Acts 22–24

1“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”

2When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,

3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

4I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,

5as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.

6About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.

7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

8‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.

9My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

10Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’

11Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.

12There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,

13came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.

14Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear His voice.

15You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’

17Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance

18and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’

19‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.

20And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

21Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

22The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”

23As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

24the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.

25But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”

26On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

27The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.

28“I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

29At once those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.

30The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.

1Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before 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 here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”

4But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”

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.’”

6Then 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.”

7As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection nor angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

9A 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?”

10The 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.

11The 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.”

12When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

13More than forty of them were involved in this plot.

14They 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.

15Now 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.”

16But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the 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 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.”

19The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”

20He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him.

21Do 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.”

22So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

23Then 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.

24Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”

25And he wrote the following letter:

26Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.

27This 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,

28and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

29I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.

30When 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.

31So the soldiers followed their orders and brought Paul by night to Antipatris.

32The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.

33When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.

34The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,

35he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.

1Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.

2When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation.

3In every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with all gratitude.

4But in order not to delay you any further, I beg your indulgence to hear us briefly.

5We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,

6and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.

8By examining him yourself, you will be able to learn the truth about all our charges against him.”

9The Jews concurred, asserting that these charges were true.

10When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense.

11You can verify for yourself that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

12Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city.

13Nor can they prove to you any of their charges against me.

14I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,

15and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

16In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.

17After several years, then, I returned to Jerusalem to bring alms to my people and to present offerings.

18At the time they found me in the temple, I was ceremonially clean and was not inciting a crowd or an uproar. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia

19who ought to appear before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me.

20Otherwise, let these men state for themselves any crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin,

21unless it was this one thing I called out as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”

22Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “When Lysias the commander comes, I will decide your case.”

23He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.

24After several days, Felix returned with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

25As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”

26At the same time, he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe. So he sent for Paul frequently and talked with him.

27After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.