Acts 23 – NIVUK & CCBT

New International Version – UK

Acts 23:1-35

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 realise 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.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)

使徒行傳 23:1-35

1保羅注視著公會的人,說:「弟兄們,我在上帝面前行事為人一向問心無愧。」 2大祭司亞拿尼亞一聽,就命那些站在旁邊的人打保羅的嘴。 3保羅亞拿尼亞說:「你這偽君子23·3 偽君子」希臘文是「粉飾的牆」。,上帝要擊打你!你坐在那裡不是應當依法審問我嗎?你怎麼違法叫人打我?」

4站在旁邊的人說:「你竟敢辱罵上帝的大祭司?」 5保羅說:「弟兄們,我不知道他是大祭司。我知道聖經上說,『不可咒詛百姓的官長。』」

6保羅發現他們一些是法利賽人,一些是撒都該人,就在公會中高聲說:「弟兄們,我是法利賽人,也是法利賽人的子孫。我因為盼望死人復活,才在這裡受審!」 7這句話立刻引起法利賽人和撒都該人之間的爭論,公會分成了兩派。 8因為撒都該人認為沒有復活,也沒有天使和靈,而法利賽人認為這些都有。

9眾人大聲喧嚷,有幾個法利賽派的律法教師站起來爭辯說:「我們找不出這人有什麼錯處,也許真的有靈或天使跟他說過話。」 10爭論越來越激烈,千夫長怕保羅會被他們扯碎了,就派人把他從人群中救出來,帶回軍營。

11當天晚上,主站在保羅身旁對他說:「要勇敢!正如你在耶路撒冷為我作了見證,你也必須在羅馬為我做見證。」

陰謀殺害保羅

12天亮後,猶太人設下陰謀,並起誓說:「不殺保羅,誓不吃喝!」 13有四十多人參與了這個陰謀。 14他們去見祭司長和長老,說:「我們已經發了誓,不殺保羅不吃飯。 15請你們和公會出面通知千夫長,請他把保羅押到你們這裡來,就說要進一步審訊他。我們準備在他到達之前殺掉他!」

16保羅的外甥聽到這一陰謀,就去軍營通知保羅17保羅請來一位百夫長,說:「請趕快帶這青年去見千夫長,他有要事稟告!」 18百夫長領那青年去見千夫長,說:「那囚犯保羅叫我帶這青年來,說有要事稟告。」

19千夫長就拉著那青年的手走到一旁,私下問他:「你有什麼事要告訴我?」 20他說:「那些猶太人約好了,要請求你明天帶保羅到公會受審,假裝要詳細審問他的事。 21你不要答應他們,因為他們有四十多個人會埋伏在半路,並且還起誓說,『不殺保羅就不吃不喝』。他們現在已經準備就緒,就等你答應了。」

22千夫長聽後,就叫他回去,並叮囑道:「你向我稟告的事,不要告訴別人。」

保羅被押往凱撒利亞

23於是,千夫長召來兩名百夫長,吩咐道:「預備二百名步兵、七十名騎兵、二百名長槍手,今晚九時出發去凱撒利亞24要給保羅預備坐騎,護送他安全抵達腓利斯總督那裡。」

25千夫長寫了公文給腓利斯總督,內容如下: 26克勞狄·呂西亞敬問腓利斯總督大人安。 27這人被猶太人抓住,險些被他們殺害。我得知他是羅馬公民,便帶兵去救了他。 28為了弄清楚他們控告他的緣由,我押他到猶太人的公會受審, 29發現他被控告與他們的律法有關,他並沒有犯該被監禁或處死的罪。 30我得知有人準備暗殺他,便立即護送他到你那裡,並通知他的控告者去你那裡告他。」

31軍兵奉命行事,連夜護送保羅安提帕底32第二天,由騎兵繼續護送,其餘軍兵返回軍營。 33他們到了凱撒利亞,將公文呈交總督,把保羅交給他。 34總督看過公文,便問保羅是哪省的人,得知保羅基利迦人,就說: 35「等告你的人來了,我會審理你的案子。」於是下令把保羅關在希律的王府裡。