Paul Defends Himself Before the Council |
Acts 23:1-35 The Acts of the Apostles [in Smaller Chunks] |
And Paul, [sincerely looked upon] the council, & said. Men & brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest, Ananias commanded [those, who] stood by [Paul] to [slap] him on the mouth. Then, Paul said to him, God shall [strike] you, you [white-washed] wall. [Matthew 23:27 Woe to you, scribes, & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are [similar] to [whitened tombs,] which appear beautiful [outwardly,] but [inside] are full of dead men's bones, & [full] of all uncleanness.] |
For you [sit] to judge me, [according] to the Law, & [commanded] [for] me to be [hit] [which is] contrary, [a.k.a. opposite] to the Law? And [those, who] stood [near] by staid, [Do] you [mock] God's high priest? Then, Paul said, Brethren, I [didn't know] he was the high priest. For it is written, [in the Scriptures,] You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people. |
But when Paul [was aware] that one part [of them] were Sadducees, & the other Pharisees, [Paul] cried out in the council, Men & Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, & I am called [into] question [about] the hope [of the] resurrection of the dead. |
And when [Paul] had said [this,] there arose [an argument,] between the Pharisees & the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, & neither [angels,] nor [spirits: but the Pharisees confess, [a.k.a. acknowledge,] both. |
And there arose a [large] [out] cry, & the scribes [who] were [Pharisees,] arose & [quarreled,] saying, We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or an angel [has] spoken to him, let us not fight against God. [Acts 5:39 But if it [is] of God, you can't overthrow it; lest [perhaps,] you [are] found to even fight against God.] |
And there arose a [large disagreement, & the chief captain, [a.k.a. commander, was afraid,] lest Paul should [be] pulled [to] pieces [by] them, & commanded the soldiers to go down among them, & [seize Paul,] by force, & bring [Paul] into the castle [barracks.] |
And the following night, the Lord stood by [Paul,] & said, Be of good cheer, Paul. For [like] you [have] testified [about] Me in Jerusalem, you must bear witness, [a.k.a. testify, like this,] also [in] Rome. |
And when it was [morning, some] of the Jews banded, [a.k.a. joined forces,] together. And more than 40 [formed] this conspiracy, & bound themselves under [an oath,] saying, that they would neither eat nor drink, [until] they had killed Paul. |
And they came to the chief priests & elders, & said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we won't eat [anything] until we have [killed] Paul. Therefore, you, with the council, [signal] to the [commander, so] that he brings [Paul] down to you tomorrow, as though you [wanted to] [inquire] more [thoroughly] [about] something [related to] him. And we are ready to kill him, [whenever] he [comes close.] |
And when Paul's sister's son, [a.k.a. Paul's nephew,] [had] heard of their lying in wait, [a.k.a. to ambush,] he went & entered into the castle [barracks,] & told Paul. Then, Paul called one of the Centurions to him, & said, Bring this young man to the [commander,] for he [has something] certain, [a.k.a. unquestionable,] to tell him. |
So [the Centurion] took & brought him to the [commander,] & said, The prisoner, Paul, called me to him, & [requested] that I bring this young man to you, who [has] something to say to you. Then, the [commander] took him by the hand, & went aside, privately with him, & asked him, What is [it,] that you [have] to tell me? |
And he said, The Jews have agreed to [ask] you, that you [would] bring Paul down tomorrow into the council, as [if] they would [inquire] more [thoroughly] [about] [something from] him. |
But do not yield, [a.k.a. give in to,] them, for more than 40 men, [who] have bound themselves with an oath, that they [won't] eat, nor drink [until] they have killed him, [are] there ready, [lying] in wait, [a.k.a. to ambush,] him now, looking for a promise, [a.k.a. commitment,] from you. |
So the [commander ordered] him, See [that] you tell no man that you [have declared] these things to me, & then, let the young man [leave.] And [the commander] called 2 Centurions to him, saying, [Get] 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen, & 200 [men with spears,] ready to go to Caesarea, [in] the 3rd hour of the night, [a.k.a. 9:00 p.m.] |
And provide [mounts] [for] them, [so] that they may [put] Paul on, & bring him [safely] to Felix, the governor. And [the commander] wrote a letter [similar to this:] [From:] Claudius Lysias [sends greetings] to the most excellent governor, Felix. This man was taken [by] the Jews, & [would] have been killed [by] them. Then, I came with an army, & rescued him, having understood that [Paul] was a Roman. |
And when I [wanted to know] the [reason why] they accused him, I brought him into their council, whom I perceived, [a.k.a. understood,] to be accused [about] questions of their Law, but have laid to his charge, [a.k.a. found,] nothing worthy of death or of [chains.] |
And when it was told [to] me, that the Jews laid [in] wait for the man, I [immediately] sent to you, & [commanded] his accusers to also say [in front of] you, what they had against him. Farewell. |
Then, the soldiers took Paul, as it was commanded them, & brought him [at] night to Antipatris. On the [next day,] they left the horsemen to go with [Paul,] & [the rest,] returned to the castle. |
When they came to Caesarea, & [delivered] the [letter] to the governor, [they] also presented Paul [in front of] him. And when the governor had read the letter, he asked what province [Paul] was [from.] |
And when [Felix] understood that [Paul] was [from] Cilicia; he said, I will hear you, when your accusers [have] also come. And [Felix] commanded [Paul] to be kept in Herod's Judgment Hall. [Acts 25:16 To whom I answered, It isn't the [custom] of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before he, [who] is accused, [shall] have the accusers face to face, & have [the opportunity] to answer for himself, [about] the crime laid, [a.k.a. charged,] against him.] |