1 E, pondo Paulo os olhos no conselho, disse: Varões irmãos, até ao dia de hoje tenho andado diante de Deus com toda a boa consciência. 2 Mas o sumo sacerdote, Ananias, mandou aos que estavam junto dele que o ferissem na boca. 3 Então, Paulo lhe disse: Deus te ferirá, parede branqueada! Tu estás aqui assentado para julgar-me conforme a lei e, contra a lei, me mandas ferir? 4 E os que ali estavam disseram: Injurias o sumo sacerdote de Deus? 5 E Paulo disse: Não sabia, irmãos, que era o sumo sacerdote; porque está escrito: Não dirás mal do príncipe do teu povo. 6 E Paulo, sabendo que uma parte era de saduceus, e outra, de fariseus, clamou no conselho: Varões irmãos, eu sou fariseu, filho de fariseu! No tocante à esperança e ressurreição dos mortos sou julgado! 7 E, havendo dito isto, houve dissensão entre os fariseus e saduceus; e a multidão se dividiu. 8 Porque os saduceus dizem que não há ressurreição, nem anjo, nem espírito; mas os fariseus reconhecem uma e outra coisa. 9 E originou-se um grande clamor; e, levantando-se os escribas da parte dos fariseus, contendiam, dizendo: Nenhum mal achamos neste homem, e se algum espírito ou anjo lhe falou, não resistamos a Deus. 10 E, havendo grande dissensão, o tribuno, temendo que Paulo fosse despedaçado por eles, mandou descer a soldadesca, para que o tirassem do meio deles e o levassem para a fortaleza.

11 E, na noite seguinte, apresentando-se-lhe o Senhor, disse: Paulo, tem ânimo! Porque, como de mim testificaste em Jerusalém, assim importa que testifiques também em Roma.

12 Quando já era dia, alguns dos judeus fizeram uma conspiração e juraram dizendo que não comeriam nem beberiam enquanto não matassem a Paulo. 13 E eram mais de quarenta os que fizeram esta conjuração. 14 Estes foram ter com os principais dos sacerdotes e anciãos e disseram: Conjuramo-nos, sob pena de maldição, a nada provarmos até que matemos a Paulo. 15 Agora, pois, vós, com o conselho, rogai ao tribuno que vo-lo traga amanhã, como querendo saber mais alguma coisa de seus negócios, e, antes que chegue, estaremos prontos para o matar.

16 E o filho da irmã de Paulo, tendo ouvido acerca desta cilada, foi, e entrou na fortaleza, e o anunciou a Paulo. 17 E Paulo, chamando a si um dos centuriões, disse: Leva este jovem ao tribuno, porque tem alguma coisa que lhe comunicar. 18 Tomando-o ele, pois, o levou ao tribuno e disse: O preso Paulo, chamando-me a si, me rogou que te trouxesse este jovem, que tem alguma coisa que dizer-te. 19 E o tribuno, tomando-o pela mão e pondo-se à parte, perguntou-lhe em particular: Que tens que me contar? 20 E disse ele: Os judeus se concertaram rogar-te que amanhã leves Paulo ao conselho como tendo de inquirir dele mais alguma coisa ao certo. 21 Mas tu não os creias, porque mais de quarenta homens dentre eles lhe andam armando ciladas, os quais se obrigaram, sob pena de maldição, a não comerem nem beberem até que o tenham morto; e já estão apercebidos, esperando de ti promessa. 22 Então, o tribuno despediu o jovem, mandando-lhe que a ninguém dissesse que lhe havia contado aquilo. 23 E, chamando dois centuriões, lhes disse: Aprontai para as três horas da noite duzentos soldados, e setenta de cavalo, e duzentos lanceiros para irem até Cesareia; 24 e aparelhai cavalgaduras, para que, pondo nelas a Paulo, o levem salvo ao governador Félix. 25 E escreveu uma carta que continha isto:

26 Cláudio Lísias a Félix, potentíssimo governador, saúde. 27 Este homem foi preso pelos judeus; e, estando já a ponto de ser morto por eles, sobrevim eu com a soldadesca e o livrei, informado de que era romano. 28 Querendo saber a causa por que o acusavam, o levei ao seu conselho. 29 E achei que o acusavam de algumas questões da sua lei, mas que nenhum crime havia nele digno de morte ou de prisão. 30 E, sendo-me notificado que os judeus haviam de armar ciladas a esse homem, logo to enviei, mandando também aos acusadores que perante ti digam o que tiverem contra ele. Passa bem.

31 Tomando, pois, os soldados a Paulo, como lhes fora mandado, o trouxeram de noite a Antipátride. 32 No dia seguinte, deixando aos de cavalo irem com ele, tornaram à fortaleza; 33 os quais, logo que chegaram a Cesareia e entregaram a carta ao governador, lhe apresentaram Paulo. 34 E o governador, lida a carta, perguntou de que província era; e, sabendo que era da Cilícia, 35 disse: Ouvir-te-ei quando também aqui vierem os teus acusadores. E mandou que o guardassem no pretório de Herodes.

1 Paul looked straight at the Council and said, "Brothers, with a clear conscience I have done my duty before God up to this very day."2 Then the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near him to strike him on the mouth.3 At this Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me according to the law and yet in violation of the law order me to be struck?"4 The men standing near him asked, "Do you mean to insult God's high priest?"5 Paul answered, "I didn't realize, brothers, that he is the high priest. After all, it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’"6 When Paul saw that some of them were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he shouted in the Council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead."7 After he said that, an angry quarrel broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection and that there is no such thing as an angel or spirit, but the Pharisees believe in all those things.9 There was a great deal of shouting until some of the scribes who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and argued forcefully, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"10 The quarrel was becoming violent, and the tribune was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he ordered the soldiers to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.11 That night the Lord stood near him and said,"Have courage! For just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, you must testify in Rome, too."12 In the morning, the Jews formed a conspiracy and took an oath not to eat or drink anything before they had killed Paul.13 More than forty men formed this conspiracy.14 They went to the high priests and elders and said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to taste any food before we have killed Paul.15 Now then, you and the Council must notify the tribune to bring him down to you on the pretext that you want to look into his case more carefully, but before he arrives we'll be ready to kill him."16 But the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, so he came and got into the barracks and told Paul.17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the tribune, because he has something to tell him."18 So he took him, brought him to the tribune, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you."19 The tribune took him by the hand, stepped aside to be alone with him, and asked, "What have you got to tell me?"20 He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Council tomorrow as though they were going to examine his case more carefully.21 Don't believe them, because more than forty of them are planning to ambush him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink before they have killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent."22 The tribune dismissed the young man and ordered him not to tell anyone that he had notified him.23 Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight, along with seventy mounted soldiers and 200 soldiers with spears.24 Provide an animal for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix."25 He wrote a letter with this message:26 "From Claudius Lysias to Your Excellency, Governor Felix. Greetings.27 This man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I went with the guard and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.28 I wanted to know the exact charge they were making against him, so I had him brought before their Council.29 I found that, although he was charged with questions about their law, there was no charge against him deserving death or imprisonment.30 Since a plot against the man has been reported to me, I am at once sending him to you and have also ordered his accusers to present their charges against him before you."31 So the soldiers, in keeping with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.32 The next day they let the horsemen ride on with him while they returned to their barracks.33 When these came to Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.34 After reading the letter, he asked which province he was from. On learning that he was from Cilicia,35 he said, "I will hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered him to be kept in custody in Herod's palace.