Acts 23

1Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”Cross-references: Prov 28:1 · Acts 6:15 · Acts 22:1 · Acts 22:5 · Acts 22:30 · Acts 23:6 · +7 more

2The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.Cross-references: 1Ki 22:24 · Jer 20:2 · Mic 5:1 · Matt 26:67 · John 18:22 · Acts 24:1

3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”Cross-references: Lev 19:15 · Lev 19:35 · Deut 25:1 · Ps 58:1 · Ps 82:1 · Ps 94:20 · +6 more

4Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”

5Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”Cross-references: Ex 22:28 · Eccl 10:20 · Acts 24:17 · 2Pet 2:10 · Jude 1:8

6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”Cross-references: Matt 10:16 · Matt 22:23 · Acts 22:5 · Acts 24:15 · Acts 24:21 · Acts 26:5 · +2 more

7When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.Cross-references: Ps 55:9 · Matt 10:34 · John 7:40 · Acts 14:4

8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.Cross-references: Matt 22:23 · Mark 12:18 · Luke 20:27 · Acts 4:1

9A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”Cross-references: 1Sam 24:17 · Prov 16:7 · Mark 2:16 · Luke 5:30 · Luke 23:4 · Luke 23:14 · +14 more

10When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring him into the barracks.Cross-references: Ps 7:2 · Ps 50:22 · Mic 3:3 · Acts 19:28 · Acts 21:30 · Acts 22:24 · +5 more

11The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”Cross-references: Ps 46:1 · Ps 109:31 · Isa 41:10 · Isa 41:14 · Isa 43:2 · Isa 46:10 · +18 more

12When it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.Cross-references: Lev 27:29 · Josh 6:26 · Josh 7:1 · Josh 7:15 · 1Sam 14:24 · 1Sam 14:27 · +19 more

13There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.Cross-references: 2Sam 15:12 · 2Sam 15:31 · John 16:2

14They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.Cross-references: Ps 52:1 · Isa 3:9 · Jer 6:15 · Jer 8:12 · Hos 4:9 · Mic 7:3 · +1 more

15Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.”Cross-references: Ps 21:11 · Ps 37:32 · Prov 1:11 · Prov 1:16 · Prov 4:16 · Isa 59:7 · +3 more

16But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.Cross-references: 2Sam 17:17 · Job 5:13 · Prov 21:30 · Lam 3:37 · Acts 21:34 · Acts 23:10 · +2 more

17Paul summoned one of the centurions and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”Cross-references: Prov 22:3 · Matt 8:8 · Matt 10:16 · Acts 22:26 · Acts 23:23

18So he took him and brought him to the commanding officer and said, “Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”Cross-references: Gen 40:14 · Luke 7:40 · Acts 16:25 · Acts 27:1 · Acts 28:17 · Eph 3:1 · +2 more

19The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”Cross-references: Neh 2:4 · Esth 5:3 · Esth 7:2 · Esth 9:12 · Jer 31:32 · Mark 8:23 · +2 more

20He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.Cross-references: Ps 12:2 · Dan 6:5 · Acts 23:1 · Acts 23:14

21Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”Cross-references: Ex 23:2 · Acts 9:23 · Acts 14:5 · Acts 20:19 · Acts 23:12 · Acts 25:3 · +3 more

22So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”Cross-references: Josh 2:14 · Mark 1:44

23He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.”Cross-references: Matt 14:25 · Luke 12:38 · Acts 8:40 · Acts 23:33

24He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.Cross-references: Neh 2:12 · Esth 8:12 · Matt 27:2 · Luke 3:1 · Luke 10:34 · Acts 23:26 · +4 more

25He wrote a letter like this:

26“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.Cross-references: Luke 1:3 · Acts 15:23 · Acts 24:3 · Acts 26:25 · James 1:1 · 3John 1:14

27“This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.Cross-references: Acts 21:31 · Acts 22:25 · Acts 23:10 · Acts 24:6

28Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.Cross-references: Acts 22:30

29I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.Cross-references: Acts 18:15 · Acts 23:6 · Acts 24:5 · Acts 24:10 · Acts 25:7 · Acts 25:11 · +4 more

30When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”Cross-references: Acts 9:24 · Acts 15:29 · Acts 23:12 · Acts 23:20 · Acts 23:35 · Acts 24:6 · +4 more

31So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.Cross-references: Luke 7:8 · Acts 23:23 · 2Tim 2:3

32But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.Cross-references: Acts 23:10 · Acts 23:23

33When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.Cross-references: Acts 8:40 · Acts 23:23 · Acts 23:26 · Acts 28:16

34When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,Cross-references: Esth 1:1 · Esth 8:9 · Dan 2:49 · Dan 6:1 · Luke 23:6 · Acts 6:9 · +3 more

35“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.Cross-references: Matt 2:1 · Matt 2:3 · Matt 2:16 · Matt 27:27 · John 18:28 · Acts 23:30 · +6 more