Acts 23 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
1 Ἀτενίσας δὲ ὁ Παῦλος τῷ συνεδρίῳ εἶπεν· ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ πάσῃ συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ Θεῷ ἄχρι ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας.
2 At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
2 ὁ δὲ ἀρχιερεὺς Ἀνανίας ἐπέταξε τοῖς παρεστῶσιν αὐτῷ τύπτειν αὐτοῦ τὸ στόμα.
3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”
3 τότε ὁ Παῦλος πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπε· τύπτειν σε μέλλει ὁ Θεός, τοῖχε κεκονιαμένε· καὶ σὺ κάθῃ κρίνων με κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ παρανομῶν κελεύεις με τύπτεσθαι!
4 But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”
4 οἱ δὲ παρεστῶτες εἶπον· τὸν ἀρχιερέα τοῦ Θεοῦ λοιδορεῖς;
5 “Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
5 ἔφη τε ὁ Παῦλος· οὐκ ᾔδειν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀρχιερεύς· γέγραπται γάρ· ἄρχοντα τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς.
6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
6 γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Παῦλος ὅτι τὸ ἓν μέρος ἐστὶ Σαδδουκαίων, τὸ δὲ ἕτερον Φαρισαίων, ἔκραξεν ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ· ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ Φαρισαῖός εἰμι, υἱὸς Φαρισαίου· περὶ ἐλπίδος καὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν ἐγὼ κρίνομαι.
7 As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
7 τοῦτο δὲ αὐτοῦ λαλήσαντος ἐγένετο στάσις τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ τῶν Σαδδουκαίων, καὶ ἐσχίσθη τὸ πλῆθος.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection, nor angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
8 Σαδδουκαῖοι μὲν γὰρ λέγουσι μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν μήτε ἄγγελον μήτε πνεῦμα, Φαρισαῖοι δὲ ὁμολογοῦσι τὰ ἀμφότερα.
9 A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
9 ἐγένετο δὲ κραυγὴ μεγάλη, καὶ ἀναστάντες οἱ γραμματεῖς τοῦ μέρους τῶν Φαρισαίων διεμάχοντο λέγοντες· οὐδὲν κακὸν εὑρίσκομεν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τούτῳ· εἰ δὲ πνεῦμα ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ ἢ ἄγγελος, μὴ θεομαχῶμεν.
10 The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
10 πολλῆς δὲ γενομένης στάσεως εὐλαβηθεὶς ὁ χιλίαρχος μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν, ἐκέλευσε τὸ στράτευμα καταβῆναι καὶ ἁρπάσαι αὐτὸν ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν ἄγειν τε εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν.
11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
11 Τῇ δὲ ἐπιούσῃ νυκτὶ ἐπιστὰς αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος εἶπε· θάρσει, Παῦλε· ὡς γὰρ διεμαρτύρω τὰ περὶ ἐμοῦ εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, οὕτω σε δεῖ καὶ εἰς Ῥώμην μαρτυρῆσαι.
12 When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
12 Γενομένης δὲ ἡμέρας ποιήσαντές τινες τῶν Ἰουδαίων συστροφὴν ἀνεθεμάτισαν ἑαυτούς, λέγοντες μήτε φαγεῖν μήτε πιεῖν ἕως οὗ ἀποκτείνωσι τὸν Παῦλον.
13 More than forty of them were involved in this plot.
13 ἦσαν δὲ πλείους τεσσαράκοντα οἱ ταύτην τὴν συνωμοσίαν πεποιηκότες·
14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
14 οἵτινες προσελθόντες τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις εἶπον· ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν ἑαυτοὺς μηδενὸς γεύσασθαι ἕως οὗ ἀποκτείνωμεν τὸν Παῦλον.
15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”
15 νῦν οὖν ὑμεῖς ἐμφανίσατε τῷ χιλιάρχῳ σὺν τῷ συνεδρίῳ, ὅπως αὔριον αὐτὸν καταγάγῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ὡς μέλλοντας διαγινώσκειν ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ· ἡμεῖς δὲ πρὸ τοῦ ἐγγίσαι αὐτὸν ἕτοιμοί ἐσμεν τοῦ ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν.
16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
16 ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀδελφῆς Παύλου τὸ ἔνεδρον, παραγενόμενος καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἀπήγγειλε τῷ Παύλῳ.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
17 προσκαλεσάμενος δὲ ὁ Παῦλος ἕνα τῶν ἑκατοντάρχων ἔφη· τὸν νεανίαν τοῦτον ἀπάγαγε πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον· ἔχει γάρ τι ἀπαγγεῖλαι αὐτῷ.
