1And Sha’ul, looking intently at the council, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before Elohim until this day.”

2And the high priest Ḥananyah commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

3Then Sha’ul said to him, “Elohim is going to strike you, whitewashed wall! And do you sit judging me according to the Torah, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the Torah?”

4And those who stood by said, “Do you revile the high priest of Elohim?”

5And Sha’ul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it has been written, ‘You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.’ ”

6Now Sha’ul, perceiving that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, I am being judged concerning the expectation and resurrection of the dead!”

7And when he had said this, there came a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the crowd was divided.

8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor messenger nor spirit, but the Pharisees confess both.

9And there was a great uproar. And certain of the scribes of the party of Pharisees were earnestly contending, saying, “We find no evil in this man. And if a spirit or a messenger has spoken to him, let us not fight against Elohim.”

10And a great dissension having come, the commander, fearing lest Sha’ul would be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the body of soldiers to go down and seize him from their midst, and bring him into the barracks.

11And on the following night the Master stood by him and said, “Take courage, Sha’ul, for as you have witnessed for Me in Yerushalayim, so you have to bear witness at Rome too.”

12And when it became day, some of the Yehuḏim made a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Sha’ul.

13And those making this conspiracy were more than forty,

14who, having come to the chief priests and elders, said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath not to eat at all until we have killed Sha’ul.

15“Now, then, you, with the council, inform the commander to have him brought down to you tomorrow, as intending to examine more exactly all about him. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

16And when Sha’ul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered into the barracks and reported to Sha’ul.

17And Sha’ul, having called one of the captains to him, said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has somewhat to report to him.”

18He indeed then took him and led him to the commander and said, “The prisoner Sha’ul called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you, having somewhat to say to you.”

19And the commander, having taken him by the hand, went aside by themselves and asked, “What is it that you have to report to me?”

20And he said, “The Yehuḏim have agreed to ask that you bring Sha’ul down to the council tomorrow, as intending to inquire more exactly about him.

21“Therefore, do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”

22Then the commander dismissed the young man, having commanded him, “Inform no one that you reported this to me.”

23And having called near a certain two captains, he said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, after the third hour of the night,

24and provide beasts, on which to place Sha’ul, and bring him safely to Felix the governor,”

25having written a letter in this form:

26Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

27This man, having been seized by the Yehuḏim, and being about to be killed by them, I rescued, having come with the body of soldiers, having learned that he was a Roman.

28And, desiring to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council.

29I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their Torah, but there was no charge against him deserving death or chains.

30And when I was informed that there was to be a plot against the man by the Yehuḏim, I sent him immediately to you, having also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Be strong!

31So the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Sha’ul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32And on the next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks,

33who, having come to Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Sha’ul to him.

34And the governor, having read it, and having asked of what province he was, and being informed that he was from Kilikia,

35said, “I shall hear you when your accusers arrive also.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herodes’ palace.