Acts 23-24

Acts 23

¹And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.

²And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

³Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

⁴And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?

⁵And Paul said, I wist not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.

⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

⁷And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees: and the assembly was divided.

⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

⁹And there arose a great clamour: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?

¹⁰And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should 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 castle.

¹¹And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

¹²And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

¹³And they were more than forty which made this conspiracy.

¹⁴And 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.

¹⁵Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to slay him.

¹⁶But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

¹⁷And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath something to tell him.

¹⁸So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee.

¹⁹And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is that thou hast to tell me?

²⁰And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow unto the council, as though thou wouldest inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him.

²¹Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee.

²²So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified these things to me.

²³And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:

²⁴and he bade them provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

²⁵And he wrote a letter after this form:

²⁶Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.

²⁷This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers, and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

²⁸And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him down unto their council:

²⁹whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

³⁰And when it was shewn to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to thee forthwith, charging his accusers also to speak against him before thee.

³¹So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

³²But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

³³and they, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

³⁴And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,

³⁵I will hear thy cause, said he, when thine accusers also are come: and he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s palace.

Acts 24

¹And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with certain elders, and with an orator, one Tertullus; and they informed the governor against Paul.

²And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that by thy providence evils are corrected for this nation,

³we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

⁴But, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I entreat thee to hear us of thy clemency a few words.

⁵For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

⁶who moreover assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold:

⁸from whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself, to take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.

⁹And the Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that these things were so.

¹⁰And when the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, Paul answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do cheerfully make my defence:

¹¹seeing that thou canst take knowledge, that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem:

¹²and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city.

¹³Neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they now accuse me.

¹⁴But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets:

¹⁵having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust.

¹⁶Herein do I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men alway.

¹⁷Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings:

¹⁸amidst which they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd, nor yet with tumult: but there were certain Jews from Asia—

¹⁹who ought to have been here before thee, and to make accusation, if they had aught against me.

²⁰Or else let these men themselves say what wrong-doing they found, when I stood before the council,

²¹except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question before you this day.

²²But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determine your matter.

²³And he gave order to the centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his friends to minister unto him.

²⁴But after certain days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, which was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁵And as he reasoned of righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, Go thy way for this time; and when I have a convenient season, I will call thee unto me.

²⁶He hoped withal that money would be given him of Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

²⁷But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to gain favour with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.