Paul before the Sanhedrin 1 AKJV And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. BSB BSB: Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
2 AKJV And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. BSB BSB: At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3 AKJV Then said Paul to him, God shall smite you, you white washed wall: for sit you to judge me after the law, and command me to be smitten contrary to the law? BSB BSB: 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.”
4 AKJV And they that stood by said, Revile you God’s high priest? BSB BSB: But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”
5 AKJV Then said Paul, I knew not, brothers, that he was the high priest: for it is written, You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people. BSB BSB: “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.’”
6 AKJV But 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, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. BSB BSB: Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the 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.”
7 AKJV And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. BSB BSB: As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 AKJV For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. BSB BSB: For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection nor angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9 AKJV And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God. BSB BSB: 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?”
10 AKJV And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. BSB BSB: 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.
11 AKJV And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome. BSB BSB: 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.”
The Plot to Kill Paul (John 16:1–4)
12 AKJV And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. BSB BSB: When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 AKJV And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. BSB BSB: More than forty of them were involved in this plot.
14 AKJV And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. BSB BSB: 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.
15 AKJV Now therefore you with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down to you to morrow, as though you would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. BSB BSB: 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.”
16 AKJV And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. BSB BSB: But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 AKJV Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, Bring this young man to the chief captain: for he has a certain thing to tell him. BSB BSB: Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
18 AKJV So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him, and prayed me to bring this young man to you, who has something to say to you. BSB BSB: 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.”
19 AKJV Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that you have to tell me? BSB BSB: The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”
20 AKJV And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire you that you would bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly. BSB BSB: 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.
21 AKJV But do not you yield to them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from you. BSB BSB: 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.”
22 AKJV So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See you tell no man that you have showed these things to me. BSB BSB: So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
Paul Sent to Felix 23 AKJV And he called to him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen three score and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; BSB BSB: 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.
24 AKJV And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe to Felix the governor. BSB BSB: Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”
25 AKJV And he wrote a letter after this manner: BSB BSB: And he wrote the following letter:
26 AKJV Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix sends greeting. BSB BSB: Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
27 AKJV This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. BSB BSB: 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,
28 AKJV And when I would have known the cause why they accused him, I brought him forth into their council: BSB BSB: and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
29 AKJV Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. BSB BSB: I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
30 AKJV And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to you, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before you what they had against him. Farewell. BSB BSB: 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.
31 AKJV Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. BSB BSB: So the soldiers followed their orders and brought Paul by night to Antipatris.
32 AKJV On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: BSB BSB: The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.
34 AKJV And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia; BSB BSB: The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
35 AKJV I will hear you, said he, when your accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall. BSB BSB: he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.