1 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

3 Then Paul said to him, God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the Law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the Law?

4 And those who stood by said, Do you revile God’s high priest?

5 Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.

6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!

7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided.

8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection; and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.

9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, 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 And when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good courage, Paul; for as you have testified of Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.

12 And when it was day, some of the Jews made a pact and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul.

13 And there were more than forty who made this conspiracy.

14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

15 Now you, therefore, together with the council, communicate to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make more specific inquiries concerning him; and we are ready to kill him before he comes near.

16 So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.

18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.

19 Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside and asked privately, What is it that you have to tell me?

20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to make more specific inquiries about him.

21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.

22 So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, Tell no one that you have disclosed these things to me.

23 And he summoned two centurions, saying, Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night;

24 and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

25 And he wrote a letter in the following manner:

26 Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

28 And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council.

29 I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or bonds.

30 And when it was disclosed to me that the Jews were about to carry out a plot against the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell.

31 Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks.

33 When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

34 And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia,

35 he said, I will fully hear you when your accusers also have come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.

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 E, 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 E 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 que 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 mancebo 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 mancebo, 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 que 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 mancebo, 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 archeiros para irem até Cesareia; 24 E aparelhai cavalgaduras, para que pondo nelas a Paulo, o levem salvo ao presidente Félix. 25 E escreveu uma carta que continha isto: 26 Cláudio Lísias, a Félix, potentíssimo presidente, saúde. 27 Esse 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 E querendo saber a causa porque 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 lhe fora mandado, o trouxeram de noite a Antipatris. 32 E 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 presidente, lhe apresentaram Paulo. 34 E o presidente, lida a carta, perguntou de que província era: e, sabendo que da Cilícia, 35 Ouvir-te-ei, disse, quando também aqui vierem os teus acusadores. E mandou que o guardassem no pretório de Herodes.