| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” | 1Paul looked directly at the council and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God to this day." |
| 2And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. | 2At that the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. |
| 3Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” | 3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law you order me to be struck?" |
| 4Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” | 4Those standing near him said, "Do you dare insult God's high priest?" |
| 5And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” | 5Paul replied, "I did not realize, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, 'You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.'" |
| 6Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” | 6Then when Paul noticed that part of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead!" |
| 7And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. | 7When he said this, an argument began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. |
| 8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. | 8(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) |
| 9Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” | 9There was a great commotion, and some experts in the law from the party of the Pharisees stood up and protested strongly, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" |
| 10And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks. | 10When the argument became so great the commanding officer feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, he ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks. |
| 11The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” | 11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome." |
| 12When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. | 12When morning came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul. |
| 13There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. | 13There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. |
| 14They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. | 14They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to partake of anything until we have killed Paul. |
| 15Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.” | 15So now you and the council request the commanding officer to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine his case by conducting a more thorough inquiry. We are ready to kill him before he comes near this place." |
| 16Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. | 16But when the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. |
| 17Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” | 17Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to report to him." |
| 18So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” | 18So the centurion took him and brought him to the commanding officer and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you." |
| 19The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” | 19The commanding officer took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, "What is it that you want to report to me?" |
| 20And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. | 20He replied, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. |
| 21But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” | 21So do not let them persuade you to do this, because more than forty of them are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request." |
| 22So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.” | 22Then the commanding officer sent the young man away, directing him, "Tell no one that you have reported these things to me." |
| 23Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. | 23Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen by nine o'clock tonight, |
| 24Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” | 24and provide mounts for Paul to ride so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor." |
| 25And he wrote a letter to this effect: | 25He wrote a letter that went like this: |
| 26“Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. | 26Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings. |
| 27This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. | 27This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I came up with the detachment and rescued him, because I had learned that he was a Roman citizen. |
| 28And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. | 28Since I wanted to know what charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down to their council. |
| 29I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. | 29I found he was accused with reference to controversial questions about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. |
| 30And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.” | 30When I was informed there would be a plot against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges against him before you. |
| 31So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. | 31So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him to Antipatris during the night. |
| 32And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. | 32The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. |
| 33When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. | 33When the horsemen came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. |
| 34On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, | 34When the governor had read the letter, he asked what province he was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia, |
| 35he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s praetorium. | 35he said, "I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive too." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace. |
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