| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience 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." |
| 2At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul 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 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!" | 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 were standing near Paul said, "How dare you insult God's high priest!" | 4Those standing near him said, "Do you dare insult God's high priest?" |
| 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.'" | 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.'" |
| 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." | 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!" |
| 7When he said this, a dispute broke out 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. |
| 8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) | 8(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 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. | 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 near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify 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." |
| 12The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until 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. |
| 13More than forty men were involved in this plot. | 13There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. |
| 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. | 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 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." | 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." |
| 16But when the son of Paul's sister heard of this plot, he went into 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. |
| 17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander; 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 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." | 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 commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, "What is it you want 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?" |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 22The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: "Don't tell anyone that you have reported this to me." | 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 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. | 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, |
| 24Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix." | 24and provide mounts for Paul to ride so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor." |
| 25He wrote a letter as follows: | 25He wrote a letter that went like this: |
| 26Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings. | 26Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 28I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. | 28Since I wanted to know what charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down to their council. |
| 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. | 29I found he was accused with reference to controversial questions about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. |
| 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. | 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, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. | 31So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him to Antipatris during the night. |
| 32The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. | 32The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. |
| 33When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. | 33When the horsemen came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. |
| 34The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning 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 hear your case when your accusers get here." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace. | 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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