Acts 23:1-18 ▼

1 And Paul having earnestly beheld the Sanhedrin, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived to God in all good conscience to this day”;

2 and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike him on the mouth,

3 then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall, and you sit judging me according to the Law, and violating law, order me to be struck!”

4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile the chief priest of God?”

5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he is chief priest, for it has been written: You will not speak evil of the ruler of your people”;

6 and Paul having known that one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee—son of a Pharisee—concerning [the] hope and resurrection of [the] dead I am judged.”

7 And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,

8 for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no resurrection, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.

9 And there came a great cry, and the scribes of the Pharisees’ part having arisen, were striving, saying, “We find no evil in this man; and if a spirit spoke to him, or a messenger, we may not fight against God”;

10 and a great dissension having come, the chief captain having been afraid lest Paul may be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the army, having gone down, to seize him out of their midst, and to bring [him] into the stronghold.

11 And on the following night, the LORD having stood by him, said, “Take courage, Paul, for as you fully testified [to] the things concerning Me at Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome.”

12 And day having come, certain of the Jews having made a concourse, cursed themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink until they may kill Paul;

13 and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,

14 who having come near to the chief priests and to the elders said, “With a curse we accursed ourselves—to taste nothing until we have killed Paul;

15 now, therefore, you, signify to the chief captain, with the Sanhedrin, that tomorrow he may bring him down to you, as being about to know more exactly the things concerning him; and we, before his coming near, are ready to put him to death.”

16 And the son of Paul’s sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the stronghold, told Paul,

17 and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, “Lead this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell him.”

18 He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him to the chief captain and says, “The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked [me] to bring to you this young man, having something to say to you.”