1 And Paul, looking steadfastly, at the High-council, saidBrethren! I, in all good conscience have used my citizenship for God until this day.2 And, the High-priest, Ananias, ordered them that stood by him, to be smiting him on the mouth.3 Then, Paul, unto him, saidGod is about to be smiting thee, thou whited wall! Dost, thou, then sit to judge me according to the law, and, unlawfully, orderest me to be smitten?4 And, they who stood by, saidThe High-priest of God, dost thou revile?5 And Paul saidI was not aware, brethren, that he was high-priest; because it is writtenOf a ruler of thy people, shalt thou not speak injuriously.6 But Paul, getting to know that, the one part, were Sadducees and, the other, Pharisees, began to cry aloud in the councilBrethren! I, am, a Pharisee, son of Pharisees:Concerning a hope, even of a rising again of the dead, am I to be judged.7 And, as this he was saying, there arose a dissension of the Pharisees and Sadducees; and rent asunder was the throng.8 For, Sadducees, say, there is no rising again, nor messenger, nor spirit, whereas, Pharisees, confess them both.9 And there arose a great outcry, and certain of the Scribes of the party of the Pharisees, standing up, began to strive, sayingNothing bad, find we in this man;but, if a spirit hath spoken unto him, or a messenger10 And, great dissension arising, the captain, fearing lest Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the troop to go down, and take him by force out of their midst, to bring him into the castle.11 But, on the following night, the Lord, standing over him, saidBe of good courage! for, as thou hast fully borne witness of the things concerning me in Jerusalem, so must thou, in Rome also, bear witness.12 And, when it became day, the Jews, forming a conspiracy, bound themselves under a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had slain Paul.13 And they were, more than forty, who, this sworn-confederacy, had formed.14 And they went unto the High-priests and Elders, and saidWith a curse have we bound ourselves, to taste, nothing, until we have slain Paul.15 Now, therefore, do, ye, with the High-council, make it appear unto the captain, that he should bring him down unto you, as though about to ascertain more exactly the things that concern him; and, we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.16 But Pauls sisters son hearing of the lying-in-wait, happening to be near, and coming into the castle,reported it unto Paul.17 And Paul, calling unto him one of the centurions, saidThis young man, lead thou away unto the captain, for he hath somewhat to report unto him.18 He, therefore, taking him with him, brought him unto the captain, and saithThe prisoner Paul, calling me unto him, requested me to bring this young man unto thee, as having somewhat to tell thee.19 And the captain, taking him by the hand, and going aside, began, privately, to askWhat is it which thou hast to report unto me?20 And he saidThe Jews, have agreed to request thee, that, to-morrow, thou wouldst bring, Paul, down into the High-council, as though about to ascertain something, more exact, concerning him.21 Thou, therefore, do not be persuaded by them, for there are lying in wait for him, from among them, more than forty men,who, indeed, have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor drink, till they have killed him; and, now, are they ready, awaiting the promise, from thee.22 the captain, therefore, dismissed the young man, charging himUnto no one, divulge thou, that, these things, thou hast shewed unto me.23 And calling certain two of the centurions he saidMake ye ready two hundred soldiers, that they may journey as far as Caesarea,and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, by the third hour of the night;24 beasts also provide, in order that, seating Paul thereon, they may bring him safely through unto Felix the governor.25 And he wrote a letter, after this form:26 Claudius Lysias, unto the most excellent governor Felix, Joy!27 This man, having been apprehended by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I went down with the troop, and rescued; having learned that he was, a Roman.28 And, being minded to find out the cause for which they were accusing him, I took him down into their High-council ,29 whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law, but, of nothing worthy of death or bonds, to be charged.30 But, when I was informed there would be a plot against the man, forthwith, I sent him unto thee, charging, his accusers also, to be speaking against him before thee.31 So the soldiers, according to their orders, taking up Paul, brought him by night unto Antipatris;32 and, on the morrow, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, returned to the castle,33 and the others, entering into Caesarea, and delivering the letter unto the governor, set, Paul also, before him.34 And, when he had read it, and asked out of what province he was, and learned that he was from Cilicia,35 I myself will hear thee in full, said he, whensoever, thine accusers also, are come; and gave orders that, in the palace of Herod, he should be kept under guard.

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.