Chapter 23

23:1Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience until this day." 2But the high priest Ananias ordered those who were standing next to him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You are sitting there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law are you ordering me to be struck?"
4And those standing nearby said, "Do you dare revile God's high priest?"
5"I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest," replied Paul. "For it is written, You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people." 6When Paul realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part were Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being judged because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!" 7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, and no angel or spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all.
9The shouting grew loud, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party got up and argued vehemently: "We find nothing evil in this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" 10When the dispute became violent, the commander feared that Paul might be torn apart by them and ordered the troops to go down, rescue him from them, and bring him into the barracks.
11The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, "Have courage! For as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
12When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse: neither to eat nor to drink until they had killed Paul. 13There were more than 40 who had formed this plot. 14These men went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have bound ourselves under a solemn curse that we won't eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15So now you, along with the Sanhedrin, make a request to the commander that he bring him down to you as if you were going to investigate his case more thoroughly. However, before he gets near, we are ready to kill him."
16But the son of Paul's sister, hearing about their ambush, came and entered the barracks and reported it to Paul. 17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander, because he has something to report to him."
18So he took him, brought him to the commander, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you."
19Then the commander took him by the hand, led him aside, and inquired privately, "What is it you have to report to me?"
20"The Jews," he said, "have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they are going to hold a somewhat more careful inquiry about him. 21Don't let them persuade you, because there are more than 40 of them arranging to ambush him, men who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they kill him. Now they are ready, waiting for a commitment from you."
22So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, "Don't tell anyone that you have informed me about this."
23He summoned two of his centurions and said, "Get 200 soldiers ready with 70 cavalry and 200 spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24Also provide mounts so they can put Paul on them and bring him safely to Felix the governor."
25He wrote a letter of this kind:
26Claudius Lysias,
To the most excellent governor Felix:
Greetings.
27When this man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, I arrived with my troops and rescued him because I learned that he is a Roman citizen.
28Wanting to know the charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down before their Sanhedrin.
29I found out that the accusations were about disputed matters in their law, and that there was no charge that merited death or chains.
30When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you right away. I also ordered his accusers to state their case against him in your presence.
31Therefore, the soldiers took Paul during the night and brought him to Antipatris as they were ordered. 32The next day, they returned to the barracks, allowing the cavalry to go on with him. 33When these men entered Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34After he read it, he asked what province he was from. So when he learned he was from Cilicia, 35he said, "I will give you a hearing whenever your accusers get here too." And he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod's palace.