1 Paulo, fixando os olhos no sinédrio, disse: Irmãos, eu me tenho portado diante de Deus com toda a boa consciência até o dia de hoje.2 Ananias, sumo sacerdote, mandou aos que estavam ao lado de Paulo que lhe dessem na boca.3 Então Paulo lhe disse: Deus te ferirá, parede branqueada; tu estás aí sentado para me julgar segundo a Lei, e contra a Lei mandas que eu seja ferido.4 Os que estavam ali, perguntaram: Injurias tu o sumo sacerdote de Deus?5 Respondeu Paulo: Eu não sabia, irmãos, que ele era sumo sacerdote; porque escrito está: Não falarás mal do chefe do teu povo.6 Paulo, sabendo que uma parte pertencia aos saduceus e a outra aos fariseus, clamou no sinédrio: Irmãos, eu sou fariseu, filho de fariseus; por causa da esperança e da ressurreição dos mortos é que eu estou sendo julgado.7 Dizendo isto, houve dissensão entre os fariseus e saduceus, e a multidão dividiu-se.8 Pois os saduceus dizem que não há ressurreição, e que não há anjos nem espíritos, mas os fariseus confessam uma e outra coisa.9 Suscitou-se grande clamor e, levantando-se alguns escribas do partido dos fariseus, altercavam, dizendo: Não achamos neste homem mal algum; e quem sabe se lhe falou algum espírito ou algum anjo?10 Tornando-se grande a dissensão, o tribuno, temendo que Paulo fosse despedaçado pelo povo, mandou que os soldados descessem e o tirassem do meio deles e o levassem para a cidadela.11 Na noite seguinte o Senhor, pondo-se ao lado dele, disse: Tem bom ânimo; pois assim como deste testemunho de mim em Jerusalém, assim importa também que o dês em Roma.12 Quando amanheceu, os judeus coligaram-se e juraram sob pena de anátema que não comeriam nem beberiam, enquanto não matassem a Paulo.13 Os que fizeram esta conjuração, eram mais de quarenta;14 e estes, indo ter com os principais sacerdotes e os anciãos, disseram: Juramos sob pena de anátema não provar coisa alguma enquanto não matássemos a Paulo.15 Agora vós, com o sinédrio, notificai ao tribuno que vo-lo apresente, como se houvesse de investigar com mais precisão a sua causa; e nós, antes que ele chegue, estamos prontos para o matar.16 Mas o filho da irmã de Paulo, sabendo da cilada, foi, entrou na cidadela e avisou a Paulo.17 Então Paulo, chamando um dos centuriões, disse: Leva este moço ao tribuno, porque tem alguma coisa a comunicar-lhe.18 Assim, pois, tomando-o ele consigo, levou-o ao tribuno e disse: O preso Paulo, chamando-me, pediu que eu trouxesse à tua presença este moço que tem alguma coisa que dizer-te.19 O tribuno, tomando-o pela mão e retirando-se à parte, perguntou-lhe em particular: Que é o que tens a comunicar-me?20 Respondeu ele: Os judeus combinaram rogar-te que amanhã apresentes Paulo ao sinédrio, como se houvesse de inquirir com mais precisão alguma coisa a seu respeito.21 Tu, pois, não te deixes persuadir por eles; porque mais de quarenta homens dentre eles lhe armam ciladas, os quais juraram sob pena de anátema não comer nem beber, enquanto o não matarem; e agora estão prontos, esperando a tua promessa.22 O tribuno, pois, despediu o moço recomendando-lhe que a ninguém dissesse que o havia informado disso.23 Chamando dois centuriões, disse: Tende prontos, desde a hora terceira da noite, duzentos soldados de infantaria, setenta de cavalaria e duzentos lanceiros, para irem até Cesaréia;24 e ordenou-lhes que aprontassem animais, para que Paulo montasse, e que o levassem salvo ao governador Félix,25 a quem escreveu uma carta nestes termos:26 Cláudio Lísias ao potentíssimo governador Félix, saúde.27 Este homem foi preso pelos judeus, e estava prestes a ser morto por eles, quando eu, sobrevindo com a tropa, o livrei, ao saber que era romano.28 Querendo saber a causa por que o acusavam, levei-o ao sinédrio;29 e achei que era acusado de questões da lei deles, mas que não havia acusação alguma que merecesse morte ou prisão.30 Sendo eu informado de que haveria uma cilada contra este homem, envio-to sem demora, intimando também aos acusadores que digam perante ti o que há contra ele.31 Os soldados, pois, conforme lhes fora ordenado, tomaram a Paulo e conduziram-no de noite a Antipátride;32 e no dia seguinte voltaram para a cidadela, deixando os soldados de cavalaria para o acompanhar;33 os quais, chegando a Cesaréia, entregaram a carta ao governador, e apresentaram-lhe também Paulo.34 Ele depois de a ler e perguntar de que província era, e sabendo que era da Cilícia, disse:35 Ouvir-te-ei, quando chegarem os teus acusadores; e mandou que fosse retido no Pretório de Herodes.
