English Bible Presentation Sharing - Acts Book, chapter 23, verse 26 in Ncv Version

Acts 23 : 1 (NCV)

Paul looked at the Jewish council and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life without guilt feelings before God up to this day."

Acts 23 : 2 (NCV)

Ananias, the high priest, heard this and told the men who were standing near Paul to hit him on the mouth.

Acts 23 : 3 (NCV)

Paul said to Ananias, "God will hit you, too! You are like a wall that has been painted white. You sit there and judge me, using the law of Moses, but you are telling them to hit me, and that is against the law."

Acts 23 : 4 (NCV)

The men standing near Paul said to him, "You cannot insult God's high priest like that!"

Acts 23 : 5 (NCV)

Paul said, "Brothers, I did not know this man was the high priest. It is written in the Scriptures, 'You must not curse a leader of your people.'"

Acts 23 : 6 (NCV)

Some of the men in the meeting were Sadducees, and others were Pharisees. Knowing this, Paul shouted to them, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, and my father was a Pharisee. I am on trial here because I believe that people will rise from the dead."

Acts 23 : 7 (NCV)

When Paul said this, there was an argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the group was divided.

Acts 23 : 8 (NCV)

(The Sadducees do not believe in angels or spirits or that people will rise from the dead. But the Pharisees believe in them all.)

Acts 23 : 9 (NCV)

So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of the law, who were Pharisees, stood up and argued, "We find nothing wrong with this man. Maybe an angel or a spirit did speak to him."

Acts 23 : 10 (NCV)

The argument was beginning to turn into such a fight that the commander was afraid the Jews would tear Paul to pieces. So he told the soldiers to go down and take Paul away and put him in the army building.

Acts 23 : 11 (NCV)

The next night the Lord came and stood by Paul. He said, "Be brave! You have told people in Jerusalem about me. You must do the same in Rome."

Acts 23 : 12 (NCV)

In the morning some of the Jews made a plan to kill Paul, and they took an oath not to eat or drink anything until they had killed him.

Acts 23 : 13 (NCV)

There were more than forty Jews who made this plan.

Acts 23 : 14 (NCV)

They went to the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders and said, "We have taken an oath not to eat or drink until we have killed Paul.

Acts 23 : 15 (NCV)

So this is what we want you to do: Send a message to the commander to bring Paul out to you as though you want to ask him more questions. We will be waiting to kill him while he is on the way here."

Acts 23 : 16 (NCV)

But Paul's nephew heard about this plan and went to the army building and told Paul.

Acts 23 : 17 (NCV)

Then Paul called one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander. He has a message for him."

Acts 23 : 18 (NCV)

So the officer brought Paul's nephew to the commander and said, "The prisoner, Paul, asked me to bring this young man to you. He wants to tell you something."

Acts 23 : 19 (NCV)

The commander took the young man's hand and led him to a place where they could be alone. He asked, "What do you want to tell me?"

Acts 23 : 20 (NCV)

The young man said, "The Jews have decided to ask you to bring Paul down to their council meeting tomorrow. They want you to think they are going to ask him more questions.

Acts 23 : 21 (NCV)

But don't believe them! More than forty men are hiding and waiting to kill Paul. They have all taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are waiting for you to agree."

Acts 23 : 22 (NCV)

The commander sent the young man away, ordering him, "Don't tell anyone that you have told me about their plan."

Acts 23 : 23 (NCV)

Then the commander called two officers and said, "I need some men to go to Caesarea. Get two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred men with spears ready to leave at nine o'clock tonight.

Acts 23 : 24 (NCV)

Get some horses for Paul to ride so he can be taken to Governor Felix safely."

Acts 23 : 25 (NCV)

And he wrote a letter that said:

Acts 23 : 26 (NCV)

From Claudius Lysias. Greetings.

Acts 23 : 27 (NCV)

The Jews had taken this man and planned to kill him. But I learned that he is a Roman citizen, so I went with my soldiers and saved him.

Acts 23 : 28 (NCV)

I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him before their council meeting.

Acts 23 : 29 (NCV)

I learned that the Jews said Paul did some things that were wrong by their own laws, but no charge was worthy of jail or death.

Acts 23 : 30 (NCV)

When I was told that some of the Jews were planning to kill Paul, I sent him to you at once. I also told those Jews to tell you what they have against him.

Acts 23 : 31 (NCV)

So the soldiers did what they were told and took Paul and brought him to the city of Antipatris that night.

Acts 23 : 32 (NCV)

The next day the horsemen went with Paul to Caesarea, but the other soldiers went back to the army building in Jerusalem.

Acts 23 : 33 (NCV)

When the horsemen came to Caesarea and gave the letter to the governor, they turned Paul over to him.

Acts 23 : 34 (NCV)

The governor read the letter and asked Paul, "What area are you from?" When he learned that Paul was from Cilicia,

Acts 23 : 35 (NCV)

he said, "I will hear your case when those who are against you come here, too." Then the governor gave orders for Paul to be kept under guard in Herod's palace.