Acts 23
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1 |
And Paul, earnestly beholding the
council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good
conscience before God until this day.
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2 |
And the high priest Anani'as commanded
them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
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3 |
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite
thee, thou whited wall: Mt. 23.27, 28 for
sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be
smitten contrary to the law?
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4 |
And they that stood by said, Revilest
thou God's high priest?
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5 |
Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren,
that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak
evil of the ruler of thy people. Ex. 22.28
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6 |
But when Paul perceived that the one
part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the
council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, Acts 26.5 · Phil. 3.5 the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the
dead I am called in question.
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7 |
And when he had so said, there arose a
dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the
multitude was divided.
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8 |
For the Sadducees say that there is no
resurrection, Mt. 22.23 · Mk. 12.18 · Lk. 20.27 neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess
both.
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9 |
And there arose a great cry: and the
scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove,
saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel
hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
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10 |
And when there arose a great dissension,
the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in
pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him
by force from among them, and to bring him into the
castle.
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11 |
And the night following the Lord stood
by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified
of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at
Rome.
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The Plot against
Paul's Life |
12 |
And when it was day, certain of the
Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying
that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed
Paul.
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13 |
And they were more than forty which had
made this conspiracy.
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14 |
And they came to the chief priests and
elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that
we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
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15 |
Now therefore ye with the council signify
to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as
though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and
we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
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16 |
And when Paul's sister's son heard of
their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told
Paul.
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17 |
Then Paul called one of the centurions
unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief
captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
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18 |
So he took him, and brought him to
the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who
hath something to say unto thee.
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19 |
Then the chief captain took him by the
hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
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20 |
And he said, The Jews have agreed to
desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul tomorrow into the
council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more
perfectly.
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21 |
But do not thou yield unto them: for
there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have
bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink
till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a
promise from thee.
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22 |
So the chief captain then let the
young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that
thou hast showed these things to me.
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Paul Sent to Felix the
Governor |
23 |
And he called unto him two
centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to
Caesare'a, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two
hundred, at the third hour of the night;
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24 |
and provide them beasts, that they
may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the
governor.
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25 |
And he wrote a letter after this
manner:
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26 |
Claudius Lys'i-as unto the most
excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
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27 |
This man was taken of the Jews, and
should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and
rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
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28 |
And when I would have known the cause
wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their
council:
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29 |
whom I perceived to be accused of
questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge
worthy of death or of bonds.
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30 |
And when it was told me how that the Jews
laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave
commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they
had against him. Farewell.
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31 |
Then the soldiers, as it was commanded
them, took Paul, and brought him by night to
Antip'atris.
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32 |
On the morrow they left the horsemen to
go with him, and returned to the castle:
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33 |
who, when they came to Caesare'a, and
delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before
him.
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34 |
And when the governor had read the
letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood
that he was of Cili'cia;
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35 |
I will hear thee, said he, when thine
accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's
judgment hall.
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