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| Chapter 23
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1 |
And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I
have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. |
2 | And the
high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on
the mouth. |
3
| Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou 1whited
wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me
to be smitten contrary to the law?
1
Matt 23:27
|
4 |
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? |
5 |
Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest:
for it is written,
Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
Exod 22:28
|
6 |
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other
Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the
son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in
question. |
7 | And when he had so said, there arose a
dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the
multitude was divided. |
8
| For the Sadducees say that there is no 1resurrection,
neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
1
Matt 22:23,
1st Cor 15:12,
2nd Tim 2:18
|
9 | And there
arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part
arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a
spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. |
10 |
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing
lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the
soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and
to bring him into the castle. |
11 | And
the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good
cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must
thou bear witness also at Rome. |
12 | And
when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound
themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor
drink till they had killed Paul. |
13 | And
they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. |
14 | And they came to the chief priests and
elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that
we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. |
15 |
Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him
down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly
concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. |
16 | And
when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and
entered into the castle, and told Paul. |
17 |
Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring
this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing
to tell him. |
18
| So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said,
Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this
young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. |
19 | Then
the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside
privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? |
20 |
And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest
bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would
enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. |
21 |
But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of
them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath,
that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and
now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. |
22 | So the chief captain then let the
young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou
hast shewed these things to me. |
23 | And he
called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred
soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and
spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; |
24 |
And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him
safe unto Felix the governor. |
25 |
And he wrote a letter after this manner: |
26 | Claudius Lysias unto the most
excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting. |
27 |
This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I
with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. |
28 | And
when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I
brought him forth into their council: |
29 |
Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to
have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. |
30 | And when it was told me how that the
Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave
commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had
against him. Farewell. |
31
| Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and
brought him by night to Antipatris. |
32
| On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and
returned to the castle: |
33 | Who, when they came to Caesarea and
delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before
him. |
34 | And when the governor had read the
letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood
that he was of Cilicia; |
35 | I will
hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he
commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall. |