Acts 23

Legacy Standard Bible

23 Now Paul, looking intently at ^(A)the Sanhedrin, said, “^(B)Brothers, ^(C)I have ^[a]lived my life in all good conscience before God up to this day.” ² And the high priest ^(D)Ananias commanded those standing beside him ^(E)to strike him on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, ^(F)you whitewashed wall! Do you ^(G)sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” ⁴ But those standing nearby said, “Do you revile the high priest of God?” ⁵ And Paul said, “I was not aware, brothers, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘^(H)You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

⁶ But knowing that one group were ^(I)Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in ^(J)the Sanhedrin, “^(K)Brothers, ^(L)I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for ^(M)the hope and resurrection of the dead!” ⁷ As he said this, there was dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For ^(N)the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. ⁹ And there occurred a great outcry; and some of ^(O)the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “^(P)We find nothing wrong with this man. ^(Q)Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰ And as a great dissension was developing, because the ^[b]commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them, he ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into ^(R)the barracks.

¹¹ But on ^(S)that very night, the Lord stood at his side and said, “^(T)Take courage; for ^(U)as you have ^(V)solemnly borne witness to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness at Rome also.”

A Plot to Kill Paul

¹² Now when it was day, ^(W)the Jews formed a ^[c]conspiracy and ^(X)bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ And there were more than forty who formed this scheme. ¹⁴ They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have ^(Y)bound ourselves under a curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ So now you, along with ^(Z)the Sanhedrin, notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more carefully; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near.”

¹⁶ But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, ^[d]he came and entered ^(AA)the barracks and reported it to Paul. ¹⁷ And Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” ¹⁸ So he took him and led him to the ^[e]commander and *said, “Paul ^(AB)the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” ¹⁹ And the ^[f]commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” ²⁰ And he said, “^(AC)The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to ^(AD)the Sanhedrin, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more carefully about him. ²¹ So do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of them—who have ^(AE)bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him—are ^(AF)lying in wait for him and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” ²² So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”

Paul Is Brought to Caesarea

²³ And when he called to him two of the centurions, he said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers, ^[g]seventy horsemen, and two hundred ^[h]spearmen to proceed to ^(AG)Caesarea by the ^[i]third hour of the night, ²⁴ and provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to ^(AH)Felix the governor.” ²⁵ And he wrote a letter having this form:

³¹ So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³² But the next day, leaving ^(AU)the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to ^(AV)the barracks. ³³ When these had come to ^(AW)Caesarea and delivered the letter to ^(AX)the governor, they also presented Paul to him. ³⁴ And when he had read it, he asked from what ^(AY)province he was, and when he learned that ^(AZ)he was from Cilicia, ³⁵ he said, “I will give you a hearing after your ^(BA)accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be ^(BB)kept in Herod’s ^[l]Praetorium.