Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 And Paul, looking upon the council, said: Men, brethren, I have conversed with all good conscience before God until this present day.
1
Paul stared at the Jewish council and said, "Brothers, my relationship with God has always given me a perfectly clear conscience."
2 And the high priest, Ananias, commanded them that stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
2
The chief priest Ananias ordered the men standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him: God shall strike thee, thou whited wall. For, sittest thou to judge me according to the law and, contrary to the law, commandest me to be struck?
3
Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you hypocrite! You sit there and judge me by Moses' Teachings and yet you break those teachings by ordering these men to strike me!"
4 And they that stood by said: Dost thou revile the high priest of God
4
The men standing near Paul said to him, "You're insulting God's chief priest!"
5 And Paul said: I knew not, brethren, that he is the high priest. For it is written: Thou shalt not speak evil of the prince of thy people.
5
Paul answered, "Brothers, I didn't know that he is the chief priest. After all, Scripture says, 'Don't speak evil about a ruler of your people.'"
6 And Paul, knowing that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council: Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
6
When Paul saw that some of them were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he shouted in the council, "Brothers, I'm a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I'm on trial because I expect that the dead will come back to life."
7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided.
7
After Paul said that, the Pharisees and Sadducees began to quarrel, and the men in the meeting were divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
8
(The Sadducees say that the dead won't come back to life and that angels and spirits don't exist. The Pharisees believe in all these things.)
9 And there arose a great cry. And some of the Pharisees rising up, strove, saying: We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?
9
The shouting became very loud. Some of the scribes were Pharisees who argued their position forcefully. They said, "We don't find anything wrong with this man. Maybe a spirit or an angel actually spoke to him!"
10 And when there arose a great dissension, the tribune, fearing lest Paul should be 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.
10
The quarrel was becoming violent, and the officer was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So the officer ordered his soldiers to drag Paul back to the barracks.
11 And the night following, the Lord standing by him, said: Be constant: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
11
The Lord stood near Paul the next night and said to him, "Don't lose your courage! You've told the truth about me in Jerusalem. Now you must tell the truth about me in Rome."
12 And when day was come, some of the Jews gathered together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they killed Paul.
12
In the morning the Jews formed a conspiracy. They asked God to curse them if they ate or drank anything before they had killed Paul.
13 And they were more than forty men that had made this conspiracy.
13
More than forty men took part in this plot.
14 Who came to the chief priests and the ancients and said: We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing till we have slain Paul
14
They went to the chief priests and leaders [of the people] and said, "We've asked God to curse us if we taste any food before we've killed Paul.
15 Now therefore do you with the council signify to the tribune, that he bring him forth to you, as if you meant to know something more certain touching him. And we, before he come near, are ready to kill him.
15
Here's our plan: You and the council must go to the Roman officer on the pretext that you need more information from Paul. You have to make it look as though you want to get more accurate information about him. We'll be ready to kill him before he gets to you."
16 Which when Paul’s sister’s son had heard, of their lying in wait, he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
16
But Paul's nephew heard about the ambush. He entered the barracks and told Paul.
17 And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: Bring this young man to the tribune: for he hath some thing to tell him.
17
Then Paul called one of the sergeants and told him, "Take this young man to the officer. He has something to tell him."
18 And he, taking him, brought him to the tribune and said: Paul, the prisoner, desired me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath some thing to say to thee.
18
The sergeant took the young man to the officer and said, "The prisoner Paul called me. He asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you."
19 And the tribune, taking him by the hand, went aside with him privately and asked him: What is it that thou hast to tell me
19
The officer took the young man by the arm, went where they could be alone, and asked him, "What do you have to tell me?"
20 And he said: The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldst bring forth Paul to-morrow into the council, as if they meant to inquire some thing more certain touching him.
20
The young man answered, "The Jews have planned to ask you to bring Paul to the Jewish council tomorrow. They're going to make it look as though they want more accurate information about him.
21 But do not thou give credit to them: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor to drink, till they have killed him. And they are now ready, looking for a promise from thee
21
Don't let them persuade you to do this. More than forty of them are planning to ambush him. They have asked God to curse them if they eat or drink anything before they have murdered him. They are ready now and are expecting you to promise [that you will bring Paul]."
22 The tribune therefore dismissed the young man, charging him that he should tell no man that he had made known these things unto him.
22
The officer dismissed the young man and ordered him not to tell this information to anyone else.
23 Then having called two centurions, he said to them: Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea: and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, for the third hour of the night.
23
Then the officer summoned two of his sergeants and told them, "I want 200 infantrymen, 70 soldiers on horseback, and 200 soldiers with spears. Have them ready to go to Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight.
24 And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on and bring him safe to Felix the governor.
24
Provide an animal for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix."
25 (For he feared lest perhaps the Jews might take him away by force and kill him: and he should afterwards be slandered, as if he was to take money.) And he wrote a letter after this manner:
25
The officer wrote a letter to the governor with the following message:
26 Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting:
26
Claudius Lysias sends greetings to Your Excellency, Governor Felix:
27 This man, being taken by the Jews and ready to be killed by them, I rescued, coming in with an army, understanding that he is a Roman.
27
The Jews had seized this man and were going to murder him. When I found out that he was a Roman citizen, I went with my soldiers to rescue him.
28 And meaning to know the cause which they objected unto him, I brought him forth into their council.
28
I wanted to know what they had against him. So I took him to their Jewish council
29 Whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law; but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bands.
29
and found their accusations had to do with disputes about Jewish teachings. He wasn't accused of anything for which he deserved to die or to be put into prison.
30 And when I was told of ambushes that they had prepared for him, I sent him to thee, signifying also to his accusers to plead before thee. Farewell.
30
Since I was informed that there was a plot against this man, I immediately sent him to you. I have also ordered his accusers to state their case against him in front of you.
31 Then the soldiers, according as it was commanded them, taking Paul, brought him by night to Antipatris.
31
So the infantrymen did as they had been ordered. They took Paul to the city of Antipatris during the night.
32 And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the castle.
32
They returned to their barracks the next day and let the soldiers on horseback travel with Paul.
33 Who, when they were come to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, did also present Paul before him.
33
When the soldiers arrived in the city of Caesarea with Paul, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.
34 And when he had read it and had asked of what province he was and understood that he was of Cilicia:
34
After the governor had read the letter, he asked Paul which province he was from. When he found out that Paul was from the province of Cilicia,
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thy accusers come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.
35
he said, "I'll hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then the governor gave orders to keep Paul under guard in Herod's palace.
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