Acts 23 NLT ISV Parallel

◄ Acts 23 ►

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1Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”

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."

2Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth.

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

3But Paul said to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”

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?"

4Those standing near Paul said to him, “Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?”

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

5“I’m sorry, brothers. I didn’t realize he was the high priest,” Paul replied, “for the Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any of your rulers.’ ”

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.'"

6Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”

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."

7This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees—

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

8for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these.

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.

9So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. “We see nothing wrong with him,” they shouted. “Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him.”

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?"

10As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.

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.

11That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.” The Plan to Kill Paul

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."

12The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

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

13There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy.

13More than 40 men formed this conspiracy.

14They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

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.

15So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.”

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."

16But Paul’s nephew—his sister’s son—heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul.

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

17Paul called for one of the Roman officers and said, “Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him.”

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

18So the officer did, explaining, “Paul, the prisoner, called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

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."

19The commander took his hand, led him aside, and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

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

20Paul’s nephew told him, “Some Jews are going to ask you to bring Paul before the high council tomorrow, pretending they want to get some more information.

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.

21But don’t do it! There are more than forty men hiding along the way ready to ambush him. They have vowed not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent.”

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."

22“Don’t let anyone know you told me this,” the commander warned the young man. Paul Is Sent to Caesarea

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

23Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops.

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.

24Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.”

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

25Then he wrote this letter to the governor:

25He wrote a letter with this message:

26“From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!

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

27“This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety.

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.

28Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him.

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

29I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law—certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death.

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

30But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you.”

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."

31So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris.

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

32They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea.

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

33When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix.

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

34He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered.

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

35“I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive,” the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herod’s headquarters.

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

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