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The Acts of the Emissaries, Chapter 23
{23:1} Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Brothers, I
have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."
{23:2} The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to
strike him on the mouth.
{23:3} Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed
wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the Torah, and command me to
be struck contrary to the law?"
{23:4} Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priest?"
{23:5} Paul said, "I didn't know, brothers, that he was high priest.
For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your
people.'"[1] {23:6} But when Paul perceived that the one part were
Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men
and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope
and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"
{23:7} When he had said this, an argument arose between the
Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. {23:8} For the
Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit;
but the Pharisees confess all of these. {23:9} A great clamor arose,
and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended,
saying, "We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has
spoken to him, let's not fight against God!"
{23:10} When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing
that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to
go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the
barracks.
{23:11} The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, "Cheer
up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must
testify also at Rome."
{23:12} When it was day, some of the Judeans banded together, and
bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor
drink until they had killed Paul. {23:13} There were more than forty
people who had made this conspiracy. {23:14} They came to the chief
priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a
great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. {23:15} Now
therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he
should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to
judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes
near."
{23:16} But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he
came and entered into the barracks and told Paul. {23:17} Paul
summoned one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man to the
commanding officer, for he has something to tell him."
{23:18} So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer,
and said, "Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this
young man to you, who has something to tell you."
{23:19} The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going
aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"
{23:20} He said, "The Judeans have agreed to ask you to bring Paul
down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat
more accurately concerning him. {23:21} Therefore don't yield to them,
for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves
under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him.
Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."
{23:22} So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging
him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me." {23:23}
He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two
hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and
two hundred men armed with spears, at [2>]the third hour of the
night[<2]." {23:24} He asked them to provide animals, that they might
set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor. {23:25}
He wrote a letter like this:
{23:26} "Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix:
Greetings.
{23:27} "This man was seized by the Judeans, and was about to be
killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having
learned that he was a Roman. {23:28} Desiring to know the cause why
they accused him, I brought him down to their council. {23:29} I found
him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged
with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment. {23:30} When I was
told that the Judeans lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you
immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations
against him before you. Farewell."
{23:31} So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and
brought him by night to Antipatris. {23:32} But on the next day they
left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.
{23:33} When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the
governor, they also presented Paul to him. {23:34} When the governor
had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood
that he was from Cilicia, he said, {23:35} "I will hear you fully when
your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's
palace.
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Footnotes:
[1] {23:5} Exodus 22:28
[2] {23:23} about 9:00 PM
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