NASB — Acts 23 — KJV

Paul before the Council

1 Paul°, looking° intently° at athe ICouncil°, said°, “bBrethren°°, cI have IIlived° my life° with a perfectly° good° conscience° before God° up to this° day°.” 2 The high° priest° aAnanias° commanded° those° standing° beside° him bto strike° him on the mouth°. 3 Then° Paul° said° to him, “God° is going° to strike° you, ayou whitewashed° wall°! Do you bsit° to try° me according° to the Law°, and in violation° of the Law° order° me to be struck°?” 4 But the bystanders° said°, “Do you revile° God’s° high° priest°?” 5 And Paul° said°, “I was not aware°, brethren°, that he was high° priest°; for it is written°, ‘aYOU SHALL NOT SPEAK° EVIL° OF A RULER° OF YOUR PEOPLE°.’”

[1] IOr Sanhedrin IIOr conducted myself as a citizen aAc 22:30; 23:6, 15, 20, 28 bAc 22:5 cAc 24:16; 2Co 1:12; 2Ti 1:3
[2] aAc 24:1 bJn 18:22
[3] aMt 23:27 bLv 19:15; Dt 25:2; Jn 7:51
[5] aEx 22:28

6 ¶ But perceiving° that one° group° were aSadducees° and the other° Pharisees°, Paul° [began] crying° out in bthe ICouncil°, “cBrethren°°, dI am° a Pharisee°, a son° of Pharisees°; I am on trial° for ethe hope° and resurrection° of the dead°!” 7 As he said° this°, there occurred° a dissension° between the Pharisees° and Sadducees°, and the assembly° was divided°. 8 For athe Sadducees° say° that there is no° resurrection°, nor° an angel°, nor° a spirit°, but the Pharisees° acknowledge° them all°. 9 And there occurred° a great° uproar°; and some° of athe scribes° of the Pharisaic° party° stood° up and [began] to argue° heatedly°, saying°, “bWe find° nothing° wrong° with this° man°; csuppose°° a spirit° or° an angel° has spoken° to him?” 10 And as a great° dissension° was developing°, the Icommander° was afraid° Paul° would be torn° to pieces° by them and ordered° the troops° to go° down° and take° him away° from them by force°, and bring° him into athe barracks°.

[6] IOr Sanhedrin aMt 3:7; 22:23 bAc 22:30; 23:1, 15, 20, 28 cAc 22:5 dAc 26:5; Php 3:5 eAc 24:15, 21; 26:8
[8] aMt 22:23; Mk 12:18; Lk 20:27
[9] aMk 2:16; Lk 5:30 bAc 23:29 cJn 12:29; Ac 22:6ff
[10] II.e. chiliarch, in command of one thousand troops aAc 21:34; 23:16, 32

11 ¶ But on athe night° [immediately] following°, the Lord° stood° at his side and said°, bTake° courage°; for cas you have dsolemnly° witnessed° to My cause°° at Jerusalem°, so° you must° witness° at Rome° also°.”

[11] aAc 18:9 bMt 9:2 cAc 19:21 dLk 16:28; Ac 28:23

A Conspiracy to Kill Paul

12 ¶ When it was day°, athe Jews° formed° a Iconspiracy° and bbound° themselves° under° an oath°, saying° that they would neither° eat° nor° drink° until° they had killed° Paul°. 13 There were more° than forty° who formed° this° plot°. 14 They came° to the chief° priests° and the elders° and said°, “We have abound° ourselves° under° a solemn° oath° to taste° nothing° until° we have killed° Paul°. 15 Now° therefore°, you Iand athe IICouncil° notify° the IIIcommander° to bring° him down° to you, as though° you were going° to determine° his case°° by a more° thorough° investigation°; and we for our part are ready° to slay° him before° he comes° near° [the place].”

