The Acts of the Apostles

And looking on the sanhedrin, Paul said, Men, brothers, I in all good conscience have conducted myself toward God to this day.

But Ananias the high priest ordered those standing by him to strike his mouth.

Then Paul said to him, God is going to strike you, whitened wall! And do you sit judging me according to the Law, and contrary to the Law command me to be stricken?

And those standing by said, Do you revile the high priest of God?

And Paul said, Brothers, I did not know that he is high priest; for it has been written, "You shall not speak evil" "of a ruler of your people."

But knowing that the one part consisted of Sadducees, and the other of Pharisees, Paul cried out in the sanhedrin, Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am being judged concerning hope and resurrection of [the] dead!

And he having spoken this, there was a discord between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided.

For the Sadducees indeed say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit. But Pharisees confess both.

And there was a great cry. And the scribes of the part of the Pharisees rising up, they were contending, saying, We find nothing evil in this man. And, If a spirit spoke to him, or an angel, let us not fight against God.

And discord having arisen, fearing lest Paul should be torn by them, the chiliarch commanded the soldiery to go down to snatch him out of their midst, and to bring [him] into the fortress.

And coming to him in the following night the Lord said, Be cheered, Paul, for as you fully testified the things concerning Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome.

And [it] becoming day, some of the Jews making a conspiracy cursed themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink until they should kill Paul.

And those making this plot were more than forty;

who coming near to the chief priests and to the elders [these] said, With a curse we have cursed ourselves to taste of nothing until we shall kill Paul.

Now, then, you with the sanhedrin inform the chiliarch, so that tomorrow he may bring him down to you, as intending more accurately to find out about him. And before his drawing near, we are ready to kill him.

But the son of Paul's sister hearing of the ambush, having come near, and entering into the fortress, reported to Paul.

And calling near one of the centurions, Paul said, Bring this young man to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him.

Then indeed taking him, he brought [him] to the chiliarch and said, Paul the prisoner having called me near asked me to bring this young man to you, having a thing to tell you.

And laying hold of his hand, and drawing aside privately, the chiliarch asked, What is [it] that you have to report to me?

And he said, The Jews agreed to ask you that tomorrow you bring down Paul into the sanhedrin, as being about to inquire more accurately concerning him.

Therefore, you [must] not be persuaded by them, for more than forty men of them lie in wait for him who put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they kill him. And now they are ready, awaiting the promise from you.

Then the chiliarch sent away the young man, charging [him], Tell no one that you reported these things to me.

And having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, Get two hundred soldiers ready, so that they may go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, from the third hour of the night;

and animals to stand by, so that setting Paul on, they may bring [him] to Felix the governor.

[For he was] writing a letter, having this form:

Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting:

This man being seized by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, coming on with the soldiers I rescued him, learning that he was a Roman.

I found [him] to be accused concerning questions of their law, and having no charge worthy of death or of bonds.

And it being revealed to me that a plot against the man was about to be [executed] by the Jews, I at once sent [him] to you, also commanding the accusers to say the things against him before you. Farewell.

Then indeed taking up Paul according to the thing appointed to them, the soldiers brought [him] through the night to Antipatris.

And on the morrow, allowing the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the fortress.

Entering into Caesarea, and giving the letter to the governor, [they] also presented Paul to him.

And reading [it], the governor asked from what province he is. And having learned that [he was] from Cilicia,

he said, I will hear you fully when your accusers arrive. And [he] commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.