| 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] whited wall : for sittest thou to judge me after the law , and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law ? |
| 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 . |
| 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 resurrection , neither angel , nor spirit : but the Pharisees confess both . |
| 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 . |