[12] IOr mob aAc 9:23; 23:30; 1Th 2:16 bAc 23:14, 21
[14] aAc 23:12, 21
[15] ILit with IIOr Sanhedrin IIIV 10, note 1 aAc 22:30; 23:1, 6, 20, 28

16 ¶ But the son° of Paul’s° sister° heard° of their ambush°, Iand he came° and entered° athe barracks° and told° Paul°. 17 Paul° called° one° of the centurions° to him and said°, “Lead° this° young° man° to the Icommander°, for he has° something° to report° to him.” 18 So° he took° him and led° him to the Icommander° and *said°, “Paul° athe prisoner° called° me to him and asked° me to lead° this° young° man° to you since he has° something° to tell° you.” 19 The Icommander° took° him by the hand° and stepping° aside°, [began] to inquire° of him privately°°, “What° is it that you have° to report° to me?” 20 And he said°, “aThe Jews° have agreed° to ask° you to bring° Paul° down° tomorrow° to bthe ICouncil°, as though° they were going° to inquire° somewhat° more° thoroughly° about° him. 21 So° do not Ilisten° to them, for more° than forty° of them are alying° in wait° for him who° have bbound° themselves° under° a curse° not to eat° or° drink° until° they slay° him; and now° they are ready° and waiting° for the promise° from you.” 22 So° the Icommander° let° the young° man° go°, instructing° him, “Tell° no° one° that you have notified° me of these° things°.”

[16] IOr having been present with them, and he entered aAc 21:34; 23:10, 32
[17] IV 10, note 1
[18] IV 10, note 1 aEp 3:1
[19] IV 10, note 1
[20] IOr Sanhedrin aAc 23:14f bAc 22:30; 23:1, 6, 15, 28
[21] ILit be persuaded by them aAc 23:12, 14 bLk 11:54
[22] IV 10, note 1

Paul Moved to Caesarea

23 And he called° to him two° of the centurions° and said°, “Get° two° hundred° soldiers° ready° by Ithe third° hour° of the night° to proceed° to aCaesarea°, IIwith seventy° horsemen° and two° hundred° IIIspearmen°.” 24 [They were] also° to provide° mounts° to put° Paul° on and bring° him safely° to aFelix° the governor°. 25 And he wrote° a letter° having° this° form°:

[23] II.e. 9 p.m. IILit and IIIOr slingers or bowmen aAc 8:40; 23:33
[24] aAc 23:26, 33; 24:1, 3, 10; 25:14

    26 ¶ “Claudius° Lysias°, to the amost° excellent° governor° Felix°, bgreetings°.

[26] aLk 1:3; Ac 24:3; 26:25 bAc 15:23

    27 ¶ “When this° man° was arrested° by the Jews° and was about° to be slain° by them, aI came° up to them with the troops° and rescued° him, bhaving learned° that he was a Roman°.
    28 “And awanting° to ascertain° the charge° for which° they were accusing° him, I bbrought° him down° to their IcCouncil°;
    29 and I found° him to be accused° over° aquestions° about° their Law°, but Iunder° bno° accusation° deserving° death° or° IIimprisonment°.

[27] aAc 21:32f bAc 22:25-29
[28] IOr Sanhedrin aAc 22:30 bAc 23:10 cAc 23:1
[29] ILit having IILit bonds aAc 18:15; 25:19 bAc 23:9; 25:25; 26:31; 28:18

    30 ¶ “When I was ainformed° that there would be ba plot° against° the man°, I sent° him to you at once°, also° instructing° chis accusers° to Ibring° charges° against° him before° you.”

[30] ILit speak against him aAc 23:20f bAc 9:24; 23:12 cAc 23:35; 24:19; 25:16

31 ¶ So° the soldiers°, in accordance° with their orders°, took° Paul° and brought° him by night° to Antipatris°. 32 But the next° day°, leaving° athe horsemen° to go° on with him, they returned° to bthe barracks°. 33 When these° had come° to aCaesarea° and delivered° the letter° to bthe governor°, they also° presented° Paul° to him. 34 When he had read° it, he asked° from what° aprovince° he was, and when he learned° that bhe was from Cilicia°, 35 he said°, “I will give° you a hearing° after° your aaccusers° arrive° also°,” giving° orders° for him to be bkept° in Herod’s° IPraetorium°.

