Paul Before the Sanhedrin

1And having looked intently at the Council, Paul said, “Men, brothers, I have lived as a citizen in all good conscience to God unto this day.” 2Then the high priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike his mouth.

3Then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, whitewashed wall! And you, do you sit judging me according to the Law, and, violating law, command me to be struck?”

4Now those who stood by said, “Do you insult the high priest of God?”

5And Paul was saying, “I was not aware, brothers, that he is high priest; for it has been written: ‘You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.’a”

6Then Paul, having known that the one part consists of Sadducees, but the other of Pharisees, began crying out in the Council, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead.”

7And of him saying this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided. 8For indeed Sadducees say there to be no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both.

9Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees, having risen up, were contending saying, “We find nothing evil in this man. And what if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10And great dissension arising, the commander, having feared lest Paul should be torn to pieces by them, commanded the troop, having gone down, to take him by force from their midst and to bring him into the barracks.

11But the following night the Lord, having stood by him, said, “Take courage, for as you have fully testified about Me at Jerusalem, so also it behooves you to testify in Rome.”

The Plot to Kill Paul
(John 16:1-4)

12Then when it was day, the Jews having made a conspiracy, put themselves under an oath, declaring neither to eat nor to drink until they should kill Paul. 13Now there were more than forty having made this conspiracy, 14who, having come to the chief priests and the elders, said, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we should kill Paul. 15Now therefore you with the Council make a report to the commander, so that he might bring him down to you, as being about to examine more earnestly the things about him. And we are ready to kill him before his drawing near.”

16But the son of Paul’s sister, having heard of the ambush, having come near and having entered into the barracks, reported it to Paul. 17Then Paul, having summoned one of the centurions, was saying, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.”

18So indeed the one having taken him brought him to the commander, and he says, “Paul the prisoner, having called to me, asked me to lead this young man to you, having something to say to you.”

19Then the commander, having taken hold of his hand and having withdrawn in private, began to inquire, “What is it that you have to report to me?”

20And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you that you might bring down Paul into the Council tomorrow, as being about to inquire something more earnestly about him. 21You therefore should not be persuaded by them. For more than forty of their men lie in wait for him, who have put themselves under an oath neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him; and now they are ready, awaiting the promise from you.”

22So indeed the commander dismissed the young man, having instructed him, “Tell no one that you have reported these things to me.”

Paul Sent to Felix

23And having summoned certain two of the centurions, he said, “Prepare for the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, so that they might go as far as Caesarea, 24and provide mounts, so that having set Paul upon them, they might bring him safely to Felix the governor,” 25having written a letter having this form:

26“Claudius Lysias,

To the most excellent, governor Felix:

Greetings.

27This man having been seized by the Jews and being about to be killed by them, having come up with the troop, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman. 28And resolving to know the charge on account of which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council, 29whom I found being accused concerning questions of their Law, but having no accusation worthy of death or of chains.

30And it having been disclosed to me of a plot that would be against the man, I sent him to you at once, also having instructed the accusers to speak these things against him before you.”

31Therefore indeed the soldiers, according to that having been ordered them, having taken Paul, brought him to Antipatris by night. 32And on the next day, having allowed the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the barracks, 33who having entered into Caesarea and having delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him.

34And having read it and having asked what province he is from, and having learned that he is from Cilicia, 35he was saying “I will hear you fully when your accusers may have arrived also,” having commanded him to be guarded in the Praetorium of Herod.