International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Paul looked straight at the Council and said, "Brothers, with a clear conscience I have done my duty before God up to this very day."

1Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day."

2Then the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near him to strike him on the mouth.

2The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth.

3At this Paul told him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"

3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"

4The men standing near him asked, "Do you mean to insult God's high priest?"

4But the bystanders said, "Do you revile God's high priest?"

5Paul answered, "I didn't realize, brothers, that he is the high priest. After all, it is written, 'You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.'"

5And Paul said, "I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.'"

6When Paul saw that some of them were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he shouted in the Council, "Brothers, I'm a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I'm on trial concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected."

6But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!"

7After he said that, an angry quarrel broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided,

7As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8because the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection and that there is no such thing as an angel or spirit, but the Pharisees believe in all those things.

8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

9There was a great deal of shouting until some of the scribes who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and argued forcefully, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"

9And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, "We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"

10The quarrel was becoming violent, and the tribune was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he ordered the soldiers to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

10And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

11That night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Have courage! For just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, you must testify in Rome, too."

11But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, "Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also."

12In the morning, the Jewish leaders formed a conspiracy and took an oath not to eat or drink anything before they had killed Paul.

12When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

13More than 40 men formed this conspiracy.

13There were more than forty who formed this plot.

14They went to the high priests and elders and said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to taste any food before we have killed Paul.

14They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

15Now then, you and the Council must notify the tribune to bring him down to you on the pretext that you want to look into his case more carefully, but before he arrives we'll be ready to kill him."

15"Now therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place."

16But the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, so he came and got into the barracks and told Paul.

16But the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.

17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the tribune, because he has something to tell him."

17Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, "Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him."

18So the centurion took him, brought him to the tribune, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you."

18So he took him and led him to the commander and said, "Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you."

19The tribune took him by the hand, stepped aside to be alone with him, and asked, "What have you got to tell me?"

19The 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?"

20He answered, "The Jewish leaders have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Council tomorrow as though they were going to examine his case more carefully.

20And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.

21Don't believe them, because more than 40 of them are planning to ambush him. They've taken an oath not to eat or drink before they've killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent."

21"So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you."

22The tribune dismissed the young man and ordered him not to tell anyone that he had notified him.

22So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, "Tell no one that you have notified me of these things."

23Then he summoned two centurions and ordered, "Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight, along with 70 mounted soldiers and 200 soldiers with spears.

23And he called to him two of the centurions and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen."

24Provide a mount for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix."

24They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

25He wrote a letter with this message:

25And he wrote a letter having this form:

26"From: Claudius Lysias To: Governor Felix Greetings, Your Excellency:

26"Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.

27This man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I went with the guard and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.

27"When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

28I wanted to know the exact charge they were making against him, so I had him brought before their Council.

28"And wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Council;

29I found that, although he was charged with questions about their Law, there was no charge against him deserving death or imprisonment.

29and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.

30Since a plot against the man has been reported to me, I'm sending him to you at once, and I've also ordered his accusers to present their charges against him before you."

30"When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you."

31So the soldiers, in keeping with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

31So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32The next day, they let the horsemen ride with Paul while they returned to their barracks.

32But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks.

33When these men came to Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.

33When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

34After reading the letter, the governor asked which province Paul was from. On learning that he was from Cilicia,

34When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia,

35he said, "I will hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered Paul to be kept in custody in Herod's palace.

35he said, "I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also," giving orders for him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.

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