[32] aAc 23:23 bAc 23:10
[33] aAc 8:40; 23:23 bAc 23:24, 26; 24:1, 3, 10; 25:14
[34] aAc 25:1 bAc 6:9; 21:39
[35] II.e. governor’s official residence aAc 23:30; 24:19; 25:16 bAc 24:27


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As Paul pleadeth his cause,

1 ¶ Andº Paul,º earnestly beholdingºª the² council,º said,ºª Menº [and] brethren,º Iº have livedºª in allº goodº conscienceº before Godº untilº thisº day.º

[1] Pv 28:1; Ac 6:15; 22:1, 5; 23:6; 24:16; 1Co 4:4; 2Co 1:12; 4:2; 2Ti 1:3; He 13:18; 1P 3:16.

Ananias conmmandeth them to smite him.

2 Andº the² high priestº Ananiasº commandedºª them that stood byºª himº to smiteºª him¹² on the² mouth.º 3 Thenº saidºª Paulº untoº him,º Godº shallºª smiteºª thee,º [thou] whitedºª wall:º forº sittestºª thouº to judgeºª meº afterº the² law,º andº commandestºª meº to be smittenºª contrary to the law?ºª 4 Andº they that stood byºª said,ºª Revilest² thou¹ª God'sº high priest?º 5 Thenº saidºª Paul,º I wistºª not,º brethren,º thatº he wasºª the high priest:º forº it is written,ºª Thou shalt¹ª notº speakºª evilº of the rulerº of thyº people.º 6 Butº when Paulº perceivedºª thatº the² oneº partº wereºª Sadducees,º andº the² otherº Pharisees,º he cried outºª inº the² council,º Menº [and] brethren,º Iº amºª a Pharisee,º the sonº of a Pharisee:º ofº the hopeº andº resurrectionº of the deadº Iº am called in question.ºª

[2] 1K 22:24; Jr 20:2; Mi 5:1; Mt 26:67; Jn 18:22; Ac 24:1.
[3] Lv 19:35; Dt 25:1; Ps 58:1; 82:1; 94:20; Ec 3:16; Am 5:7; Mi 3:8; Mt 23:27; Jn 7:51; 18:24.
[5] Ex 22:28; Ec 10:20; Ac 24:17; 2P 2:10; Jde 1:8.
[6] Mt 10:16; Ac 24:15, 21; 26:5, 6; 28:20; Php 3:5.

Dissension among his accusers.

7 Andº when heº had¹ª soº said,ºª there aroseºª a dissensionº between the² Phariseesº andº the² Sadducees:º andº the² multitudeº was divided.ºª 8 Forº¹ the² Sadduceesº sayºª that there isºª noº resurrection,º neitherº angel,º norº spirit:º butº the Phariseesº confessºª both.º 9 Andº there aroseºª a greatº cry:º andº the² scribesº [that were] of the² Pharisees'º partº arose,ºª and strove,ºª saying,ºª We findºª noº evilº inº thisº man:º butº ifº a spiritº orº an angelº hath spokenºª to him,º let us¹ª notº fight¹ª against God.² 10 Andº when there aroseºª a greatº dissension,º the² chief captain,º fearingºª lestº Paulº should have been pulled in piecesºª ofº them,º commandedºª the² soldiersº to go down,ºª and to take¹ª him¹ by forceºª² fromº amongº them,¹² andº to bringºª [him] intoº the² castle.º

[7] Ps 55:9; Mt 10:34; Jn 7:40; Ac 14:4.
[8] Mt 22:23; Mk 12:18; Lk 20:27; Ac 4:1.
[9] 1S 24:17; Pv 16:7; Lk 23:4, 14, 22; Jn 12:29; Ac 5:39; 9:4; 11:17; 22:7, 17; 23:8; 25:25; 26:14, 31; 27:23; 1Co 10:22.
[10] Ps 7:2; 50:22; Mi 3:3; Ac 19:28; 21:30; 22:24; 23:27; Jm 1:19; 3:14; 4:1.

God encourageth him.

