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Paul before the Council

¹ Paul, looking intently at ^(C1)the ^(F1)Council, said, "^(C2)Brethren, ^(C3)I have ^(F2)lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day."² The high priest ^(C1)Ananias commanded those standing beside him ^(C2)to strike him on the mouth.³ Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, ^(C1)you whitewashed wall! Do you ^(C2)sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"⁴ But the bystanders said, "Do you revile God's high priest?"⁵ And Paul said, "I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, '^(C1)YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.'"

⁶ But perceiving that one group were ^(C1)Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in ^(C2)the ^(F1)Council, "^(C3)Brethren, ^(C4)I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for ^(C5)the hope and resurrection of the dead!"⁷ As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.⁸ For ^(C1)the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.⁹ And there occurred a great uproar; and some of ^(C1)the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, "^(C2)We find nothing wrong with this man; ^(C3)suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"¹⁰ And as a great dissension was developing, the ^(F1)commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into ^(C1)the barracks.

¹¹ But on ^(C1)the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, "^(C2)Take courage; for ^(C3)as you have ^(C4)solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also."

A Conspiracy to Kill Paul

¹² When it was day, ^(C1)the Jews formed a ^(F1)conspiracy and ^(C2)bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.¹³ There were more than forty who formed this plot.¹⁴ They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have ^(C1)bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.¹⁵ "Now therefore, you ^(F1)and ^(C1)the ^(F2)Council notify the ^(F3)commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place."

¹⁶ But the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, ^(F1)and he came and entered ^(C1)the barracks and told Paul.¹⁷ Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, "Lead this young man to the ^(F1)commander, for he has something to report to him."¹⁸ So he took him and led him to the ^(F1)commander and ^(*)said, "Paul ^(C1)the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you."¹⁹ The ^(F1)commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, "What is it that you have to report to me?"²⁰ And he said, "^(C1)The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to ^(C2)the ^(F1)Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.²¹ "So do not ^(F1)listen to them, for more than forty of them are ^(C1)lying in wait for him who have ^(C2)bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you."²² So the ^(F1)commander let the young man go, instructing him, "Tell no one that you have notified me of these things."

Paul Moved to Caesarea

²⁶ "Claudius Lysias, to the ^(C1)most excellent governor Felix, ^(C2)greetings.

²⁷ "When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, ^(C1)I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, ^(C2)having learned that he was a Roman. ²⁸ "And ^(C1)wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I ^(C2)brought him down to their ^(F1)(C3)Council; ²⁹ and I found him to be accused over ^(C1)questions about their Law, but ^(F1)under ^(C2)no accusation deserving death or ^(F2)imprisonment.

³⁰ "When I was ^(C1)informed that there would be ^(C2)a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing ^(C3)his accusers to ^(F1)bring charges against him before you."

³¹ So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.³² But the next day, leaving ^(C1)the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to ^(C2)the barracks.³³ When these had come to ^(C1)Caesarea and delivered the letter to ^(C2)the governor, they also presented Paul to him.³⁴ When he had read it, he asked from what ^(C1)province he was, and when he learned that ^(C2)he was from Cilicia,³⁵ he said, "I will give you a hearing after your ^(C1)accusers arrive also," giving orders for him to be ^(C2)kept in Herod's ^(F1)Praetorium.