| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 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 straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day." |
| 2And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. | 2At this 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 will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!" |
| 4Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” | 4Those who were standing near Paul said, "How dare you 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, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: 'Do not speak evil about the 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 Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of 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, a dispute broke out 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(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) |
| 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 uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong with this man," they said. "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. | 10The dispute became so violent that the 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 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, "Take courage! 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. | 12The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. |
| 13There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. | 13More than forty men were involved in this plot. |
| 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 taken a solemn oath not to eat 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.” | 15Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here." |
| 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 of this plot, he went into 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.” | 17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell 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 he took him to the commander. The centurion said, "Paul, the prisoner, sent for 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 commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, "What is it you want to tell 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 said: "Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information 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.” | 21Don't give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request." |
| 22So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.” | 22The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: "Don't tell anyone that you have reported this 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 called two of his centurions and ordered them, "Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. |
| 24Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” | 24Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix." |
| 25And he wrote a letter to this effect: | 25He wrote a letter as follows: |
| 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, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. |
| 28And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. | 28I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. |
| 29I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. | 29I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that 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 of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him. |
| 31So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. | 31So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. |
| 32And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. | 32The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while 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 cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. |
| 34On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, | 34The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning 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 hear your case when your accusers get here." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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