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The Webster Bible WBT
1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”
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And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men, brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
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And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him, to strike him on the mouth.
3 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!”
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Then said Paul to him, God shall smite thee, [thou] whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”
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And they that stood by, said, Revilest thou God's high priest
5 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.’ ”
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Then said Paul, I knew not, brethren, that he is the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
6 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.”
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But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
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And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
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For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9 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?”
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And there arose a great cry: and the scribes [that were] of the Pharisees' part arose, and contended, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
10 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.
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And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul would have been pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring [him] into the castle.
11 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.”
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And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified concerning me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear testimony also at Rome.
12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
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And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 More than forty men were involved in this plot.
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And they were more than forty who had made this conspiracy.
14 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.
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And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul
15 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.”
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Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain, that he bring him down to you to-morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, before he shall come near, are ready to kill him.
16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
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And when the son of Paul's sister heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
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Then Paul called one of the centurions to [him], and said, Bring this young man to the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
18 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.”
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So he took him, and brought [him] to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to [him], and prayed me to bring this young man to thee, who hath something to say to thee.
19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
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Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went [with him] aside privately, and asked [him], What is that thou hast to tell me
20 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.
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And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee, that thou wouldst bring down Paul to-morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat concerning him more perfectly.
21 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.”
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But do not thou yield to them: for there are of them who lie in wait for him more than forty men, who have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now they are ready, looking for a promise from thee
22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
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So the chief captain [then] let the young man depart, and charged [him], [See thou] tell no man that thou hast shown these things to me.
23 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.
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And he called to [him] two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”
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And provide [for them] beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring [him] safe to Felix the governor.
25 He wrote a letter as follows:
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And he wrote a letter after this manner:
26 Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
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Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, [sendeth] greeting.
27 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.
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This man was taken by the Jews, and would have been killed by them: then I came with a body of soldiers, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin.
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And when I would have known the cause for which they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
29 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.
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Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death, or of bonds.
30 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.
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And when it was told to me that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent forthwith to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also, to say before thee what [they had] against him. Farewell.
31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris.
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Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought [him] by night to Antipatris.
32 The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.
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On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.
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Who, when they came to Cesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
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And when the governor had read [the letter], he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that [he was] of Cilicia,
35 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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I will hear thee, said he, when thy accusers also have come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment-hall.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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