Acts 23 Parallel Bible Translations

Acts 23 ▼
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1 Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have conducted myself with a perfectly clear conscience before God to this day.” And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”
2 The high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike his mouth. And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you indeed sit in judgment upon me according to the law and yet in violation of the law order me to be struck?” Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” Then 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!”
4 The attendants said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”
5 Paul answered, “Brothers, I did not realize he was the high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not curse a ruler of your people.’” And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” Paul 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.’”
6 Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; [I] am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.” Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” Then 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.”
7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided. And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
9 A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, “We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” There 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?”
10 The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound. And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks. The 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.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.” The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” The 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.”
12 When day came, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 There were more than forty who formed this conspiracy. There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. More than forty men were involved in this plot.
14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves by a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. They 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.
15 You, together with the Sanhedrin, must now make an official request to the commander to have him bring him down to you, as though you meant to investigate his case more thoroughly. We on our part are prepared to kill him before he arrives.” Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.” Now 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.”
16 The son of Paul’s sister, however, heard about the ambush; so he went and entered the compound and reported it to Paul. Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Paul then called one of the centurions and requested, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to report to him.” Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and explained, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked that I bring this young man to you; he has something to say to you.” So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” So 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.”
19 The commander took him by the hand, drew him aside, and asked him privately, “What is it you have to report to me?” The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
20 He replied, “The Jews have conspired to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they meant to inquire about him more thoroughly, And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. He 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.
21 but do not believe them. More than forty of them are lying in wait for him; they have bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are now ready and only wait for your consent.” But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” Don’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.”
22 As the commander dismissed the young man he directed him, “Tell no one that you gave me this information.” So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.” The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
23 Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea by nine o’clock tonight, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred auxiliaries. Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. Then 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.
24 Provide mounts for Paul to ride and give him safe conduct to Felix the governor.” Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”
25 Then he wrote a letter with this content: And he wrote a letter to this effect: He wrote a letter as follows:
26 “Claudius Lysias to his excellency the governor Felix, greetings. “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
27 This man, seized by the Jews and about to be murdered by them, I rescued after intervening with my troops when I learned that he was a Roman citizen. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. This 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.
28 I wanted to learn the reason for their accusations against him so I brought him down to their Sanhedrin. And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin.
29 I discovered that he was accused in matters of controversial questions of their law and not of any charge deserving death or imprisonment. I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment.
30 Since it was brought to my attention that there will be a plot against the man, I am sending him to you at once, and have also notified his accusers to state [their case] against him before you.” And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.” When 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.
31 So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris. So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris.
32 The next day they returned to the compound, leaving the horsemen to complete the journey with him. And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.
33 When they arrived in Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him. When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.
34 When he had read it and asked to what province he belonged, and learned that he was from Cilicia, On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
35 he said, “I shall hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that he be held in custody in Herod’s praetorium. he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s praetorium. he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.
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