1Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”
4Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”
5Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’23:5 Exodus 22:28”
6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
9There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
The Plot to Kill Paul
12The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
16But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18So he took him to the commander.
The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
19The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
20He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
22The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
Paul Transferred to Caesarea
23Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen23:23 The meaning of the Greek for this word is uncertain. to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”
25He wrote a letter as follows:
26Claudius Lysias,
To His Excellency, Governor Felix:
Greetings.
27This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.
31So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.
1Paulo hwɛɛ agyinatufoɔ no dinn, kaa sɛ, “Anuanom, ahonim pa na mede mayɛ Onyankopɔn adwuma de abɛsi ɛnnɛ da yi.” 2Anania a na ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanin no hyɛɛ nnipa a na wɔgyina Paulo ho no sɛ wɔmmɔ nʼano so. 3Paulo ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wo a wote sɛ ɔfasuo a wɔasra ho fitaa, Onyankopɔn bɛbɔ wo. Wote ha de mmara rebu me atɛn, nanso wobu mmara no so hyɛ sɛ wɔmmɔ me!”
4Nnipa a na wɔgyina Paulo nkyɛn no bisaa no sɛ, “Sei na ɛsɛ sɛ wokasa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn sɔfopanin?”
5Paulo buaa wɔn sɛ, “Anuanom, mennim sɛ ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanin. Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ, ‘Nka asɛmmɔne mfa wo ɔman panin ho.’ ”
6Ɛberɛ a Paulo hunuu sɛ nnipa no bi yɛ Sadukifoɔ na ebi yɛ Farisifoɔ no, ɔteaam wɔ agyinatufoɔ no anim sɛ, “Me nuanom, meyɛ Farisini. Mʼawofoɔ yɛ Farisifoɔ. Gyidie a mewɔ wɔ awufosɔreɛ mu no enti na megyina ha ama wɔredi mʼasɛm yi.” 7Asɛm a Paulo kaeɛ yi maa ntawantawa sii Farisifoɔ ne Sadukifoɔ no ntam maa wɔn mu kyɛɛ mmienu, 8ɛfiri sɛ, na Sadukifoɔ no nnye owusɔreɛ, abɔfoɔ ne honhom nni. Nanso, Farisifoɔ no de, wɔgye saa nneɛma mmiɛnsa no di.
9Nteateamu no kɔɔ so kɔsii sɛ Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ no mu bi a wɔyɛ Farisifoɔ no sɔre gyinaa hɔ kaa sɛ, “Yɛnhunu bɔne biara a saa onipa yi ayɛ! Ebia honhom anaa ɔbɔfoɔ na ɔkasa kyerɛɛ no!” 10Akasakasa no mu yɛɛ den maa ɔsafohene no suroeɛ sɛ anhwɛ a wɔbɛtete Paulo mu; ɛno enti, ɔhyɛɛ nʼasraafoɔ sɛ, wɔnkɔ nnipa no mu na wɔnkɔgye Paulo mfiri wɔn nsam mfa no nkɔ aban mu.
11Anadwo no, Awurade bɛgyinaa Paulo nkyɛn ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Nsuro! Sɛdeɛ woadi me ho adanseɛ wɔ Yerusalem ha no, saa ara nso na kɔdi me ho adanseɛ wɔ Roma.”
Wɔbɔ Paulo Ho Pɔ
12Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, Yudafoɔ bi hyia kaa ntam, dii nse sɛ wɔrennidi na wɔrennom nso kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛkum Paulo. 13Na saa nnipa no dodoɔ bɛboro aduanan. 14Afei, wɔkɔɔ asɔfoɔ mpanin ne mpanin no nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Yɛaka ntam, adi nse sɛ hwee renka yɛn ano kɔsi sɛ yɛbɛkum Paulo. 15Mo ne agyinatufoɔ no nsoma nkɔ Roma ɔsafohene no nkyɛn nhyɛ da nka sɛ, mopɛ sɛ mobisa Paulo deɛ wayɛ no mu yie. Nanso, ansa na wɔde no bɛduru hɔ no, na yɛakum no dada.”
16Nanso, Paulo wɔfaase bi tee pɔ a wɔabɔ no enti, ɔkɔɔ aban mu hɔ kɔbɔɔ Paulo amaneɛ.
