Acts 23–25

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

23And looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, “Men and brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience before God to this day.” ²So the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike his mouth. ³Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! And are you sitting there judging me according to the law, and acting contrary to the law do you order me to be struck?” ⁴And those who stood nearby said, “Are you reviling the high priest of God?” ⁵And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”^a

⁶Now when^* Paul realized that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted out in the Sanhedrin, “Men and brothers! I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being judged concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead!” ⁷And when^* he said this, a dispute developed between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) ⁹And there was loud shouting, and some of the scribes from the party of the Pharisees stood up and^* contended sharply, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man! But what if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰And when^* the dispute became severe, the military tribune, fearing lest Paul be torn apart by them, ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from their midst, and bring him^* into the barracks.^{b 11}And the next night the Lord stood by him and^* said, “Have courage, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

A Conspiracy to Kill Paul

¹²And when it^* was day, the Jews made a conspiracy and^* bound themselves under a curse, saying they would^c neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³Now there were more than forty who had made this conspiracy, ¹⁴who went to the chief priests and the elders and^* said, “We have bound ourselves under a curse to partake of nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵Therefore, now you along with the Sanhedrin explain to the military tribune that he should bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine more accurately the things concerning him. And we are ready to do away with him before he comes near.”

¹⁶But when^* the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered into the barracks^d and^* reported it^* to Paul. ¹⁷So Paul called one of the centurions and^* said, “Bring this young man to the military tribune, because he has something to report to him.” ¹⁸So he took him and^* brought him^* to the military tribune and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and^* asked me^* to bring this young man to you because he^* has something to tell you.” ¹⁹And the military tribune, taking hold of his hand and withdrawing privately, asked, “What is it that you have to report to me?” ²⁰And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you that you bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. ²¹You therefore do not be persuaded by them, because more than forty men of their number^e are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have done away with him. And now they are ready, waiting for you to agree.”^{f 22}So the military tribune sent the young man away, directing him,^* “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

²³And he summoned two of the centurions and^* said, “Make ready from the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen,^g in order that they may proceed as far as Caesarea. ²⁴And provide mounts so that they can put Paul on them and^* bring him^* safely to Felix the governor.” ²⁵He wrote^h a letter that had this form:ⁱ

²⁶Claudius Lysias.

To his excellency Governor Felix.

Greetings!

²⁷This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I^* came upon them^* with the detachment and^* rescued him,^* because I^* learned that he was a Roman citizen. ²⁸And because I^* wanted to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him^* down to their Sanhedrin.^{j 29}I found he^k was accused concerning controversial questions of their law, but having no charge deserving death or imprisonment. ³⁰And when it^* was made known to me there would be a plot against the man, I sent him^* to you immediately, also ordering his^* accusers to speak against him^l before you.

³¹Therefore the soldiers, in accordance with their orders,^m took Paul and^* brought him^* to Antipatris during the night. ³²And on the next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and^* they returned to the barracks.^{n 33}The horsemen,^o when they^* came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him. ³⁴So after^* reading the letter^* and asking what province he was from, and learning that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵he said, “I will give you a hearing whenever your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be guarded in the praetorium^p of Herod.

Paul Before Felix at Caesarea Maritima

24And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, all of whom brought charges against Paul to the governor. ²And when^* he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him,^* saying, “We have experienced^* much^a peace through you, and reforms are taking place in this nation through your foresight. ³Both in every way and everywhere we acknowledge this,^* most excellent Felix, with all gratitude. ⁴But so that I may not impose on you for longer, I implore you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. ⁵For we have found^* this man to be a public menace and one who causes riots among all the Jews throughout the Roman Empire^b and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, ⁶who even attempted to desecrate the temple, and we arrested him^c.^{d 8}When^* you yourself examine him^* you will be able to find out from him^e about all these things of which we are accusing him.” ⁹And the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting these things were so.

¹⁰And when^* the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I^* know you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I defend myself cheerfully with respect to the things concerning myself. ¹¹You can ascertain that it has not been more than^f twelve days since^g I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹²And neither did they find me arguing with anyone or making a crowd develop in the temple courts^* nor in the synagogues nor throughout the city. ¹³Nor can they prove the things^* to you concerning which they are now accusing me. ¹⁴But I do confess this to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), so I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things that are in accordance with the law and that are written in the prophets, ¹⁵having a hope in God which these men also themselves await: that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. ¹⁶For this reason^h also I myself alwaysⁱ do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and people. ¹⁷So after many years, I came to practice charitable giving and offerings to my people,^{j 18}in which they found me purified in the temple courts,^* not with a crowd or with a disturbance. ¹⁹But there are some Jews from Asia^k who ought to be present before you and bring charges against me,^* if they have anything against me, ²⁰or these men themselves should say what crime they found when^* I stood before the Sanhedrin,^{l 21}other than concerning this one declaration that I shouted while^* standing there before them: ‘I am being judged before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead!’ ”

Paul Held Awaiting Trial

²²But Felix, because he^* understood the facts concerning the Way more accurately, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the military tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”^{m 23}He ordered^* the centurion for him to be guarded and to have some freedom, and in no way to prevent any of his own peopleⁿ from serving him.

²⁴And after some days, when^* Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him concerning faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵And while^* he was discussing about righteousness and self control and the judgment that is to come, Felix became afraid and^* replied, “Go away for the present, and when I^* have an opportunity, I will summon you.” ²⁶At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. For this reason also he sent for him as often as possible and^* talked with him. ²⁷And when^* two years had passed, Felix received as successor Porcius Festus. And because he^* wanted to do a favor for the Jews, Felix left Paul behind as a prisoner.^o

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25Now when^* Festus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ²And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought charges against Paul to him, and were urging him, ³asking for a favor against him, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they^* were preparing an ambush to do away with him along the way. ⁴Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself was about to go there^* in a short time. ⁵So he said, “Let those among you who are prominent go down with me,^* and^* if there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him.”

⁶And after he^* had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. On the next day he sat down on the judgment seat and^* gave orders for Paul to be brought. ⁷And when^* he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges that they were not able to prove, ⁸while^* Paul said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I sinned with reference to anything!” ⁹But…