Acts 23

1 Paul looked directly [with focused attention, gazing intently] at the Sanhedrin [council, a group of Jewish leaders] and said, “Brothers [fellow believers, men and brethren], I have conducted myself [lived, walked] before God [the one true deity, Almighty] in all [every aspect of my life] good [beneficial, morally upright] conscience [moral awareness, inner guide] to this day [until now, up to the present time].” word study 2 At this, the high priest [chief Jewish leader, supreme priest] Ananias ordered [commanded, gave orders to] those standing near [beside, at hand] Paul to strike [hit, smite] him on the mouth [the symbol of speech, the instrument of communication]. word study 3 Then Paul said to him, “God [the Supreme Judge] will strike [punish, smite] you, you whitewashed [hypocritical, outwardly righteous] wall! You sit [are seated in judgment] here to judge [evaluate, condemn] me according to the law [Mosaic law, God’s commandments], yet you yourself [personally, in your own actions] violate [break, disobey] the law by commanding [ordering, instructing] that I be struck [hit, punished] [contrary to the law, unjustly].” word study 4 But those standing [at hand] nearby said, “How dare you [revile, insult] insult the [high-priest, chief priest] high priest of God [the one true deity, Creator]!” word study 5 “Brothers [fellow believers, brethren],” Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] replied, “I was not aware [did not know, had no knowledge] that he was the high priest [chief priest, spiritual leader], for it is written [recorded in Scripture]: ‘Do not speak evil [badly, wrongly] about the ruler [leader, authority] of your people [nation, community].’ ” word study 6 Then Paul, knowing [perceiving, being aware of] that some of them were Sadducees [rejecting the afterlife] and others Pharisees [strict adherents to Jewish law], called out in the Sanhedrin [council, gathering of leaders], “Brothers [fellow Jews, brethren], I am a Pharisee [a strict observer of Jewish tradition], the son of a Pharisee [born into a family of Pharisees]. It is because of my hope [confidence, expectation] in the resurrection [standing up again from death] of the dead [lifeless, deceased] that I am on trial [being judged, examined].” word study 7 As soon as he had said [spoken, uttered] this [a specific statement], a dispute [dissension, uprising] broke out [arose, came to be] between the Pharisees [members of a Jewish sect] and Sadducees [a Jewish party], and the assembly [multitude, crowd] was divided [split, separated]. word study 8 For the Sadducees [a Jewish sect rejecting the afterlife] say that there is neither [no] a resurrection [a standing up again from death], nor [not even] angels [heavenly messengers], nor [neither] spirits [the vital principle or mental disposition], but the Pharisees [a sect following strict religious rules] acknowledge [confess, profess] them all [both, a pair of things together]. word study 9 A great [intense, loud] clamor arose, and some scribes [teachers of the law, scholars] from the party [group, faction] of the Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict adherents to tradition] got up and contended [argued, disputed] sharply, “We find [discover, perceive] nothing wrong [no evil, no harm] with this man [human, individual]. What if [perhaps, it may be] a spirit [breath or vital principle] or an angel [messenger, heavenly being] has spoken [communicated, uttered] to him [this person, individual]?” word study 10 The dispute [great dissension, uprising] grew so violent [out of hand, intense] that the commander [chief captain, military officer] was afraid [feared lest, revering the potential outcome] they would tear [pull in pieces, sever] Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] to pieces. He ordered [commanded, gave instruction] the soldiers [troops, armed men] to go down [come down, descend] and remove [take by force, seize] him by force [with authority, decisively] and bring [lead, take] him into the barracks [the castle, military camp, parade ground]. word study 11 The following night [afterwards, during the night] the Lord [God, the supreme authority] stood near [came to the side of, approached] Paul and said, “Take courage [be of good cheer, have faith]! As you have testified [given your testimony, borne witness] about Me [concerning me, on my behalf] in Jerusalem [the holy city], so also you must testify [bear witness, give evidence] in Rome [the capital city, the center of power].” word study 12 When daylight [at the break of day, when it was day] came, the Jews [a group of Jewish people, from Judah] formed [made, banded together in] a conspiracy [a secret plot, a commotion] and bound [took an oath, under a curse] themselves [personally] with an oath [a vow, a promise] not to eat [to abstain from food] or drink [to refrain from liquids] until [till the time that] they had killed [taken the life of, destroyed] Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul]. word study 13 More than [over, exceeding] forty of them [these men, the conspirators] were involved [had made, part of] in this [specific, secret] plot [conspiracy, sinister plan]. word study 14 They went to the chief priests [high-ranking Jewish leaders] and elders [respected community leaders, spiritual guides] and said, “We have bound ourselves [taken a solemn vow, devoted ourselves] with a solemn oath [under a great curse, anathema] not to eat anything [taste nothing, abstain from food] until we have killed [slain, taken the life of] Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul]. word study 15 Now then [at this present time], you [as members of the council] and the Sanhedrin [Jewish governing body] petition the commander [military officer] to bring him down to you on the pretext [as if] of examining his case more carefully [exactly]. We [the conspirators] are ready [prepared] to kill [destroy] him on the way [before he comes near].” word study 16 But when the son [nephew, sister’s child] of Paul’s sister [biological sister or sister in the Christian faith community] heard [to hear and understand, to listen and obey] about the plot [hinderance, ambush, secret plan to attack or harm], he went [to come, to arrive at a place] into the barracks [military camp, the Tower of Antonia] and told [to announce, to declare or report] Paul [the Roman apostle, originally named Saul]. word