¹ THEN Paul, looking earnestly at the sanhedrim, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience unto God even to this day.

² Then the high-priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

³ Then said Paul unto him, God is ready to smite thee, thou whited wall: for art thou sitting to judge me according to the law, and violating that law, commandest me to be smitten?

⁴ Then they who stood by, said, Revilest thou God’s high-priest?

⁵ And Paul said, I had not observed, brethren, that he was high-priest: for it is written, “Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people¹.”

1. Exod. xxii. 28.

⁶ Now when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried in the sanhedrim, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: for the hope and resurrection of the dead am I brought to this bar.

⁷ So when he had said this, a great dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.

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

⁹ And a great clamour arose: and the scribes rising up who were of the party of the Pharisees, contended stoutly, saying, We find no fault in this man: but if a spirit have spoken to him, or an angel, let us not fight against God.

¹⁰ Then a great tumult arising, the tribune, apprehensive that Paul might be pulled in pieces by them, commanded the guard to go down, and take him by force from the midst of them, and bring him into the fortress.

¹¹ And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage, Paul: for as thou hast borne testimony of the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear a testimony at Rome also.

¹² Then as soon as it was day, some of the Jews forming a conspiracy, bound themselves under the direst imprecation, declaring that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

¹³ Now there were more than forty who had on oath formed this conspiracy.

¹⁴ So they came to the high-priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves by the direst imprecation, to taste nothing till we have killed Paul.

¹⁵ Now therefore do ye with the sanhedrim give notice to the military tribune, that to-morrow he bring him down to you, as if intending to make more accurate inquiries into the things concerning him: but we, ere he come nigh, are ready to kill him.

¹⁶ Now Paul’s sister’s son having heard of their lying in wait, came, and entering into the fortress told Paul.

¹⁷ Then Paul calling to him one of the centurions, said, Carry this young man to the tribune: for he hath something to communicate to him.

¹⁸ Then he took him, and brought him to the tribune, and said, The prisoner Paul calling me to him, entreated me to bring this young man to thee, having something to say to thee.

¹⁹ Hereupon the tribune taking him by the hand, and leading him aside, inquired, What is it that thou hast to communicate to me?

²⁰ And he said, The Jews have agreed together to entreat thee that to-morrow thou wouldest bring down Paul into the sanhedrim, as about to make some more accurate inquiry concerning him.

²¹ But do not thou consent to them: for more than forty men of them are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves under an anathema, neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now they are in readiness, waiting only to procure the promise from thee.

²² Hereupon the tribune dismissed the youth, with an injunction, not to mention it to any body that thou hast discovered these things to me.

²³ And calling to him two certain persons of the centurions, he said, Get ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night;

²⁴ and provide beasts, that setting Paul thereon, you may convey him safely to Felix the governor.

²⁵ And he wrote a letter containing this form of words:

²⁶ Claudius Lysias to his excellence the governor Felix, greeting.

²⁷ This person had been seized by the Jews, and was ready to be slain by them: but coming on them with the guard, I rescued him out of their hands, having understood that he was a Roman citizen.

²⁸ And desirous of knowing the crime of which they accused him, I brought him down into their sanhedrim

²⁹ and found him accused of some disputed points of their law; but to have no charge laid against him worthy of death or of bonds.

³⁰ But it being discovered to me that a design was forming against the man’s life by the Jews, immediately I sent him to thee, commanding his accusers also to produce what they have against him before thee. Farewel.

³¹ Hereupon then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night unto Antipatris.

³² And on the morrow, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the fortress.

³³ So when they came to Caesarea, and had delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also to him.

³⁴ Then when the governor had read it, and asked of what province he was, and understood he was of Cilicia;

³⁵ I will give thee a thorough hearing, said he, when thy accusers are also come hither. And he commanded them to be kept under guard in Herod’s praetorium.