17Paulo frɛɛ asraafoɔ mpanin no mu baako ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wo ne aberanteɛ yi nkɔ ɔsafohene no nkyɛn, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔwɔ asɛm bi ka kyerɛ no.” 18Ɔsraani panin no ne aberanteɛ no kɔɔ ɔsafohene no nkyɛn.
Wɔduruu hɔ no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ɔsafohene no sɛ, “Paulo a ɔda afiase no asoma me sɛ memfa aberanteɛ yi mmɛhunu wo na ɔwɔ asɛm bi ka kyerɛ wo.”
19Ɔsafohene no sɔɔ aberanteɛ no nsa de no kɔgyinaa nkyɛn baabi bisaa no sɛ, “Asɛm bɛn na wowɔ ka kyerɛ me?”
20Aberanteɛ no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Yudafoɔ mpanin no abɔ pɔ sɛ ɔkyena wɔbɛhyɛ da abɛsrɛ wo na woama wɔde Paulo abrɛ agyinatufoɔ no sɛ wɔrebɛbisa no ne nsɛm no mu yie. 21Nanso, mma wɔnnaadaa wo. Ɛfiri sɛ, mmarima bɛboro aduanan bi a wɔaka ntam, adi nse sɛ wɔremfa hwee nka wɔn ano kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛnya Paulo akum no no bɛtetɛ no wɔ ɛkwan so. Deɛ wɔretwɛn ara ne sɛ, wobɛma ho ɛkwan.”
22Ɔsafohene no gyaa aberanteɛ no kwan ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Nka nkyerɛ obiara sɛ woabɛka asɛm biara akyerɛ me.”
Wɔde Paulo Kɔ Kaesarea
23Ɔsafohene no frɛɛ nʼasraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ baanu ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Mompɛ asraafoɔ ahanu ne apɔnkɔsotefoɔ ne mpeakurafoɔ ahanu na momfiri ha anadwo nnɔnkron yi ara nkɔ Kaesarea. 24Mompɛ ɔpɔnkɔ mma Paulo na momfa no nkɔma Amrado Felike dwoodwoo.”
25Afei, ɔsafohene no twerɛɛ nwoma a emu nsɛm ka sɛ:
26Me Klaudio Lisia
a meretwerɛ wo Onimuonyamfoɔ Amrado Felike saa nwoma yi,
kyea wo!
27Yudafoɔ kyeree saa ɔbarima yi a anka wɔrekum no, nanso metee sɛ ɔyɛ Romani no, me ne mʼasraafoɔ kɔgyee no firii wɔn nsam. 28Mepɛɛ sɛ mehunu bɔne ko a wayɛ, enti mede no kɔmaa wɔn agyinatufoɔ no. 29Mehunuiɛ sɛ ɔnyɛɛ biribiara a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔgyina so kum no anaasɛ wɔde no to afiase. Asɛm a wɔka too ne so no fa wɔn mmara ho. 30Ɛno enti, ɛberɛ a metee sɛ Yudafoɔ bi abɔ ne ho pɔ sɛ wɔbɛtɛ no akum no no, meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mede no bɛbrɛ wo. Maka makyerɛ wɔn a wɔwɔ asɛm bi ka tia no no sɛ, wɔmmra wʼanim mmɛka.
31Asraafoɔ no yɛɛ biribiara a wɔhyɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnyɛ no. Anadwo no ara wɔde Paulo kɔɔ Antipatri. 32Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, asraafoɔ a wɔnam fam no sane wɔn akyi, na wɔn a wɔte apɔnkɔ so no toaa so kɔɔ Kaesarea. 33Wɔduruiɛ no, wɔde nwoma no maa Amrado no de Paulo hyɛɛ ne nsa. 34Amrado no kenkanee nwoma no wieeɛ no ɔbisaa Paulo ɔman ko a ɔfiri mu. Ɔtee sɛ ɔfiri Kilikia no, ɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ. 35“Wɔn a wɔwɔ asɛm bi ka tia wo no ba a na mɛtie wʼasɛm.” Afei, ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔmfa Paulo nkɔ Herode ahemfie na asraafoɔ nwɛn no.