study 17 Then [at that time, next] Paul [the apostle, formerly Saul] called [summoned, invited] one [a single, individual] of the centurions [Roman military officers, commanders of 100 men] and said, “Take [lead away, bring] this young man [a youth, under forty years old] to the commander [the chief captain, military officer]; he has [possesses, holds] something [a certain thing, a message] to tell [announce, declare] him [the commander, the one in authority].” word study 18 So the centurion [military officer, commander] took him to the commander [chief captain, high-ranking officer] and said, “Paul the prisoner [captive, one held in bonds] sent and asked me to bring this young man [youth, someone under forty years old] to you. He has something [a matter, a message] to tell you [to speak, to utter words].” word study 19 The commander [military officer, chief captain] took the young man by the hand [catching or seizing him, as in a gesture of guidance], drew him aside [privately, to a secluded place], and asked, “What do you need [have, or want] to tell me [announce or declare to me, as a messenger reports news]?” word study 20 He answered, “The Jews [from the tribe of Judah, Jewish leaders] have agreed [come to a mutual understanding, conspired] to ask [request, petition] you to bring Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] to the Sanhedrin [the Jewish council, a gathering of leaders] tomorrow [on the next day, in the near future] on the pretext [as an excuse, under false pretenses] of acquiring [gaining, obtaining] more information [knowledge, insight] about him [concerning his teachings, actions]. word study 21 Do not let them persuade [convince or deceive] you, because more than forty men [adult males, husbands] are waiting to ambush [plot against or lie in wait for] him. They have bound themselves with an oath [taken a vow under penalty, anathematized themselves] not to eat [consume food] or drink [swallow liquids] until they have killed [destroyed or slain] him; they are ready [prepared and waiting] now, awaiting your consent [promise or agreement, epilepsy from you].” word study 22 So the commander [military officer] dismissed [released, set free] the young man [a youth] and instructed [ordered, commanded] him, “Do not tell [speak out, reveal] anyone [no one] that you have reported [shown] this [these things] to me [to myself].” word study 23 Then he called [summoned, invited] two of his centurions [Roman military officers] and said, “Prepare [make ready, get everything in order] two hundred soldiers [common warriors], seventy horsemen [cavalrymen, mounted soldiers], and two hundred spearmen [slingers, skilled fighters] to go to Caesarea [a city in Palestine] in the third [at the third point, during the late] hour [a specific time, a period of darkness] of the night [the time of darkness, a period of rest]. word study 24 Provide mounts [beasts, animals] for Paul [the Roman apostle] to take him safely [to bring him safe, to rescue] to Governor [the ruler] Felix [meaning happy or lucky].” word study 25 And he wrote [in these words, a letter after this manner] the following [containing, holding all around] letter [epistle, a written message]: word study 26 Claudius Lysias, To His [most noble, excellent] Excellency, Governor [ruler, leader] Felix [meaning happy or lucky]: Greetings [to rejoice, wishing happiness]. word study 27 This man [the apostle Paul, a Roman citizen] was seized [taken, apprehended] by the Jews [the Jewish people, from Judah], and they were about to kill [slay, destroy] him when I came with my troops [soldiers, an army] to rescue [save, deliver] him. For I had learned [discovered, understood] that he is a Roman [from Rome, a citizen of the Roman Empire] citizen, word study 28 and since I [desired to know] wanted to understand their charges [cause, reason] against him, I brought him down [led him forth, took him] to their Sanhedrin [council, Jewish leadership]. word study 29 I found [discovered, came to know] that the accusation [charge, complaint] involved [was related to, concerned with] questions [disputes, issues] about their own law [Jewish law, Torah], but there was no charge [accusation, complaint] worthy [deserving, suitable] of death [physical or spiritual] or imprisonment [chains, bondage]. word study 30 When I was informed [told, notified] that there was a plot [secret plan, ambush] against the man [this individual, Paul], I sent him to you at once [immediately, without delay]. I also instructed [ordered, commanded] his accusers [those who bring charges, adversaries] to present [to speak, to say] their case [charges, accusations] against him before you [in your presence, to your judgment]. word study 31 So the soldiers followed their orders [as commanded, following orders] and brought Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] by night [in the darkness, under cover of darkness] to Antipatris [a city in ancient Palestine, between Joppa and Caesarea]. word study 32 The next day [following day, day after] they returned [turned back, went back] to the barracks [military camp, castle] and let [allowed, permitted] the horsemen [cavalry, soldiers on horses] go on [travel, journey] with him [accompanied by, together with]. word study 33 When the horsemen [cavalry, mounted soldiers] arrived in Caesarea [a city in Palestine], they delivered [handed over, presented] the letter [epistle, written message] to the governor [ruler, high-ranking official] and presented [stood by, recommended] Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] to him. word study 34 The governor [ruler, high-ranking official] read [to know or understand written words] the letter and asked [to question, seek information] what province [region of government, Roman prefecture] Paul was from [origin, coming from]. Learning [to inquire, ask questions to get information] that he was from [away from, originating in] Cilicia [a region in Asia Minor], word study 35 he said, “I will [give a hearing, listen patiently] hear your case [investigate your situation, hear your story] when your [those who bring charges against you] accusers arrive [come, appear publicly].” Then he ordered [commanded, instructed] that Paul be kept [guarded, watched over] under guard [in protective custody] in [within the walls of] Herod’s [belonging to King Herod] Praetorium [the governor’s official residence, a palace]. word study