Parallel Bible results for "acts 23"

Acts 23

New Revised Standard NRS

1 While Paul was looking intently at the council he said, "Brothers, up to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God."

2 Then the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike him on the mouth.

3 At this Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law you order me to be struck?"

4 Those standing nearby said, "Do you dare to insult God's high priest?

5 And Paul said, "I did not realize, brothers, that he was high priest; for it is written, "You shall not speak evil of a leader of your people.' "

6 When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead."

7 When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.)

9 Then a great clamor arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees' group stood up and contended, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"

10 When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks.

11 That night the Lord stood near him and said, "Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome."

12 In the morning the Jews joined in a conspiracy and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

13 There were more than forty who joined in this conspiracy.

14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Paul

15 Now then, you and the council must notify the tribune to bring him down to you, on the pretext that you want to make a more thorough examination of his case. And we are ready to do away with him before he arrives."

16 Now the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush; so he went and gained entrance to the barracks and told Paul.

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

18 So he took him, brought him to the tribune, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you."

19 The tribune took him by the hand, drew him aside privately, and asked, "What is it that you have to report to me?

20 He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more thoroughly into his case.

21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they kill him. They are ready now and are waiting for your consent.

22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, ordering him, "Tell no one that you have informed me of this."

23 Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Get ready to leave by nine o'clock tonight for Caesarea with two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen.

24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Felix the governor."

25 He wrote a letter to this effect:

26 "Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings.

27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but when I had learned that he was a Roman citizen, I came with the guard and rescued him.

28 Since I wanted to know the charge for which they accused him, I had him brought to their council.

29 I found that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but was charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment.

30 When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him. "

31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris.

32 The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.

33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.

34 On reading the letter, he asked what province he belonged to, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia,

35 he said, "I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod's headquarters.

The Message Bible MSG

1 Paul surveyed the members of the council with a steady gaze, and then said his piece: "Friends, I've lived with a clear conscience before God all my life, up to this very moment."

2 That set the Chief Priest Ananias off. He ordered his aides to slap Paul in the face.

3 Paul shot back, "God will slap you down! What a fake you are! You sit there and judge me by the Law and then break the Law by ordering me slapped around!"

4 The aides were scandalized: "How dare you talk to God's Chief Priest like that!

5 Paul acted surprised. "How was I to know he was Chief Priest? He doesn't act like a Chief Priest. You're right, the Scripture does say, 'Don't speak abusively to a ruler of the people.' Sorry."

6 Paul, knowing some of the council was made up of Sadducees and others of Pharisees and how they hated each other, decided to exploit their antagonism: "Friends, I am a stalwart Pharisee from a long line of Pharisees. It's because of my Pharisee convictions - the hope and resurrection of the dead - that I've been hauled into this court."

7 The moment he said this, the council split right down the middle, Pharisees and Sadducees going at each other in heated argument.

8 Sadducees have nothing to do with a resurrection or angels or even a spirit. If they can't see it, they don't believe it. Pharisees believe it all.

9 And so a huge and noisy quarrel broke out. Then some of the religion scholars on the Pharisee side shouted down the others: "We don't find anything wrong with this man! And what if a spirit has spoken to him? Or maybe an angel? What if it turns out we're fighting against God?"

10 That was fuel on the fire. The quarrel flamed up and became so violent the captain was afraid they would tear Paul apart, limb from limb. He ordered the soldiers to get him out of there and escort him back to the safety of the barracks.

11 That night the Master appeared to Paul: "It's going to be all right. Everything is going to turn out for the best. You've been a good witness for me here in Jerusalem. Now you're going to be my witness in Rome!"

12 Next day the Jews worked up a plot against Paul. They took a solemn oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed him.

13 Over forty of them ritually bound themselves to this murder pact

14 and presented themselves to the high priests and religious leaders. "We've bound ourselves by a solemn oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul

15 But we need your help. Send a request from the council to the captain to bring Paul back so that you can investigate the charges in more detail. We'll do the rest. Before he gets anywhere near you, we'll have killed him. You won't be involved."

16 Paul's nephew, his sister's son, overheard them plotting the ambush. He went immediately to the barracks and told Paul.

17 Paul called over one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the captain. He has something important to tell him."

18 The centurion brought him to the captain and said, "The prisoner Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He said he has something urgent to tell you."

19 The captain took him by the arm and led him aside privately. "What is it? What do you have to tell me?

20 Paul's nephew said, "The Jews have worked up a plot against Paul. They're going to ask you to bring Paul to the council first thing in the morning on the pretext that they want to investigate the charges against him in more detail.

21 But it's a trick to get him out of your safekeeping so they can murder him. Right now there are more than forty men lying in ambush for him. They've all taken a vow to neither eat nor drink until they've killed him. The ambush is set - all they're waiting for is for you to send him over.

22 The captain dismissed the nephew with a warning: "Don't breathe a word of this to a soul."

23 The captain called up two centurions. "Get two hundred soldiers ready to go immediately to Caesarea. Also seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry. I want them ready to march by nine o'clock tonight.

24 And you'll need a couple of mules for Paul and his gear. We're going to present this man safe and sound to Governor Felix."

25 Then he wrote this letter:

26 From Claudius Lysias, to the Most Honorable Governor Felix:

27 I rescued this man from a Jewish mob. They had seized him and were about to kill him when I learned that he was a Roman citizen. So I sent in my soldiers.

28 Wanting to know what he had done wrong, I had him brought before their council.

29 It turned out to be a squabble turned vicious over some of their religious differences, but nothing remotely criminal.

30 The next thing I knew, they had cooked up a plot to murder him. I decided that for his own safety I'd better get him out of here in a hurry. So I'm sending him to you. I'm informing his accusers that he's now under your jurisdiction.

31 The soldiers, following orders, took Paul that same night to safety in Antipatris.

32 In the morning the soldiers returned to their barracks in Jerusalem, sending Paul on to Caesarea under guard of the cavalry.

33 The cavalry entered Caesarea and handed Paul and the letter over to the governor.

34 After reading the letter, the governor asked Paul what province he came from and was told "Cilicia."

35 Then he said, "I'll take up your case when your accusers show up." He ordered him locked up for the meantime in King Herod's official quarters.