| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!” | 1Paul looked directly at the council and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God to this day." |
| 2Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth. | 2At that the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul 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?” | 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 standing near Paul said to him, “Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?” | 4Those standing near him said, "Do you dare 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 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.'" |
| 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!” | 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!" |
| 7This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees— | 7When he said this, an argument began 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. | 8(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) |
| 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 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?" |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 | 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 a group of Jews got together 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. |
| 13There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. | 13There were more than forty of them who 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 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. |
| 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.” | 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 Paul’s nephew—his sister’s son—heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul. | 16But when the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered 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.” | 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 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 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 his hand, led 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?" |
| 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 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 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.” | 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." |
| 22“Don’t let anyone know you told me this,” the commander warned the young man. Paul Is Sent to Caesarea | 22Then the commanding officer sent the young man away, directing him, "Tell no one that you have reported these things to me." |
| 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 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 to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.” | 24and provide mounts for Paul to ride so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor." |
| 25Then he wrote this letter to the governor: | 25He wrote a letter that went like this: |
| 26“From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings! | 26Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings. |
| 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 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. |
| 28Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him. | 28Since I wanted to know what charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down to their council. |
| 29I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law—certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death. | 29I found he was accused with reference to controversial questions about their law, but no charge against him deserved 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.” | 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 that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris. | 31So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him to Antipatris during the night. |
| 32They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea. | 32The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. |
| 33When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix. | 33When the horsemen came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. |
| 34He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered. | 34When the governor had read the letter, he asked what province he was from. When he learned 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 give you a hearing when your accusers arrive too." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace. |
|
