Parallel Bible results for "acts 23"

Acts 23

New Living Translation NLT

1 Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”

2 Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth.

3 But Paul said to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”

4 Those standing near Paul said to him, “Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?”

5 “I’m sorry, brothers. I didn’t realize he was the high priest,” Paul replied, “for the Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any of your rulers.’ ”

6 Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”

7 This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees—

8 for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these.

9 So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. “We see nothing wrong with him,” they shouted. “Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him.”

10 As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.

11 That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”

12 The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

13 There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy.

14 They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

15 So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.”

16 But Paul’s nephew—his sister’s son—heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul.

17 Paul called for one of the Roman officers and said, “Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him.”

18 So the officer did, explaining, “Paul, the prisoner, called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

19 The commander took his hand, led him aside, and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

20 Paul’s nephew told him, “Some Jews are going to ask you to bring Paul before the high council tomorrow, pretending they want to get some more information.

21 But don’t do it! There are more than forty men hiding along the way ready to ambush him. They have vowed not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent.”

22 “Don’t let anyone know you told me this,” the commander warned the young man.

23 Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops.

24 Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.”

25 Then he wrote this letter to the governor:

26 “From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!

27 “This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety.

28 Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him.

29 I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law—certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death.

30 But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you.”

31 So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris.

32 They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea.

33 When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix.

34 He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered.

35 “I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive,” the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herod’s headquarters.

Common English Bible CEB

1 Paul stared at the council and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life with an altogether clear conscience right up to this very day."

2 The high priest Ananias ordered those standing beside Paul to strike him in the mouth.

3 Then Paul said to him, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit and judge me according to the Law, yet disobey the Law by ordering that I be struck."

4 Those standing near him asked, "You dare to insult God's high priest?"

5 Paul replied, "Brothers, I wasn't aware that he was the high priest. It is written, You will not speak evil about a ruler of your people."

6 Knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, Paul exclaimed in the council, "Brothers, I'm a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I am on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!"

7 These words aroused a dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8 This is because Sadducees say that there's no resurrection, angel, or spirit, but Pharisees affirm them all.

9 Council members were shouting loudly. Some Pharisees who were legal experts stood up and insisted forcefully, "We find nothing wrong with this man! What if a spirit or angel has spoken to him?"

10 The dispute became so heated that the commander feared they might tear Paul to pieces. He ordered soldiers to go down and remove him by force from their midst. Then they took him back to the military headquarters.

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Be encouraged! Just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so too you must testify in Rome."

12 The next morning some Jewish leaders formulated a plot and solemnly promised that they wouldn't eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

13 More than forty people were involved in the conspiracy.

14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have solemnly promised to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

15 You and the council must explain to the commander that you need Paul brought down to you. Pretend that you want to examine his case more closely. We're prepared to kill him before he arrives."

16 Paul's sister had a son who heard about the ambush and he came to the military headquarters and reported it to Paul.

17 Paul called for one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander because he has something to report to him."

18 He took him to the commander and said, "The prisoner Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you."

19 The commander took him by the hand and withdrew to a place where they could speak privately. He asked, "What do you have to report to me?"

20 He replied, "The Jewish leaders have conspired to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow. They will pretend that they want to investigate his case more closely.

21 Don't fall for it! More than forty of them are waiting to ambush him. They have solemnly promised not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, awaiting your consent."

22 The commander dismissed the young man, ordering him, "Don't tell anyone that you brought this to my attention."

23 The commander called two centurions and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight.

24 Have horses ready for Paul to ride, so they may take him safely to Governor Felix."

25 He wrote the following letter:

26 Claudius Lysias, to the most honorable Governor Felix: Greetings.

27 This man was seized by the Jews and was almost killed by them. I was nearby with a unit of soldiers, and I rescued him when I discovered that he was a Roman citizen.

28 I wanted to find out why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their council.

29 I discovered that they were accusing him about questions related to their Law. I found no charge deserving of death or imprisonment.

30 When I was informed of a conspiracy against his life, I sent him to you at once and ordered his accusers to bring their case against him before you.

31 Following their orders, the soldiers took Paul during the night and brought him to Antipatris.

32 The following day they let the horsemen continue on with Paul while they returned to the military headquarters in Jerusalem.

33 The horsemen entered Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor, and brought Paul before him.

34 After he read the letter, he asked Paul about his home province. When he learned that he was from Cilicia,

35 the governor said, "I will hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered that Paul be kept in custody in Herod's palace.