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23
1 Then Paul, looking intently at the council, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived with all good conscience toward God until this day.” 2 But the high priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit judging me according to the law, and contrary to the law do you command that I should be struck?”
4 But those standing by said, “Do you revile the high priest of God?”
5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he is the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak wickedly of a ruler of your people.’ ”
6 But when Paul perceived that one part was of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
7 And when he had spoken this, there came to be a dispute between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—nor angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. 9 And there came to be a great outcry, and the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended sharply, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”
10 And when much dissension developed, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be torn apart by them, commanded the detachment of soldiers to go down and seize him from the midst of them, and to bring him into the barracks.
The Plot Against Paul
11 Now on the next night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, Paul; for as you solemnly testified about the things concerning Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
12 Now when it was day, some of the Jews joined in a conspiracy and bound themselves by a curse, saying neither would they eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13 And there were over forty who had made this plot; 14 who came to the chief priests and to the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves by oath with a curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you are going to determine more accurately the things concerning him; but we, before he comes near, are prepared to kill him.”
16 But when Paul's sister's son heard about the ambush, he came and entered into the barracks, and told this to Paul. 17 And Paul, summoning one of the centurions, said, “Lead this young man away to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” 18 Therefore taking him along, he brought him to the commander and said, “The prisoner Paul, having summoned me, asked me to bring this young man to you, for he has something to tell you.”
19 And the commander, taking him by his hand, withdrew to a private place and inquired, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that tomorrow you bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin, as though they are going to learn something more accurate concerning him. 21 Therefore you must not be persuaded by them; for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves by a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him; and now they are prepared, waiting for the promise from you.”
22 Then the commander dismissed the young man, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have made known these things to me.”
23 And having summoned two of the centurions he said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, in order that they may go to Caesarea, to leave at the third hour of the night; 24 and place mounts at their disposal, in order that they may put Paul on them, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 And he wrote a letter which contained this content:
26 Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. 27 This man, having been arrested by the Jews, was about to be killed by them. I came upon them with the detachment of soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman. 28 And desiring to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I took him down to their council; 29 and I found that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had no accusation against him worthy of death or chains. 30 And when it became known to me that a plot against the man by the Jews was about to happen, I sent him at once to you, and also commanded the accusers to state the charges against him before you. Farewell.
31 Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris. 32 And on the next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. 33 When they entered into Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34 And when the governor read the letter, he asked what province he was from. And learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's Praetorium.

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito