| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until 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 will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” | 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?" |
| 4And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” | 4Those standing near him said, "Do you dare insult God's high priest?" |
| 5Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, 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.'" |
| 6But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!” | 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 Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. | 8(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) |
| 9Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.” | 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?" |
| 10Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, 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. |
| 11But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at 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." |
| 12And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither 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. |
| 13Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. | 13There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. |
| 14They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing 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 you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but 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." |
| 16So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, 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. |
| 17Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, 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 commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. 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." |
| 19Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked 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 that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully 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 yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.” | 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 commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” | 22Then the commanding officer sent the young man away, directing him, "Tell no one that you have reported these things to me." |
| 23And he called for two centurions, saying, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to 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, |
| 24and provide mounts to set Paul on, 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." |
| 25He wrote a letter in the following manner: | 25He wrote a letter that went like this: |
| 26Claudius Lysias, To the most excellent 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. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. | 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 when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council. | 28Since I wanted to know what charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down to their council. |
| 29I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. | 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 told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell. | 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. |
| 31Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, 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. |
| 32The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. | 32The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. |
| 33When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. | 33When the horsemen came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. |
| 34And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood 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 you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept 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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