International Standard Version

English Standard Version

1Paul looked straight at the Council and said, "Brothers, with a clear conscience I have done my duty before God up to this very day."

1And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”

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

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

3At this Paul told him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"

3Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”

4The men standing near him asked, "Do you mean to insult God's high priest?"

4Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?”

5Paul answered, "I didn't realize, brothers, that he is the high priest. After all, it is written, 'You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.'"

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

6When 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 concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected."

6Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”

7After he said that, an angry quarrel broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided,

7And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8because the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection and that there is no such thing as an angel or spirit, but the Pharisees believe in all those things.

8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

9There was a great deal of shouting until some of the scribes who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and argued forcefully, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"

9Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”

10The quarrel was becoming violent, and the tribune was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he ordered the soldiers to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

10And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.

11That night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Have courage! For just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, you must testify in Rome, too."

11The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

12In the morning, the Jewish leaders formed a conspiracy and took an oath not to eat or drink anything before they had killed Paul.

12When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

13More than 40 men formed this conspiracy.

13There were more than forty who made this conspiracy.

14They went to the high priests and elders and said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to taste any food before we have killed Paul.

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

15Now then, you and the Council must notify the tribune to bring him down to you on the pretext that you want to look into his case more carefully, but before he arrives we'll be ready to kill him."

15Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

16But the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, so he came and got into the barracks and told Paul.

16Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

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

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

18So the centurion 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."

18So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.”

19The tribune took him by the hand, stepped aside to be alone with him, and asked, "What have you got to tell me?"

19The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

20He answered, "The Jewish leaders have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Council tomorrow as though they were going to examine his case more carefully.

20And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him.

21Don't believe them, because more than 40 of them are planning to ambush him. They've taken an oath not to eat or drink before they've killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent."

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

22The tribune dismissed the young man and ordered him not to tell anyone that he had notified him.

22So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”

23Then he summoned two centurions and ordered, "Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight, along with 70 mounted soldiers and 200 soldiers with spears.

23Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night.

24Provide a mount for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix."

24Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

25He wrote a letter with this message:

25And he wrote a letter to this effect:

26"From: Claudius Lysias To: Governor Felix Greetings, Your Excellency:

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

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

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

28I wanted to know the exact charge they were making against him, so I had him brought before their Council.

28And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council.

29I found that, although he was charged with questions about their Law, there was no charge against him deserving death or imprisonment.

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

30Since a plot against the man has been reported to me, I'm sending him to you at once, and I've also ordered his accusers to present their charges against him before you."

30And when it was disclosed to me 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.”

31So the soldiers, in keeping with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

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

32The next day, they let the horsemen ride with Paul while they returned to their barracks.

32And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him.

33When these men came to Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.

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

34After reading the letter, the governor asked which province Paul was from. On learning that he was from Cilicia,

34On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia,

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

35he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s praetorium.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.