contrary to the law? |
4 |
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? |
5 | Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren,
that he was the high priest: for it is written,
Thou shalt not speak evil of
the ruler of thy people.
Exod 22:28
|
6 |
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other
Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the
son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in
question. |
7 | And when he
had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees:
and the multitude was divided. |
8
| For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel,
nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. |
9 | And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of
the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but
if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. |
10 | And when there arose a
great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled
in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force
from among them, and to bring him into the castle. |
11 | And the night following the Lord stood by him,
and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in
Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. |
12 | And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded
together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither
eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. |
13 | And they were more than forty which had made this
conspiracy. |
14 | And they
came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a
great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. |
15 | Now therefore ye with the council
signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as
though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or
ever he come near, are ready to kill him. |
16 | And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in
wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. |
17 | Then Paul called one of the centurions
unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a
certain thing to tell him. |
18
| So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul
the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto
thee, who hath something to say unto thee. |
19 | Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went
with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? |
20 | And he said, The Jews
have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into
the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. |
21 | But do not thou yield
unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which
have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till
they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from
thee. |
22 | So the chief
captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man
that thou hast shewed these things to me. |
23 | And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make
ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten,
and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; |
24 | And provide them beasts, that they may
set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. |
25 | And he wrote a letter after this
manner: |
26 | Claudius
Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting. |
27 | This man was taken of the Jews,
and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him,
having understood that he was a Roman. |
28 | And when I would have known the cause wherefore they
accused him, I brought him forth into their council: |
29 | Whom I perceived to be accused of
questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death
or of bonds. |
30 | And when
it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to
thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they
had against him. Farewell. |
31
| Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought
him by night to Antipatris. |
32
| On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to
the castle: |
33 | Who, when
they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul
also before him. |
34 | And
when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And
when he understood that he was of Cilicia; |
35 | I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also
come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall. |