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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Acts 23 NIV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/acts/23.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/acts/23-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NIV</a> > Acts 23</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../acts/22.htm" title="Acts 22">◄</a> Acts 23 <a href="../acts/24.htm" title="Acts 24">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New International Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/niv/esv/acts/23.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Then 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!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Paul 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.’ <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Exodus 22:28">a</a></sup></span> ”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Then 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.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>There 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?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>The 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.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, <span class="red">“Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”</span></p> <p class="sectionhead">The Plot to Kill Paul</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>More than forty men were involved in this plot. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>They 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Now 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.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>So he took him to the commander.</p><p class="reg">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.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>He 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Don’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.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”</p> <p class="sectionhead">Paul Transferred to Caesarea</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="The meaning of the Greek for this word is uncertain.">b</a></sup></span> to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>He wrote a letter as follows:</p> <p class="opening"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Claudius Lysias,</p><p class="opening">To His Excellency, Governor Felix:</p><p class="opening">Greetings.</p> <p class="emb"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>This 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>When 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.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="footnotes"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">5</span> <span class="footnotebot">Exodus 22:28</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">23</span> <span class="footnotebot">The meaning of the Greek for this word is uncertain.</span><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><p class="ntext"><a href="http://niv.scripturetext.com/version.htm">New International Version</a> (NIV)</p><p class="ntext2">Holy Bible, New International Version&reg, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by <a href="http://biblica.com">Biblica, Inc.</a>® Used by permission. 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