Acts 23
1
Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, "Men and brethren, a I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."
2
And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him b 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 c 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, d "I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, e '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, f I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; g 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 assembly was divided.
8
h 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, i "We find no evil in this man; but j if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, k let us not fight against God."
10
Now 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 l the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in m Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at n Rome."
12
And when it was day, o some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had p killed Paul.
13
Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy.
14
They came to the chief priests and q 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, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but 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, "Take 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, r "The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him.
21
"But do not yield to 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 revealed these things to me."
23
And he called for two centurions, saying, "Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to s 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
He wrote a letter in the following manner:
26
Claudius Lysias,
To the most excellent governor Felix:
Greetings.
27
t 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
u 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 v concerning questions of their law, w but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains.
30
And x when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and y 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 z Caesarea and had delivered the a 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 b Cilicia,
35
he said, c "I will hear you when your accusers also have come." And he commanded him to be kept in d Herod's Praetorium.
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Cross References
Acts 24:16
This being so, I myself always strive to have a...
1 Corinthians 4:4
For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am ...
2 Corinthians 1:12
For our boasting is this: the testimony of our ...
2 Corinthians 4:2
But we have renounced the hidden things of sham...
2 Timothy 1:3
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscienc...
Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us; for we are confident that we have ...
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Cross References
1 Kings 22:24
Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you?
Jeremiah 20:2
Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.
John 18:22
And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?
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Cross References
Leviticus 19:35
You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume.
Deuteronomy 25:1
If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.
Deuteronomy 25:2
Then it shall be, if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, that the judge will cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, with a certain number of blows.
John 7:51
"Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"
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Cross References
Leviticus 5:17
If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity.
Leviticus 5:18
And he shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish from the flock, with your valuation, as a trespass offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him regarding his ignorance in which he erred and did not know it, and it shall be forgiven him.
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Cross References
Exodus 22:28
You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
Ecclesiastes 10:20
Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter.
2 Peter 2:10
And especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries.
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Cross References
Acts 26:5
They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Philippians 3:5
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee.
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Cross References
Acts 24:15
I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
Acts 24:21
"unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.'"
Acts 26:6
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.
Acts 28:20
"For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."
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Cross References
Matthew 22:23
The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him.
Mark 12:18
Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:
Luke 20:27
Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him.
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Cross References
Acts 25:25
But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.
Acts 26:31
And when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, "This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.
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Cross References
John 12:29
Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him.
Acts 22:6
Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.
Acts 22:7
"And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
Acts 22:17
Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance
Acts 22:18
"and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.'
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Cross References
Acts 5:39
"but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it - lest you even be found to fight against God."
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Cross References
Acts 18:9
Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent.
Acts 27:23
For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve.
Acts 27:24
"saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.'
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Cross References
Acts 21:18
On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
Acts 21:19
When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
Acts 22:1 - 21
"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now."
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Cross References
Acts 28:16
Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
Acts 28:17
And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: "Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Acts 28:23
So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.
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Cross References
Acts 23:21
"But do not yield to 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."
Acts 23:30
And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell.
Acts 25:3
Asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem - while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.
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Cross References
Acts 9:23
Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted...
Acts 9:24
But their plot became known to Saul. And they w...
Acts 25:3
Asking a favor against him, that he would summo...
Acts 26:21
For these reasons the Jews seized me in the tem...
Acts 27:42
And the soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoner...
1 Thessalonians 2:15
Who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own pr...
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Cross References
Acts 4:5
And it came to pass, on the next day, that thei...
Acts 4:23
And being let go, they went to their own compan...
Acts 6:12
And they stirred up the people, the elders, and...
Acts 22:5
As also the high priest bears me witness, and a...
Acts 24:1
Now after five days Ananias the high priest cam...
Acts 25:15
About whom the chief priests and the elders of ...
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Cross References
Acts 23:12
And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
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Cross References
Acts 8:40
But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
Acts 23:33
When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
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Cross References
Acts 21:30
And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.
Acts 21:33
Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done.
Acts 24:7
But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands.
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Cross References
Acts 22:30
The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
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Cross References
Acts 18:15
"But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters."
Acts 25:19
But had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
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Cross References
Acts 25:25
But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.
Acts 26:31
And when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, "This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.
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Cross References
Acts 23:20
And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him.
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Cross References
Acts 24:8
"commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him."
Acts 25:6
And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.
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Cross References
Acts 8:40
But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
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Cross References
Acts 23:26 - 30
Claudius Lysias, To the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
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Cross References
Acts 6:9
Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.
Acts 21:39
But Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.
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Cross References
Acts 24:1
Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.
Acts 24:10
Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: "Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself.
Acts 25:16
"To them I answered, 'It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.'
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Cross References
Matthew 27:27
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.