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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 NLT</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> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><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="../">NLT</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 Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/acts/23.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></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>Gazing intently at the high council,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a> Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>But Paul said to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite!<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">b</span></a> What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Those standing near Paul said to him, “Do you dare to 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>“I’m sorry, brothers. I didn’t realize he was the high priest,” Paul replied, “for the Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any of your rulers.’<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">c</span></a>”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees— <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. “We see nothing wrong with him,” they shouted. “Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, <span class="red">“Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”</span></p><p class="hdg">The Plan 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 a group of Jews<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">d</span></a> got together 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>There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>But Paul’s nephew—his sister’s son—heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Paul called for one of the Roman officers<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">e</span></a> and said, “Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>So the officer did, explaining, “Paul, the prisoner, called me over 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 his hand, led 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>Paul’s nephew told him, “Some Jews are going to ask you to bring Paul before the high council tomorrow, pretending they want to get some more information. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>But don’t do it! There are more than forty men hiding along the way ready to ambush him. They have vowed not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>“Don’t let anyone know you told me this,” the commander warned the young man.</p><p class="hdg">Paul Is Sent to Caesarea</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Then he wrote this letter to the governor:</p><p class="b"/><p class="pmo"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>“From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!</p><p class="pm"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>“This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law—certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you.”</p><p class="b"/><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>“I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive,” the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herod’s headquarters.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">f</span></a></p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">23:1 </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">Sanhedrin;</span><span class="ft"> also in 23:6, 15, 20, 28.</span><br><span class="fn">b</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">23:3 </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">you whitewashed wall.</span><br><span class="fn">c</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">23:5 </span><span class="ft">Exod 22:28.</span><br><span class="fn">d</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">23:12 </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">the Jews.</span><br><span class="fn">e</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">23:17 </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">centurions;</span><span class="ft"> also in 23:23.</span><br><span class="fn">f</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">23:35 </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">Herod’s Praetorium.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. 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