18 So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
18 ὁ μὲν οὖν παραλαβὼν αὐτὸν ἤγαγε πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον καί φησιν· ὁ δέσμιος Παῦλος προσκαλεσάμενός με ἠρώτησε τοῦτον τὸν νεανίαν ἀγαγεῖν πρός σε, ἔχοντά τι λαλῆσαί σοι.
19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”
19 ἐπιλαβόμενος δὲ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ χιλίαρχος καὶ ἀναχωρήσας κατ᾽ ἰδίαν ἐπυνθάνετο, τί ἐστιν ὃ ἔχεις ἀπαγγεῖλαί μοι;
20 He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him.
20 εἶπε δὲ ὅτι οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συνέθεντο τοῦ ἐρωτῆσαί σε ὅπως αὔριον εἰς τὸ συνέδριον καταγάγῃς τὸν Παῦλον, ὡς μελλόντων τι ἀκριβέστερον πυνθάνεσθαι περὶ αὐτοῦ.
21 Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”
21 σὺ οὖν μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτοῖς· ἐνεδρεύουσι γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες πλείους τεσσαράκοντα, οἵτινες ἀνεθεμάτισαν ἑαυτοὺς μήτε φαγεῖν μήτε πιεῖν ἕως οὗ ἀνέλωσιν αὐτόν, καὶ νῦν ἕτοιμοί εἰσι προσδεχόμενοι τὴν ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐπαγγελίαν.
22 So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
22 ὁ μὲν οὖν χιλίαρχος ἀπέλυσε τὸν νεανίαν, παραγγείλας μηδενὶ ἐκλαλῆσαι ὅτι ταῦτα ἐνεφάνισας πρός με.
23 Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.
23 Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν ἑκατοντάρχων εἶπεν· ἑτοιμάσατε στρατιώτας διακοσίους ὅπως πορευθῶσιν ἕως Καισαρείας, καὶ ἱππεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ δεξιολάβους διακοσίους, ἀπὸ τρίτης ὥρας τῆς νυκτός,
24 Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”
24 κτήνη τε παραστῆσαι, ἵνα ἐπιβιβάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον διασώσωσι πρὸς Φήλικα τὸν ἡγεμόνα,
25 And he wrote the following letter:
25 γράψας ἐπιστολὴν περιέχουσαν τὸν τύπον τοῦτον·
26 Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
26 Κλαύδιος Λυσίας τῷ κρατίστῳ ἡγεμόνι Φήλικι χαίρειν.
27 This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
27 τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον συλληφθέντα ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ μέλλοντα ἀναιρεῖσθαι ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐπιστὰς σὺν τῷ στρατεύματι ἐξειλόμην αὐτόν, μαθὼν ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστι.
28 and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
28 βουλόμενος δὲ γνῶναι τὴν αἰτίαν δι᾽ ἣν ἐνεκάλουν αὐτῷ, κατήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ συνέδριον αὐτῶν·
29 I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
29 ὃν εὗρον ἐγκαλούμενον περὶ ζητημάτων τοῦ νόμου αὐτῶν, μηδὲν δὲ ἄξιον θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἔγκλημα ἔχοντα.
30 When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.
30 μηνυθείσης δέ μοι ἐπιβουλῆς εἰς τὸν ἄνδρα μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἐξαυτῆς ἔπεμψα πρός σε, παραγγείλας καὶ τοῖς κατηγόροις λέγειν τὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ σοῦ. ἔρρωσο.
31 So the soldiers followed their orders and brought Paul by night to Antipatris.
31 Οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατιῶται κατὰ τὸ διατεταγμένον αὐτοῖς ἀναλαβόντες τὸν Παῦλον ἤγαγον διὰ τῆς νυκτὸς εἰς τὴν Ἀντιπατρίδα,
32 The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.
32 τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ἐάσαντες τοὺς ἱππεῖς πορεύεσθαι σὺν αὐτῷ, ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν·
33 When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.
33 οἵτινες εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν Καισάρειαν καὶ ἀναδόντες τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῷ ἡγεμόνι παρέστησαν καὶ τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ.
34 The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
34 ἀναγνοὺς δὲ ὁ ἡγεμὼν καὶ ἐπερωτήσας ἐκ ποίας ἐπαρχίας ἐστί, καὶ πυθόμενος ὅτι ἀπὸ Κιλικίας,
35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.
35 διακούσομαί σου, ἔφη, ὅταν καὶ οἱ κατήγοροί σου παραγένωνται· ἐκέλευσέ τε αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου φυλάσσεσθαι.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Ananias
The high priest who ordered Paul to be struck on the mouth at his hearing and later went down to Caesarea to accuse him before Felix.
Cited in the guide: Acts 23:2; Acts 24:1
Claudius Lysias
The commander who rescued Paul from the mob at Jerusalem and sent him to the governor Felix at Caesarea with a letter.
