Acts of the Apostles 23

Authored by: American Standard Version
23:1
Ατενισας δε ο Παυλος τω συνεδριω ειπεν Ανδρες αδελφοι εγω παση συνειδησει αγαθη πεπολιτευμαι τω Θεω αχρι ταυτης της ημερας
And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.
23:2
ο δε αρχιερευς Ανανιας επεταξεν τοις παρεστωσιν αυτω τυπτειν αυτου το στομα
And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
23:3
Τοτε ο Παυλος προς αυτον ειπεν Τυπτειν σε μελλει ο Θεος τοιχε κεκονιαμενε και συ καθη κρινων με κατα τον νομον και παρανομων κελευεις με τυπτεσθαι
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
23:4
Οι δε παρεστωτες ειπαν Τον αρχιερεα του Θεου λοιδορεις
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?
23:5
Εφη τε ο Παυλος Ουκ ηδειν αδελφοι οτι εστιν αρχιερευς γεγραπται γαρ οτι Αρχοντα του λαου σου ουκ ερεις κακως
And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.
23:6
Γνους δε ο Παυλος οτι το εν μερος εστιν Σαδδουκαιων το δε ετερον Φαρισαιων εκραζεν εν τω συνεδριω Ανδρες αδελφοι εγω Φαρισαιος ειμι υιος Φαρισαιων περι ελπιδος και αναστασεως νεκρων εγω κρινομαι
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
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23:7
Τουτο δε αυτου λαλουντος εγενετο στασις των Φαρισαιων και Σαδδουκαιων και εσχισθη το πληθος
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.
23:8
Σαδδουκαιοι μεν γαρ λεγουσιν μη ειναι αναστασιν μητε αγγελον μητε πνευμα Φαρισαιοι δε ομολογουσιν τα αμφοτερα
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
23:9
Εγενετο δε κραυγη μεγαλη και ανασταντες τινες των γραμματεων του μερους των Φαρισαιων διεμαχοντο λεγοντες Ουδεν κακον ευρισκομεν εν τω ανθρωπω τουτω ει δε πνευμα ελαλησεν αυτω η αγγελος
And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?
23:10
πολλης δε γινομενης στασεως φοβηθεις ο χιλιαρχος μη διασπασθη ο Παυλος υπ αυτων εκελευσεν το στρατευμα καταβαν αρπασαι αυτον εκ μεσου αυτων αγειν τε εις την παρεμβολην
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should 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 castle.
23:11
Τη δε επιουση νυκτι επιστας αυτω ο Κυριος ειπεν Θαρσει ως γαρ διεμαρτυρω τα περι εμου εις Ιερουσαλημ ουτω σε δει και εις Ρωμην μαρτυρησαι
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
23:12
Γενομενης δε ημερας ποιησαντες συστροφην οι Ιουδαιοι ανεθεματισαν εαυτους λεγοντες μητε φαγειν μητε πιειν εως ου αποκτεινωσιν τον Παυλον
And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
23:13
ησαν δε πλειους τεσσερακοντα οι ταυτην την συνωμοσιαν ποιησαμενοι
And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy.
23:14
οιτινες προσελθοντες τοις αρχιερευσιν και τοις πρεσβυτεροις ειπαν Αναθεματι ανεθεματισαμεν εαυτους μηδενος γευσασθαι εως ου αποκτεινωμεν τον Παυλον
And they 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.
23:15
νυν ουν υμεις εμφανισατε τω χιλιαρχω συν τω συνεδριω οπως καταγαγη αυτον εις υμας ως μελλοντας διαγινωσκειν ακριβεστερον τα περι αυτου ημεις δε προ του εγγισαι αυτον ετοιμοι εσμεν του ανελειν αυτον
Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him.
23:16
Ακουσας δε ο υιος της αδελφης Παυλου την ενεδραν παραγενομενος και εισελθων εις την παρεμβολην απηγγειλεν τω Παυλω
But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
23:17
προσκαλεσαμενος δε ο Παυλος ενα των εκατονταρχων εφη Τον νεανιαν τουτον απαγε προς τον χιλιαρχον εχει γαρ απαγγειλαι τι αυτω
And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him.
23:18
Ο μεν ουν παραλαβων αυτον ηγαγεν προς τον χιλιαρχον και φησιν Ο δεσμιος Παυλος προσκαλεσαμενος με ηρωτησεν τουτον τον νεανισκον αγαγειν προς σε εχοντα τι λαλησαι σοι
So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee.
23:19
Επιλαβομενος δε της χειρος αυτου ο χιλιαρχος και αναχωρησας κατ ιδιαν επυνθανετο Τι εστιν ο εχεις απαγγειλαι μοι
