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Acts Chapter 23 | God’s Protection and Sovereignty

Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”

5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”

6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. 8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. 9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”

10 Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

12 And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. 14 They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

16 So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.”

19 Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. 21 But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”

22 So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

23 And he called for two centurions, saying, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night; 24 and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 He wrote a letter in the following manner:

26 Claudius Lysias,

To the most excellent governor Felix:

Greetings.

27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28 And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council. 29 I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. 30 And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him.

Farewell.

31 Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. 33 When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34 And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.

使徒行傳 23章｜神的保守與掌權

保羅定睛看著公會的人，說：「弟兄們，我在神面前行事為人都是憑著良心，直到今日。」 2 大祭司亞拿尼亞就吩咐旁邊站著的人打他的嘴。 3 保羅對他說：「你這粉飾的牆，神要打你！你坐堂為的是按律法審問我，你竟違背律法，吩咐人打我嗎？」 4 站在旁邊的人說：「你辱罵神的大祭司嗎？」 5 保羅說：「弟兄們，我不曉得他是大祭司。經上記著說：『不可毀謗你百姓的官長。』」 6 保羅看出大眾一半是撒都該人，一半是法利賽人，就在公會中大聲說：「弟兄們，我是法利賽人，也是法利賽人的子孫。我現在受審問，是為盼望死人復活。」 7 說了這話，法利賽人和撒都該人就爭論起來，會眾分為兩黨。 8 因為撒都該人說沒有復活，也沒有天使和鬼魂，法利賽人卻說兩樣都有。 9 於是大大地喧嚷起來，有幾個法利賽黨的文士站起來爭辯，說：「我們看不出這人有什麼惡處。倘若有鬼魂或是天使對他說過話，怎麼樣呢？」 10 那時大起爭吵，千夫長恐怕保羅被他們扯碎了，就吩咐兵丁下去，把他從眾人當中搶出來，帶進營樓去。

11 當夜，主站在保羅旁邊，說：「放心吧！你怎樣在耶路撒冷為我作見證，也必怎樣在羅馬為我作見證。」

12 到了天亮，猶太人同謀起誓，說若不先殺保羅就不吃不喝。 13 這樣同心起誓的有四十多人。 14 他們來見祭司長和長老說：「我們已經起了一個大誓，若不先殺保羅就不吃什麼。 15 現在你們和公會要知會千夫長，叫他帶下保羅到你們這裡來，假作要詳細察考他的事。我們已經預備好了，不等他來到跟前就殺他。」

16 保羅的外甥聽見他們設下埋伏，就來到營樓裡告訴保羅。 17 保羅請一個百夫長來，說：「你領這少年人去見千夫長，他有事告訴他。」 18 於是把他領去見千夫長，說：「被囚的保羅請我到他那裡，求我領這少年人來見你，他有事告訴你。」 19 千夫長就拉著他的手，走到一旁，私下問他說：「你有什麼事告訴我呢？」 20 他說：「猶太人已經約定，要求你明天帶下保羅到公會裡去，假作要詳細查問他的事。 21 你切不要隨從他們，因為他們有四十多人埋伏，已經起誓說，若不先殺保羅就不吃不喝。現在預備好了，只等你應允。」 22 於是千夫長打發少年人走，囑咐他說：「不要告訴人你將這事報給我了。」 23 千夫長便叫了兩個百夫長來，說：「預備步兵二百、馬兵七十、長槍手二百，今夜亥初往愷撒利亞去。 24 也要預備牲口叫保羅騎上，護送到巡撫腓力斯那裡去。」

25 千夫長又寫了文書， 26 大略說：「克勞迪‧呂西亞請巡撫腓力斯大人安！ 27 這人被猶太人拿住，將要殺害，我得知他是羅馬人，就帶兵丁下去救他出來。 28 因要知道他們告他的緣故，我就帶他下到他們的公會去， 29 便查知他被告是因他們律法的辯論，並沒有什麼該死、該綁的罪名。 30 後來有人把要害他的計謀告訴我，我就立時解他到你那裡去，又吩咐告他的人在你面前告他。」

31 於是兵丁照所吩咐他們的，將保羅夜裡帶到安提帕底。 32 第二天，讓馬兵護送，他們就回營樓去。 33 馬兵來到愷撒利亞，把文書呈給巡撫，便叫保羅站在他面前。 34 巡撫看了文書，問保羅是哪省的人，既曉得他是基利家人， 35 就說：「等告你的人來到，我要細聽你的事。」便吩咐人把他看守在希律的衙門裡。