The Lantern

Acts23

Paul before the Sanhedrin

And Paul, having looked intently at the Council, said, “Men, brothers, I myself have lived as a citizen to God in all good conscience unto this day.”

Then the high priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike his mouth.

Then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, whitewashed wall! And do you yourself sit judging me according to the law, and, violating the law, you command me to be struck?”

And those standing by said, “Do you insult the high priest of God?”

And Paul was saying, “I had not known, brothers, that he is high priest; for it has been written that, ‘You will not speak evil of the ruler of your people.’”

And Paul, having known that the one part consists of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees, was crying out in the Council, “Men, brothers, I myself am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I myself am judged.”

And on his saying this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.

For Sadducees indeed say there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; but Pharisees confess them both.

And a great clamour arose; and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees, having risen up, were contending, saying, “We find nothing evil in this man. But what if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel —”

And when great dissension was arising, the commander, having feared lest Paul be torn to pieces by them, commanded the troop, having gone down, to take him by force from the midst of them and to bring him into the barracks.

But on the following night the Lord, having stood by him, said, “Take courage; for as you have fully testified the things about Me at Jerusalem, thus it behooves you to testify in Rome also.”

The Plot to Kill Paul

And when it was becoming day, the Jews, having made a conspiracy, put themselves under an oath, declaring neither to eat nor to drink until they should kill Paul.

And there were more than forty who had made this plot;

who, having come to the chief priests and to the elders, said, “With an oath we have bound ourselves to eat nothing until we may kill Paul.

Now therefore you yourselves, along with the Council, make a report to the commander, so that he may bring him down to you, as being about to examine more earnestly the things about him; and we ourselves, before his drawing near, are ready to execute him.”

But the son of Paul’s sister, having heard of the ambush, having come near and having entered into the barracks, reported it to Paul.

And Paul, having called to him one of the centurions, was saying, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.”

He therefore, having taken him, brought him to the commander and says, “The prisoner Paul, having called me to him, asked me to lead this young man to you, having something to say to you.”

And the commander, having taken hold of his hand and having withdrawn in private, was inquiring, “What is it that you have to report to me?”

And he said that, “The Jews have agreed to ask you that tomorrow you may bring Paul down into the Council, as it being about to inquire something more earnestly about him.

You yourself therefore, do not be persuaded by them; for more than forty men of them lie in wait for him, who put themselves under an oath neither to eat nor to drink until they may execute him; and now they are ready, awaiting the promise from you.”

The commander therefore dismissed the young man, having instructed him, “Tell no one that you reported these things to me.”

Paul Sent to Felix

And having called to him two certain of the centurions, he said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, so that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, for the third hour of the night,

providing mounts also, so that having set Paul upon them they may bring him safely to Felix the governor,”

having written a letter having this form:

“Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greeting.

This man, having been seized by the Jews and being about to be executed by them, having come up with the troop, I rescued, having learned that he is a Roman.

And resolving to know the charge on account of which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council;

whom I found being accused concerning questions of their law, but having no accusation worthy of death or of chains.

And when a plot against the man was disclosed to me as going to happen, I sent him at once to you, having instructed the accusers also to speak the things against him before you.”

The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, having taken Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris.

And on the next day, having allowed the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the barracks;

who, having entered into Caesarea and having delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.

And having read it, and having asked from what province he is, and having learned that he is from Cilicia,

“I will hear you fully,” he was saying, “when your accusers also may have arrived” — having commanded him to be guarded in the Praetorium of Herod.