Acts 23
Paul stands before the council. The Jews conspire his death. He is sent away to Cesarea.
Intendens autem in concilium Paulus, ait: Viri fratres, ego omni conscientia bona conversatus sum ante Deum usque in hodiernum diem.
And Paul, looking upon the council, said: Men, brethren, I have conversed with all good conscience before God until this present day.
Princeps autem sacerdotum Ananias præcepit astantibus sibi percutere os ejus.
And the high priest, Ananias, commanded them that stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
Tunc Paulus dixit ad eum: Percutiet te Deus, paries dealbate. Et tu sedens judicas me secundum legem, et contra legem jubes me percuti?
Then Paul said to him: God shall strike thee, thou whited wall. For, sittest thou to judge me according to the law and, contrary to the law, commandest me to be struck?
Et qui astabant dixerunt: Summum sacerdotem Dei maledicis.
And they that stood by said: Dost thou revile the high priest of God?
Dixit autem Paulus: Nesciebam, fratres, quia princeps est sacerdotum. Scriptum est enim: Principem populi tui non maledices.
And Paul said: I knew not, brethren, that he is the high priest. For it is written: Thou shalt not speak evil of the prince of thy people.
Sciens autem Paulus quia una pars esset sadducæorum, et altera pharisæorum, exclamavit in concilio: Viri fratres, ego pharisæus sum, filius pharisæorum: de spe et resurrectione mortuorum ego judicor.
And Paul, knowing that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council: Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
Et cum hæc dixisset, facta est dissensio inter pharisæos et sadducæos, et soluta est multitudo.
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the multitude was divided.
Sadducæi enim dicunt non esse resurrectionem, neque angelum, neque spiritum: pharisæi autem utraque confitentur.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
Factus est autem clamor magnus. Et surgentes quidam pharisæorum, pugnabant, dicentes: Nihil mali invenimus in homine isto: quid si spiritus locutus est ei, aut angelus?
And there arose a great cry. And some of the Pharisees rising up, strove, saying: We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?
Et cum magna dissensio facta esset, timens tribunus ne discerperetur Paulus ab ipsis, jussit milites descendere, et rapere eum de medio eorum, ac deducere eum in castra.
And when there arose a great dissension, the tribune, fearing lest Paul should be pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the castle.
Sequenti autem nocte assistens ei Dominus, ait: Constans esto: sicut enim testificatus es de me in Jerusalem, sic te oportet et Romæ testificari.
And the night following, the Lord standing by him, said: Be constant: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Facta autem die collegerunt se quidam ex Judæis, et devoverunt, se dicentes neque manducaturos, neque bibituros donec occiderent Paulum.
And when day was come, some of the Jews gathered together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they killed Paul.
Erant autem plus quam quadraginta viri qui hanc conjurationem fecerant:
And they were more than forty men that had made this conspiracy.
qui accesserunt ad principes sacerdotum et seniores, et dixerunt: Devotione devovimus nos nihil gustaturos, donec occidamus Paulum.
Who came to the chief priests and the ancients and said: We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing till we have slain Paul.
Nunc ergo vos notum facite tribuno cum concilio, ut producat illum ad vos, tamquam aliquid certius cognituri de eo. Nos vero priusquam appropiet, parati sumus interficere illum.
Now therefore do you with the council signify to the tribune, that he bring him forth to you, as if you meant to know something more certain touching him. And we, before he come near, are ready to kill him.
Quod cum audisset filius sororis Pauli insidias, venit, et intravit in castra, nuntiavitque Paulo.
Which when Paul's sister's son had heard, of their lying in wait, he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
Vocans autem Paulus ad se unum ex centurionibus, ait: Adolescentem hunc perduc ad tribunum, habet enim aliquid indicare illi.
And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: Bring this young man to the tribune: for he hath some thing to tell him.
Et ille quidem assumens eum duxit ad tribunum, et ait: Vinctus Paulus rogavit me hunc adolescentem perducere ad te, habentem aliquid loqui tibi.
And he, taking him, brought him to the tribune and said: Paul, the prisoner, desired me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath some thing to say to thee.
Apprehendens autem tribunus manum illius, secessit cum eo seorsum, et interrogavit illum: Quid est quod habes indicare mihi?
And the tribune, taking him by the hand, went aside with him privately and asked him: What is it that thou hast to tell me?
Ille autem dixit: Judæis convenit rogare te ut crastina die producas Paulum in concilium, quasi aliquid certius inquisituri sint de illo:
And he said: The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldst bring forth Paul to-morrow into the council, as if they meant to inquire some thing more certain touching him.
tu vero ne credideris illis: insidiantur enim ei ex eis viri amplius quam quadraginta, qui se devoverunt non manducare, neque bibere donec interficiant eum: et nunc parati sunt, exspectantes promissum tuum.
But do not thou give credit to them: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor to drink, till they have killed him. And they are now ready, looking for a promise from thee.
Tribunus igitur dimisit adolescentem, præcipiens ne cui loqueretur quoniam hæc nota sibi fecisset.
The tribune therefore dismissed the young man, charging him that he should tell no man that he had made known these things unto him.
Et vocatis duobus centurionibus, dixit illis: Parate milites ducentos ut eant usque Cæsaream, et equites septuaginta, et lancearios ducentos a tertia hora noctis,
Then having called two centurions, he said to them: Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea: and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, for the third hour of the night.
et jumenta præparate ut imponentes Paulum, salvum perducerent ad Felicem præsidem.
And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on and bring him safe to Felix the governor.
(Timuit enim ne forte raperent eum Judæi, et occiderent, et ipse postea calumniam sustineret, tamquam accepturus pecuniam.)
(For he feared lest perhaps the Jews might take him away by force and kill him: and he should afterwards be slandered, as if he was to take money.) And he wrote a letter after this manner:
Scribens epistolam continentem hæc: Claudius Lysias optimo præsidi Felici, salutem.
Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting:
Virum hunc comprehensum a Judæis, et incipientem interfici ab eis, superveniens cum exercitu eripui, cognito quia Romanus est.
This man, being taken by the Jews and ready to be killed by them, I rescued, coming in with an army, understanding that he is a Roman.
Volensque scire causam quam objiciebant illi, deduxi eum in concilium eorum.
And meaning to know the cause which they objected unto him, I brought him forth into their council.
Quem inveni accusari de quæstionibus legis ipsorum, nihil vero dignum morte aut vinculis habentem criminis.
Whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law; but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bands.
Et cum mihi perlatum esset de insidiis quas paraverant illi, misi eum ad te, denuntians et accusatoribus ut dicant apud te. Vale.
And when I was told of ambushes that they had prepared for him, I sent him to thee, signifying also to his accusers to plead before thee. Farewell.
Milites ergo secundum præceptum sibi assumentes Paulum, duxerunt per noctem in Antipatridem.
Then the soldiers, according as it was commanded them, taking Paul, brought him by night to Antipatris.
Et postera die dimissis equitibus ut cum eo irent, reversi sunt ad castra.
And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the castle.
Qui cum venissent Cæsaream, et tradidissent epistolam præsidi, statuerunt ante illum et Paulum.
Who, when they were come to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, did also present Paul before him.
Cum legisset autem, et interrogasset de qua provincia esset, et cognoscens quia de Cilicia:
And when he had read it and had asked of what province he was and understood that he was of Cilicia:
Audiam te, inquit, cum accusatores tui venerint. Jussitque in prætorio Herodis custodiri eum.
I will hear thee, said he, when thy accusers come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.