¶ And Paul, earnestly¹ beholding the council, said, Men² and brethren, I have³ lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

And the high priest Ananias⁴ commanded them that stood by him to smite⁵ him on the mouth.

Then said Paul unto him, God⁶ shall smite thee, thou whited⁷ wall: for⁸ sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten⁹ contrary to the law?

And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?

Then said Paul, I wist¹⁰ not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou¹¹ shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

¶ But when Paul¹² perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am¹³ a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope¹⁴ and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

And when he had so said, there¹⁵ arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.

¹⁶For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We¹⁷ find no evil in this man: but if¹⁸ a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let¹⁹ us not fight against God.

¶ And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing²⁰ lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take²¹ him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

And the night following the Lord²² stood by him, and said, Be²³ of good cheer, Paul: for²⁴ as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must²⁵ thou bear witness also at Rome.

¶ And when it was day, certain²⁶ of the Jews banded together, and bound²⁷ themselves under a curse²⁸, saying that²⁹ they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

And they were more than forty which³⁰ had made this conspiracy.

³¹And 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.

Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he³² bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

And when³³ Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went³⁴ and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

Then Paul called one³⁵ of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul³⁶ the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something³⁷ to say unto thee.

Then the chief captain took³⁸ him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What³⁹ is that thou hast to tell me?

¶ And he said, The Jews⁴⁰ have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as⁴¹ though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

But do not⁴² thou yield unto them: for⁴³ there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath⁴⁴, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See⁴⁵ thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.

And he called unto him two centurions⁴⁶, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at⁴⁷ the third hour of the night;

And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix⁴⁹ the governor⁵⁰.

And he wrote a letter after this manner:

Claudius Lysias unto the most⁵¹ excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting⁵².

This man was taken⁵³ of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having⁵⁴ understood that he was a Roman.

⁵⁵And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

Whom I perceived to be accused of questions⁵⁶ of their law, but⁵⁷ to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

¶ And when it was⁵⁸ told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave⁵⁹ commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell⁶⁰.

Then the soldiers, as⁶¹ it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered⁶² the epistle to the governor, presented⁶³ Paul also before him.

And when the governor had read the letter, he asked⁶⁴ of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia⁶⁵;

I will hear thee, said he, when⁶⁶ thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in⁶⁷ Herod's judgment⁶⁸ hall.