11 Andº the² nightº followingºª the² Lordº stood byºª him,º and said,ºª Be of good cheer,ºª Paul:º forº asº thou hast testifiedºª ofº meº in¹² Jerusalem,º soº mustºª thouº bear witnessºª alsoº atº Rome.º 12 Andº when it wasºª day,º certainº of the² Jewsº banded together,ººª and bound¹ª themselves¹ under a curse,ºª² sayingºª that they would¹ª neitherº eatºª norº drinkºª tillº¹ they had² killedºª Paul.º 13 Andº they wereºª more² than¹ fortyº which¹ had madeºª thisº conspiracy.º

[11] Ps 46:1; 109:31; Is 41:10, 14; 43:2; 46:10; Jr 15:19; Mt 9:2; 14:27; 28:20; Jn 11:8; 14:18; 16:33; Ac 2:25; 18:9; 19:21; 20:22; 22:18; 27:22, 23, 25; 28:23, 30; Ro 1:15; 2Co 1:8; Php 1:13; 2Ti 4:17.
[12] Lv 27:29; Jsh 6:26; 7:1, 15; 1S 14:24, 27, 40; 1K 19:2; 2K 6:31; Ne 10:29; Ps 2:1; 31:13; 64:2; Is 8:9; Jr 11:19; Mt 26:4, 74; 27:25; Mk 6:23; Ac 23:21, 30; 25:2, 3; 1Co 16:22; Ga 3:13.
[13] 2S 15:12, 31; Jn 16:2.

The Jews' laying wait for Paul,

14 And theyº came² to¹ª the² chief priestsº andº elders,º and said,ºª We have bound¹ª ourselves¹ under a great curse,º²² that we will eatºª nothingº untilº¹ we have² slainºª Paul.º 15 Nowº thereforeº yeº withº the² councilº signifyºª to the² chief captainº thatº he bring¹ª him¹ downºª² untoº youº to morrow,º as¹ though² ye wouldºª enquireºª something more perfectlyº concerningº him:º andº we,º or everº heº come near,ºª areºª readyº to killºª him.º 16 Andº when Paul'sº sister'sº sonº heardºª of their lying in wait,º he wentºª andº enteredºª intoº the² castle,º and toldºª Paul.º 17 Thenº Paulº called¹ª one¹ of the centurions¹ unto²²²² [him], and said,ºª Bringºª thisº young manº untoº the² chief captain:º forº he hathºª a certain thingº to tellºª him.º 18 Soº¹ he²² tookºª him,º and broughtºª [him] toº the² chief captain,º andº said,ºª Paulº the² prisonerº called¹ª me¹ unto²² [him], and prayed² me¹ª to bringºª thisº young manº untoº thee,º who hathºª somethingº to sayºª unto thee.º 19 Thenº the² chief captainº tookºª him¹² by the² hand,º andº went [with him] asideºª privately,ºº and askedºª [him], Whatº isºª thatº thou hastºª to tellºª me?º

[14] Ps 52:1; Is 3:9; Jr 6:15; 8:12; Ho 4:9; Mi 7:3.
[15] Ps 21:11; 37:32; Pv 1:11, 16; 4:16; Is 59:7; Ac 25:3; Ro 3:14.
[16] 2S 17:17; Jb 5:13; Pv 21:30; Lm 3:37; 1Co 3:19.
[17] Pv 22:3; Mt 8:8; 10:16; Ac 22:26; 23:23.
[18] Gn 40:14; Lk 7:40; Ac 16:25; 27:1; 28:17; Ep 3:1; 4:1; Phm 1:9.
[19] Ne 2:4; Es 5:3; 7:2; 9:12; Jr 31:32; Mk 8:23; 9:27; 10:51.

is declared unto the chief captain.

