"
23:7 These words of his caused an angry dispute between the
Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly took different
sides.
23:8 For the Sadducees maintain that there is no resurrection,
and neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge the
existence of both.
23:9 So there arose a great uproar; and some of the Scribes
belonging to the sect of the Pharisees sprang to their feet and
fiercely contended, saying, "We find no harm in the man. /1
What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel----!"
23:10 But when the struggle was becoming violent, the Tribune,
fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by the people,
ordered the troops to go down and take him from among them by
force and bring him into the barracks.
23:11 The following night the Lord came and stood at Paul's
side, and said, "Be of good courage, for as you have borne
faithful witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear
witness in Rome."
23:12 Now, when daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and
solemnly swore not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul.
23:13 There were more than forty of them who bound themselves by
this oath.
23:14 They went to the High Priests and Elders and said to them,
"We have bound ourselves under a heavy curse /2 to take no food
till we have killed Paul.
23:15 Now therefore you and the Sanhedrin should make
representations to the Tribune for him to bring him down to
you, under the impression that you intend to inquire more
minutely about him; and we are prepared to assassinate him
before he comes near the place."
23:16 But Paul's sister's son heard of the intended attack upon
him. So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about
it;
23:17 and Paul called one of the Captains and said, "Take this
young man to the Tribune, for he has information to give him."
23:18 So he took him and brought him to the Tribune, and said,
"Paul, the prisoner, called me to him and begged me to bring
this youth to you, because he has something to say to you."
23:19 Then the Tribune, taking him by the /1 arm, withdrew /2
out of the hearing of others and asked him, "What have you to
tell me?"
23:20 "The Jews," he replied, "have agreed to request you to
bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin to-morrow for the purpose of
making yourself more accurately acquainted with the case.
23:21 I beg you not to comply; for more than forty men among
them are lying in wait for him, who have solemnly vowed that
they will neither eat nor drink till they have assassinated
him; and even now they are ready, in anticipation of receiving
that promise of you."
23:22 So the Tribune sent the youth home, cautioning him. "Do
not let any one know that you have given me this information,"
he said.
23:23 Then, calling to him two of the Captains, he gave his
orders. "Get ready two hundred men," he said, "to march to
Caesarea, with seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry,
starting at nine o'clock to-night."
23:24 He further told them to provide /3 horses to mount Paul
on, so as to bring him safely to Felix the Governor.
23:25 He also wrote a letter of which these were the /4
contents:
23:26 "Claudius Lysias to his Excellency, Felix the Governor:
all good wishes.
23:27 This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and they were
on the point of killing him, when I came upon them with the
troops and rescued him, for I had been informed that he was a
Roman citizen.
23:28 And, wishing to know with certainty the offense of which
they were accusing him, I brought him down into their
Sanhedrin,
23:29 and I discovered that the charge had to do with questions
of their Law, but that he was accused of nothing for which he
deserves death or imprisonment.
23:30 But now that I have received information of an intended
attack upon him, I immediately send him to you, directing his
accusers also to state before you the case they have against
him."
23:31 So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took Paul
and brought him by night as far as Antipatris.
23:32 The next day the infantry returned to the barracks,
leaving the cavalry to proceed with him;
23:33 and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the
letter to the Governor, they brought Paul also to him.
23:34 Felix, after reading the letter, inquired from what
province he was; and being told "from Cilicia,"
23:35 he said, "I will hear all you have to say, when your
accusers also have come." And he ordered him to be detained in
custody in Herod's Palace.
24:1 /1 Five days after this, Ananias the High Priest came down
to Caesarea with a number of Elders and a pleader called
Tertullus. They stated to the Governor the case against Paul.
24:2 So Paul was sent for, and Tertullus began to impeach him as
follows: "Indebted as we are," he said, "to you, most noble
Felix, for the perfect peace which we enjoy, and for reforms
which your wisdom has introduced to this nation,
24:3 in every instance and in every place we accept them with
profound gratitude.
24:4 But--not to detain you too long--I beg you in your
forbearance to listen to a brief statement from us.
24:5 For we have found this man Paul a source of mischief and a
disturber of the peace among all the Jews throughout the
Empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.
24:6 He even attempted to profane the Temple, but we arrested
him.
24:7 /2 []
24:8 You, however, by examining him, will yourself be able to
learn the truth as to all this which we allege against him."
24:9 The Jews also /3 joined in the charge, maintaining that
these were facts.
24:10 Then, at /4 a sign from the Governor, Paul answered,
"Knowing, /5 Sir, that for many years you have administered
justice to this nation, I cheerfully make my defence.
24:11 For you have it in your power to ascertain that it is not
more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship in
Jerusalem;
24:12 and that neither in the Temple nor in the synagogues, nor
anywhere in the city, did they find me disputing with any
opponent or collecting a crowd about me.
24:13 Nor can they /1 prove the charges which they are now
bringing against me.
24:14 But this I confess to you--that in the way which they
style a heresy, I worship the God of our forefathers, believing
everything that is taught in the Law or is written in the
Prophets,
24:15 and having a hope directed towards God, which my accusers
themselves also entertain, that before long there will be a