4 23:16But a son of Paul's sister hearing of this lying in wait, went and entering into the fortress told Paul. 23:17And Paul calling one of the centurions, said, Lead this young man to the chiliarch, for he has something to tell him. 23:18He therefore took him and led him to the chiliarch, and said, Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to lead this young man to you, who has something to tell you. 23:19And the chiliarch taking him by the hand and leading him aside, inquired, What is it that you have to tell me? 23:20And he said, The Jews have entered into a compact to ask you to bring down Paul to the Sanhedrim to-morrow, as if about to learn more accurately of something concerning him. 23:21But do not therefore be persuaded by them; for more than forty men of them lie in wait, who have taken an oath not to eat nor drink till they have killed him, and now they are ready, awaiting an answer from you. 23:22Then the chiliarch dismissed the young man, charging him, Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.
5 23:23And calling two of the centurions he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers to go to Cæsarea, and seventy horsemen and two hundred light armed troops, after the third hour of the night. 23:24And provide animals to put Paul on, and take him safely to Felix the procurator. 23:25And he wrote a letter having this form; 23:26Claudius Lysias to the most excellent procurator Felix, greeting. 23:27I went with the soldiery and rescued this man, when he was seized by the Jews, and about to be killed by them, having learned that he is a Roman; 23:28and wishing to know the cause for which they accuse him, I took him down to their Sanhedrim, 23:29and found him criminated in respect to questions of their law, but charged with nothing worthy of death or bonds. 23:30Being informed that a conspiracy was about to be formed against the man, I immediately sent to you, commanding also his accusers to speak before you.
6 23:31The soldiers therefore took Paul as they were commanded and brought him by night to Antipatris, 23:32and the next day leaving the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the fortress. 23:33And when they came to Cæsarea, and had delivered the letter to the procurator, they also presented Paul to him. 23:34And having read, he asked of what province he was; and learning that he was of Cilicia, 23:35I will hear you, he said, when your accusers have come; and he commanded him to be kept in the Prætorium of Herod.
CHAPTER XXII.
PAUL'S TRIAL BEFORE FELIX THE PROCURATOR.—A.D. 59, 60.
1 24:1AND after five days the chief priest Ananias, with the elders, and a certain orator, Tertullus, went down and gave information to the procurator against Paul. 24:2And he being called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Having obtained great peace by you, and things being happily arranged for this nation by your oversight in all things and in all places 24:3we accept [it] most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 24:4But that I may not further weary you, I beg you to hear us briefly, with your clemency. 24:5For finding this man a pestilence and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a chief of the sect of the Nazoraeans, 24:6who also endeavored to profane the temple, whom we also took, 24:8from whom you will be able to learn by examination of all these things of which we accuse him. 24:9And the Jews also assented, saying, These things are so.
2 24:10And the procurator making a sign to him to speak, Paul answered, Knowing that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I shall defend myself cheerfully, 24:11you being able to know that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 24:12And they did not find me in the temple disputing with any one, or making a disturbance of the multitude, neither in the synagogues nor in the city; 24:13neither can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.
3 24:14But this I confess to you, that in the way which they call a heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers; believing all things written in the law and the prophets, 24:15having a hope in God which they also hold, that there will be a resurrection both of the righteous and wicked. 24:16And in this also I endeavor always to have a conscience without offense towards God and man.
4 24:17But after many years I came to bring charities and offerings to my nation, 24:18in which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a multitude, nor with a tumult, 24:19who ought to be present and accuse me before you, if they have any thing against me. 24:20Or let them say whether they found any unrighteousness in me when I stood before the Sanhedrim, 24:21except in this one statement which I made, as I stood among them, that I am under trial by you to-day concerning the resurrection of the dead.
5 24:22But Felix put them off, saying, Having learned more accurately of this way, when Lysias the chiliarch comes down I will decide concerning your matters, 24:23and he commanded the centurion that Paul should be kept, and be freed from bonds, and that he should forbid none of his friends to serve him.