A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Acts 23
Chapter summary coming soon.
Verse 1. Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
Verse 2. At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
Verse 3. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”
Verse 4. But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”
Verse 5. “Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
Verse 6. Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
Verse 7. As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
Verse 8. For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection nor angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
Verse 9. A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
Verse 10. The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
Verse 11. The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
Verse 12. When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
Verse 13. More than forty of them were involved in this plot.
Verse 14. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
Verse 15. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”
Verse 16. But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
Verse 17. Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
Verse 18. So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
Verse 19. The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”
Verse 20. He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him.
Verse 21. Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”
Verse 22. So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
Verse 23. Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.
Verse 24. Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”
Verse 25. And he wrote the following letter:
Verse 26. Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
Verse 27. This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
Verse 28. and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
Verse 29. I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
Verse 30. When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.
Verse 31. So the soldiers followed their orders and brought Paul by night to Antipatris.
Verse 32. The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.
Verse 33. When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.
Verse 34. The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
Verse 35. he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.