And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that thou hast to tell me?
23:20
Ειπεν δε οτι Οι Ιουδαιοι συνεθεντο του ερωτησαι σε οπως αυριον τον Παυλον καταγαγης εις το συνεδριον ως μελλον τι ακριβεστερον πυνθανεσθαι περι αυτου
And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul to-morrow unto the council, as though thou wouldest inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him.
23:21
συ ουν μη πεισθης αυτοις ενεδρευουσιν γαρ αυτον εξ αυτων ανδρες πλειους τεσσερακοντα οιτινες ανεθεματισαν εαυτους μητε φαγειν μητε πιειν εως ου ανελωσιν αυτον και νυν εισιν ετοιμοι προσδεχομενοι την απο σου επαγγελιαν
Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee.
23:22
Ο μεν ουν χιλιαρχος απελυσε τον νεανισκον παραγγειλας Μηδενι εκλαλησαι οτι ταυτα ενεφανισας προς εμε
So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified these things to me.
23:23
Και προσκαλεσαμενος δυο τινας των εκατονταρχων ειπεν Ετοιμασατε στρατιωτας διακοσιους οπως πορευθωσιν εως Καισαρειας και ιππεις εβδομηκοντα και δεξιολαβους διακοσιους απο τριτης ωρας της νυκτος
And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Cæsarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:
23:24
κτηνη τε παραστησαι ινα επιβιβασαντες τον Παυλον διασωσωσι προς Φηλικα τον ηγεμονα
and he bade them provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
23:25
γραψας επιστολην εχουσαν τον τυπον τουτον
And he wrote a letter after this form:
23:26
Κλαυδιος Λυσιας Τω κρατιστω ηγεμονι Φηλικι Χαιρειν
Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.
23:27
Τον ανδρα τουτον συλλημφθεντα υπο των Ιουδαιων και μελλοντα αναιρεισθαι υπ αυτων επιστας συν τω στρατευματι εξειλαμην μαθων οτι Ρωμαιος εστιν
This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
23:28
βουλομενος τε επιγνωναι την αιτιαν δι ην ενεκαλουν αυτω κατηγαγον εις το συνεδριον αυτων
And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him down unto their council:
23:29
ον ευρον εγκαλουμενον περι ζητηματων του νομου αυτων μηδεν δε αξιον θανατου η δεσμων εχοντα εγκλημα
whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
23:30
Μηνυθεισης δε μοι επιβουλης εις τον ανδρα εσεσθαι εξαυτης επεμψα προς σε παραγγειλας και τοις κατηγοροις λεγειν τα προς αυτον επι σου
And when it was shown to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to thee forthwith, charging his accusers also to speak against him before thee.
23:31
Οι μεν ουν στρατιωται κατα το διατεταγμενον αυτοις αναλαβοντες τον Παυλον ηγαγον δια νυκτος εις την Αντιπατριδα
So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
23:32
τη δε επαυριον εασαντες τους ιππεις απερχεσθαι συν αυτω υπεστρεψαν εις την παρεμβολην
But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
23:33
οιτινες εισελθοντες εις την Καισαρειαν και αναδοντες την επιστολην τω ηγεμονι παρεστησαν και τον Παυλον αυτω
and they, when they came to Cæsarea and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
23:34
Αναγνους δε και επερωτησας εκ ποιας επαρχειας εστιν και πυθομενος οτι απο Κιλικιας
And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,
23:35
Διακουσομαι σου εφη Οταν και οι κατηγοροι σου παραγενωνται κελευσας εν τω πραιτωριω του Ηρωδου φυλασσεσθαι αυτον
I will hear thee fully, said he, when thine accusers also are come: and he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s palace.
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@Blue43

Dividing the council against itself

Paul deliberately exploits a theological disagreement between Pharisees and Sadducees about resurrection to divide the council against itself. Using an existing internal conflict strategically, rather than trying to unite his accusers against him, is...

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