Cited in the guide: Acts 23:26
Felix
The governor at Caesarea who heard Paul's case, trembled at his talk of judgment, and kept him in custody hoping for a bribe.
Cited in the guide: Acts 23:24; Acts 24:3; Acts 24:25
Places
Caesarea Maritima
The Roman administrative capital of Judea. Peter brought the gospel to the Gentile Cornelius here, and Paul was imprisoned before appealing his case to Caesar.
Cited in the guide: Acts 10:1; Acts 23:23; Acts 25:11
Cross references (33)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 24:16; 2 Timothy 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Hebrews 13:18; 1 Corinthians 4:4
- 2 John 18:22; Acts 24:1; 1 Kings 22:24; Micah 5:1; Matthew 26:67
- 3 Deuteronomy 25:1–2; John 7:51; Matthew 23:27–28; Micah 3:8–11; Amos 5:7
- 5 Exodus 22:28; Ecclesiastes 10:20; Jude 8–9; 2 Peter 2:10
- 6 Acts 24:15; Acts 24:21; Acts 26:5–8; Acts 28:20; Philippians 3:5
- 7 Acts 14:4; John 7:40–43; Matthew 10:34; Psalm 55:9
- 8 Luke 20:27; Matthew 22:23; Mark 12:18; Acts 4:1
- 9 Acts 22:7; Acts 22:17–18; John 12:29; Acts 25:25; Proverbs 16:7
- 10 Acts 22:24; James 1:19; James 3:14–4:2; Acts 23:32; Micah 3:3
- 11 Acts 18:9; 2 Timothy 4:17; Matthew 14:27; Jeremiah 15:19–21; Acts 19:21
- 12 Acts 23:30; Isaiah 8:9–10; Acts 23:21; Acts 23:14; Psalm 2:1–3
- 13 John 16:2; 2 Samuel 15:12; 2 Samuel 15:31
- 14 Acts 23:12; Jeremiah 8:12; Micah 7:3; Hosea 4:9; Psalm 52:1–2
- 15 Isaiah 59:7; Psalm 37:32–33; Proverbs 1:16; Proverbs 1:11–12; Psalm 21:11
- 16 1 Corinthians 3:19; Acts 23:10; Proverbs 21:30; Acts 23:32; Job 5:13
- 17 Proverbs 22:3; Matthew 8:8–9; Acts 22:26; Acts 23:23; Matthew 10:16
- 18 Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 4:1; Acts 28:17; Philemon 9; Acts 16:25
- 19 Nehemiah 2:4; Esther 9:12; Esther 5:3; Mark 9:27; Esther 7:2
- 20 Acts 23:14–15; Daniel 6:5–12; Psalm 12:2; Acts 23:1
- 21 Acts 23:12–14; Exodus 23:2; Acts 20:19; Acts 9:23–24; 2 Corinthians 11:26
- 22 Joshua 2:14; Mark 1:44
- 23 Acts 8:40; Luke 12:38; Matthew 14:25; Acts 23:33
- 24 Acts 23:26; Acts 25:14; Acts 24:10; Acts 23:33–24:3; Acts 24:22–27
- 26 Acts 15:23; Acts 26:25; Luke 1:3; Acts 24:3; James 1:1
- 27 Acts 22:25–29; Acts 21:31–33; Acts 23:10; Acts 24:6
- 28 Acts 22:30
- 29 Acts 26:31; Acts 25:25; Acts 18:15; Acts 25:11; Acts 25:19–20
- 30 Acts 24:6–8; Acts 25:16; Acts 24:19; Acts 23:35; Acts 23:20
- 31 Acts 23:23–24; 2 Timothy 2:3–4; Luke 7:8
- 32 Acts 23:23; Acts 23:10
- 33 Acts 23:26; Acts 28:16; Acts 8:40; Acts 23:23–24
- 34 Acts 21:39; Acts 25:1; Esther 1:1; Esther 8:9; Daniel 6:1
- 35 Acts 23:30; Acts 25:16; Matthew 27:27; Matthew 2:16; Acts 24:22
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Again he discourses simply as man, and he does not on all occasions alike enjoy the benefit of supernatural aid. "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee:" both in this, and in what comes after it, he wished to divide the multitude, which had an evil unanimity against him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
… belonged to humility he wonderfully preserved, when, on its being said to him, "Revilest thou the high priest?" he replied, "I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, Thou shall not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." And here he showed with what calmness he had spoken that which he seemed to …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
A sect of the Jews dif ferent from the Pharisees, and much worse than they, who said, "that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit." For these were some of a grosser sort, and eager after the things of the body.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Wherefore Paul also saith, "I am a Pharisee, of the strictest sect amongst us." And they say nothing indeed directly about a resurrection; but they feign a story, and make up a case, which, as I suppose, never so much as had an existence; thinking to drive Him to perplexity, and desiring to overthrow both things, both the existence of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)