CHAPTER 23
1 And Paul beheld into the council (or And Paul looked at the Council), and said, Brethren, I with all good conscience have lived before God, till into this day.
2 And Ananias, (the) prince of priests, commanded to men that stood nigh to him, that they should smite his mouth. (And Ananias, the High Priest, commanded to the men who stood near to him, that they should strike him on his mouth.)
3 Then Paul said to him, Thou whited wall [or Thou wall made white], God [shall] smite thee; thou sittest, and deemest me by the law, and against the law thou commandest me to be smitten. (Then Paul said to him, Thou whitewashed wall, God shall strike thee; thou sittest, and judgest me by the Law, and then against the Law thou commandest me to be struck?)
4 And they that stood nigh, said, Cursest thou the highest priest of God? [or Cursest thou the high priest of God?](And they who stood nearby, said, Cursest thou the High Priest of God?)
5 And Paul said, Brethren, I knew not, that he is [the] prince of priests; for it is written, Thou shalt not curse the prince of thy people. (And Paul said, Brothers, I did not know, that he is the High Priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not curse the leader of thy people.)
6 But Paul knew, that one part was of (the) Sadducees, and the other (was) of (the) Pharisees; and he cried in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am deemed of the hope and of the again-rising of dead men, [or of the hope and (the) again-rising of (the) dead I am deemed], (or I am on trial over the hope for the resurrection of the dead).
7 And when he had said this thing, dissension was made betwixt the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was parted (or and so the gathering was divided).
8 For (the) Sadducees say, that no rising again of dead men is, (or For the Sadducees say, that there is no resurrection of the dead), neither angel, neither spirit; but (the) Pharisees acknowledge ever either. [+Forsooth Sadducees say, that no rising again is of (the) dead, neither angel, neither spirit; forsooth Pharisees acknowledge both.]
9 And a great cry was made. And some of the Pharisees rose up, and fought, saying, We find nothing of evil in this man; what if a spirit, either an angel, spake to him?
10 And when great dissension was made, the tribune dreaded, lest Paul should be drawn to pieces of them; and he commanded knights to go down, and to take [or to ravish] him (away) from the middle of them, and to lead him into the castles. (And when great dissension was made, the commander feared, lest Paul should be drawn to pieces by them; and he commanded some soldiers to go down, and to snatch him from their midst, and to bring him into the fortress.)
11 And in the night (pur)suing the Lord stood nigh to him, and said, Be thou steadfast; for as thou hast witnessed of me in Jerusalem, so it behooveth thee to witness also at Rome. (And on the following night the Lord stood near to him, and said, Be thou resolute; for as thou hast testified about me in Jerusalem, it behooveth thee to also testify about me in Rome.)
12 And when the day was come, some of the Jews gathered them(selves), and made a vow, and said, that they should neither eat, nor drink, till they slew Paul.
13 And there were more than forty men, that made this swearing together [or this conjuration]. (And there were more than forty men, who formed this conspiracy.)
14 And they went to the princes of (the) priests, and elder men, (or And they went to the high priests, and the elders), and said, With devotion we have avowed [us], that we shall not taste anything, till we have slain Paul.
15 Now therefore make ye known to the tribune (or And so make it known to the commander), with the council, that he bring him forth to you, as if ye should know something more certainly of him; and we (shall) be ready to slay him, before that he come [nigh].
16 And when the son of Paul’s sister had heard (of) the ambush [or the treason], he came, and entered into the castles (or into the fortress), and told to Paul.
17 And Paul called to him(self) one of the centurions, and said, Lead this young man to the tribune, for he hath something to show to him, (or Lead this young man to the commander, for he hath something to tell him).
18 And he took him, and led to the tribune, and said, Paul, that is bound, prayed me to lead to thee this young man, that hath something to speak to thee. (And he took him, and brought him to the commander, and said, Paul, who is bound, beseeched me to bring this young man to thee, for he hath something to say to thee.)
19 And the tribune took his hand, and went with him asides half, and asked him, What thing is it, that thou hast to show to me? (And the commander took his hand, and drew him aside, and asked him, What is it, that thou hast to tell me?)
20 And he said, The Jews be accorded to pray thee (or The Jews be in agreement to beseech thee), that tomorrow thou bring forth Paul into the council, as if they should inquire something more certainly of him.
21 But believe thou not to them; for more than forty men of them ambush him, which have avowed, that they shall neither eat nor drink, till they slay him; and now they be ready, abiding thy promise.
22 Therefore the tribune left the young man (or And so the commander let the young man go, or dismissed him), and commanded, that he should speak to no man, that he had made these things known to him.
23 And he called together two centurions, and he said to them, Make ye ready two hundred knights, that they go to Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, from the third hour of the night. (And he called together two centurions, and he said to them, Make ready two hundred soldiers, so that they can go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at nine o’clock this evening.)
24 And make ye ready an horse, for Paul to ride on, to lead him safe to Felix, the president. For the tribune dreaded, lest the Jews would take him by the way, and slay him, and afterward he might be challenged, as (if) he had taken money. (And prepare a horse, for Paul to ride on, and lead him safely to Governor Felix. Because the commander feared, that the Jews might take hold of him on the way, and kill him, and afterward he might be challenged, that he had received some money.)
25 [And] He wrote to him an epistle, containing these things.
26 Claudius Lysias to the best Felix, president, health. (Claudius Lysias to the most excellent Governor Felix, greetings and best wishes.)
27 This man that was taken (hold) of (by) the Jews, and began to be slain, I came upon them with mine host (or I came upon them with my army), and delivered him from them, when I knew that he was a Roman.
28 And I would know the cause, which they putted against him; and I led him [in] to the council of them (or and I brought him in to their Council).
29 And I found, that he was accused of questions of their law, but he had no crime worthy (of) the death, either (of) bonds (or of bondage, or imprisonment).
30 And when it was told me of the ambush, that they (had) arrayed for him, [or And when it was told to me of the treasons, that they (had) made ready to him], I sent him to thee, and I warned also the accusers, that they say at thee, (or and I have told his accusers, that they must tell their charges to thee). Farewell.
31 And so the knights (or the soldiers) as they were commanded, took Paul, and led him by night into Antipatris.
32 And in the day (pur)suing, when the horsemen were left, that should go with him, they turned again to the castles. (And on the following day, the soldiers returned to the fortress, leaving the horsemen, who would go with him.)
33 And when they came to Caesarea, they took the epistle to the president, and they set also Paul before him. (And when they arrived at Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the Governor, and they also put Paul before him.)
34 And when he had read, and asked, of what province he was, and knew that he was of Cilicia,
35 I shall hear thee, he said, when thine accusers come. And he commanded him to be kept in the moot hall of Herod (or And he commanded that Paul be kept in Herod’s Judgement Hall, in his palace).