20 Andº he said,ºª¹ The² Jewsº have agreedºª to desireºª theeº thatº thou wouldest bring downºª Paulº to morrowº intoº the² council,º as¹ though² they wouldºª enquireºª somewhatº ofº himº more perfectly.º 21 Butº do¹ª notº thouº yieldºª unto them:º forº there lie in wait² for¹ª himº ofº themº more² than¹ fortyº men,º whichº have bound¹ª themselves¹ with an oath,ºª² that they will¹ª neitherº eatºª norº drinkºª tillº¹ they have² killedºª him:º andº nowº are² they¹ª ready,º looking forºª a promiseº fromº thee.º 22 Soº¹ the² chief captainº [then]² let¹ª the young man¹ depart,ºª²² and chargedºª [him, See thou] tellºª no manº thatº thou hast shewedºª these thingsº toº me.º 23 Andº he called untoºª [him]¹ twoº centurions,º saying,ºª Make readyºª two hundredº soldiers¹² toº goºª toº Caesarea,º andº horsemenº threescore and ten,º andº spearmenº two hundred,º atº the thirdº hourº of the² night;º 24 Andº provideºª [them] beasts,º thatº they may set¹ª Paul¹ on,ºª² and bring [him] safeºª untoº Felixº the² governor.º 25 And he wroteºª a letterº afterºª thisº manner:º 26 Claudiusº Lysiasº unto the² most excellentº governorº Felixº [sendeth] greeting.ºª

[20] Ps 12:2; Dn 6:5; Ac 23:12, 15.
[21] Ex 23:2; Ac 9:23; 14:5; 20:19; 23:12, 14; 25:3; Ro 9:3; 2Co 11:26, 32.
[22] Jsh 2:14; Mk 1:44.
[23] Mt 14:25; Lk 12:38; Ac 23:17.
[24] Ne 2:12; Es 8:12; Mt 27:2; Lk 3:1; 10:34; Ac 23:26, 33; 24:3, 10, 22; 25:14.
[26] Lk 1:3; Ac 15:23; 24:3; 26:25; Jm 1:1; 3Jn 1:14.

He sendeth him to Felix the governor.

27 Thisº manº was takenºª ofº the² Jews,º andº shouldºª have been killedºª ofº them:º then came² I¹ª withº an army,º and rescuedºª him,º having understoodºª thatº he wasºª a Roman.º 28 Andº when¹ª I wouldºª have knownºª the² causeº whereforeºº they accusedºª him,º I brought¹ª him¹ forthºª² intoº their¹² council:º 29 Whomº I perceivedºª to be accusedºª ofº questionsº of their¹² law,º butº to haveºª nothingº laid to his chargeº worthyº of deathº orº of bonds.º 30 Andº when it was toldºª meº how thatº the² Jewsº laid waitºººªª forº the² man,º I sentºª straightwayº toº thee,º and gave commandmentºª to his accusersº alsoº to sayºª beforeº theeº what² [they had] againstº him.º Farewell.ºª 31 Thenºº the² soldiers,º asº it was commandedºª them,º tookºª Paul,º and broughtºª [him] byº nightº toº Antipatris.º 32 ¹ On² the² morrowº they leftºª the² horsemenº to goºª withº him,º and returnedºª toº the² castle:º 33 Who,º when they cameºª toº Caesarea,º andº deliveredºª the² epistleº to the² governor,º presentedºª Paulº alsoº before him.º 34 Andº when the² governorº had readºª [the letter],¹ he² askedºª ofº whatº provinceº he was.ºª Andº when he understoodºª thatº [he was] ofº Cilicia;º 35 I will hearºª thee,º said² he,¹ª whenº thineº accusersº are¹ª alsoº come.ºª Andº he commandedºª himº to be keptºª inº Herod'sº judgment hall.º

[27] Ac 21:31; 22:25; 23:10; 24:7.
[28] Ac 22:30.
[29] Ac 18:15; 23:6; 24:5, 10; 25:7, 11, 19, 25; 26:31.
[30] Ac 15:29; 23:16; 24:7; 25:5; 2Co 13:11.
[31] Lk 7:8; Ac 23:23; 2Ti 2:3.
[33] Ac 23:25; 28:16.
[34] Es 1:1; 8:9; Dn 2:49; 6:1; Lk 23:6; Ac 15:41; 21:39; 25:1.
[35] Mt 2:1, 3, 16; 27:27; Jn 18:28; Ac 23:30; 24:1, 10, 22, 24; 25:16.


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