1 Paul looked straight at the Council and said: »Fellow Israelites! My conscience is perfectly clear about the way in which I have lived before God to this very day.«2 The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.3 Paul said to him: »God will strike you, white washed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the Law, and against law command me to be struck?«4 Those who stood near him said, »Do you revile the high priest of God?«5 Then Paul said, »I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest. It is written: You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.«6 When Paul saw that part of them were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin: »Men! Brothers! I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I am being judged because of the hope and resurrection of the dead.«7 When he said this dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The crowd was divided.8 The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit. The Pharisees believe both.9 There arose a great cry. The scribes who were on the Pharisees side arose and spoke, »We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.«10 The dispute became so violent the commander was afraid they would pull Paul to pieces. He commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him from among them by force, and to bring him into the barracks.11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said: »Be of good courage, Paul, for just as you testified about me in Jerusalem, so you also must bear witness at Rome.«12 When day arrived some of the Jews came together and united with an oath saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.13 There were more than forty involved in this conspiracy.14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said: »We have united with a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.15 »Now therefore you, with the Sanhedrin, inform the commander that he bring him down to you tomorrow. You say you would inquire some more regarding him. We are ready to put him to death before he comes near.«16 Hearing about the ambush, Pauls sisters son entered the barracks and reported to Paul.17 Paul called one of the centurions and said: »Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.«18 The officer took him to the commander, and said: »The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to say to you.«19 The commander took him by the hand and led him off by himself, and asked: »What do you have to tell me?«20 He said: »The Jewish authorities have agreed to ask you tomorrow to take Paul down to the Council. They want you to pretend the Council wants to get more accurate information about him.21 »Do not give in to them. There are more than forty men lying in wait for him. They are united with an oath that they will neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready and looking for a promise from you.«22 So the commander sent the young man away commanding, »Tell no one that you have told these things to me.«23 He called two centurions, saying, »Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea. Also prepare seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night.24 Provide some horses for Paul to ride and get him safely through to Governor Felix.25 Then the commander wrote a letter that went like this:26 »Claudius Lysias to His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.27 »The Jews seized this man and were about to kill him. I learned that he is a Roman citizen, so I went with my soldiers and rescued him.28 »I took him to their council to find out of what they accused him.29 »I found that he did not do a thing for which he deserved to die or be put in prison. The accusation against him had to do with questions about their own law.30 »When I was informed that there was a plot against him, I decided to send him to you. I told his accusers to make their charges against him before you.«31 The soldiers carried out their orders. That night they took Paul as far as Antipatris.32 The next day the foot soldiers returned to the fort and left the horsemen to go on with him.33 They took him to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor. Then they turned Paul over to him.34 The governor read the letter and asked Paul what province he was from. When he found out that he was from Cilicia,35 he said, »I will hear you fully when your accusers arrive.« He commanded him to be kept in the praetorian of Herod.