Acts 23; Acts 24; Acts 25

1 And Paul, looking upon the council, said: Men, brethren, I have conversed with all good conscience before God until this present day.

2 And the high priest, Ananias, commanded them that stood by him 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?

4 And they that stood by said: Dost thou revile the high priest of God

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.

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.

7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided.

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

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?

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.

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.

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.

13 And they were more than forty men that had made this conspiracy.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

24 And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on and bring him safe to Felix the governor.

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:

26 Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting:

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.

28 And meaning to know the cause which they objected unto him, I brought him forth into their 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.

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.

31 Then the soldiers, according as it was commanded them, taking Paul, brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the castle.

33 Who, when they were come to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, did also present Paul before him.

34 And when he had read it and had asked of what province he was and understood that he was 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.

1 And after five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with some ancients and one Tertullus, an orator, who went to the governor against Paul.

2 And Paul being called for, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: Whereas, through thee we live in much peace and many things are rectified by thy providence,

3 We accept it always and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thanksgiving.

4 But that I be no further tedious to thee, I desire thee of thy clemency to hear us in a few words.

5 We have found this to be a pestilent man and raising seditions among all the Jews throughout the world: and author of the sedition of the sect of the Nazarenes.

6 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom, we having apprehended, would also have judged according to our law.

7 But Lysias the tribune, coming upon us with great violence, took him away out of our hands;

8 Commanding his accusers to come to thee. Of whom thou mayest thyself, by examination, have knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him.

9 And the Jews also added and said that these things were so.

10 Then Paul answered (the governor making a sign to him to speak): Knowing that for many years thou hast been judge over this nation, I will with good courage answer for myself.

11 For thou mayest understand that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to adore in Jerusalem:

12 And neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man or causing any concourse of the people: neither in the synagogues, nor in the city.

13 Neither can they prove unto thee the things whereof they now accuse me.

14 But this I confess to thee that according to the way which they call a heresy, so do I serve the Father and my God, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets:

15 Having hope in God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection of the just and unjust.

16 And herein do I endeavour to have always a conscience without offence, towards God and towards men.

17 Now after many years, I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings and vows.

18 In which I was found purified in the temple: neither with multitude nor with tumult.

19 But certain Jews of Asia, who ought to be present before thee and to accuse, if they had anything against me:

20 Or let these men themselves say if they found in me any iniquity, when standing before the council,

21 Except it be for this one voice only that I cried, standing among them: Concerning the resurrection of the dead am I judged this day by you.

22 And Felix put them off, having most certain knowledge of this way, saying: When Lysias the tribune shall come down, I will hear you.

23 And he commanded a centurion to keep him: and that he should be easy and that he should not prohibit any of his friends to minister unto him.

24 And after some days, Felix, coming with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jew, sent for Paul and heard of him the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

25 And as he treated of justice and chastity and of the judgment to come, Felix, being terrified, answered: For this time, go thy way: but when I have a convenient time, I will send for thee.

26 Hoping also withal that money should be given him by Paul: for which cause also oftentimes sending for him, he spoke with him.

27 But when two years were ended, Felix had for successor Portius Festus. And Felix being willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days, he went up to Jerusalem from Cesarea.

2 And the chief priests and principal men of the Jews went unto him against Paul: and they besought him,

3 Requesting favour against him, that he would command him to be brought to Jerusalem, laying wait to kill him in the way.

4 But Festus answered: That Paul was kept in Caesarea: and that he himself would very shortly depart thither.

5 Let them, therefore, saith he, among you that are able, go down with me and accuse him, if there be any crime in the man.

6 And having tarried among them no more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, he sat in the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought.

7 Who being brought, the Jews stood about him, who were come down from Jerusalem, objecting many and grievous causes, which they could not prove:

8 Paul making answer for himself: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any thing.

9 But Festus, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, answering Paul, said: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me?

10 Then Paul said: I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no injury, as thou very well knowest.

11 For if I have injured them or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me, no man may deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.

12 Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered: Hast thou appealed to Caesar? To Caesar shalt thou go.

13 And after some days, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, to salute Festus.

14 And as they tarried there many days, Festus told the king of Paul, saying: A certain man was left prisoner by Felix.

15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the ancients of the Jews came unto me, desiring condemnation against him.

16 To whom I answered: it is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before that he who is accused have his accusers present and have liberty to make his answer, to clear himself of the things laid to his charge.

17 When therefore they were come hither, without any delay, on the day following, sitting in the judgment seat, I commanded the man to be brought.

18 Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of this which I thought ill of:

19 But had certain questions of their own superstition against him, and of one Jesus deceased, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20 I therefore being in a doubt of this manner of question, asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things.

21 But Paul, appealing to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I might send him to Caesar.

22 And Agrippa said to Festus: I would also hear the man, myself. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23 And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice were come with great pomp and had entered into the hall of audience with the tribunes and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment, Paul was brought forth.

24 And Festus saith: King Agrippa and all ye men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews dealt with me at Jerusalem, requesting and crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

25 Yet have I found nothing that he hath committed worthy of death. But forasmuch as he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

26 Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. For which cause, I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, examination being made, I may have what to write.

27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to signify the things laid to his charge.