23 保羅注視著公會的人,說:「弟兄們,我在上帝面前行事為人一向問心無愧。」 大祭司亞拿尼亞一聽,就命那些站在旁邊的人打保羅的嘴。 保羅對亞拿尼亞說:「你這偽君子[a],上帝要擊打你!你坐在那裡不是應當依法審問我嗎?你怎麼違法叫人打我?」

站在旁邊的人說:「你竟敢辱罵上帝的大祭司?」 保羅說:「弟兄們,我不知道他是大祭司。我知道聖經上說,『不可咒詛百姓的官長。』」

保羅發現他們一些是法利賽人,一些是撒都該人,就在公會中高聲說:「弟兄們,我是法利賽人,也是法利賽人的子孫。我因為盼望死人復活,才在這裡受審!」 這句話立刻引起法利賽人和撒都該人之間的爭論,公會分成了兩派。 因為撒都該人認為沒有復活,也沒有天使和靈,而法利賽人認為這些都有。

眾人大聲喧嚷,有幾個法利賽派的律法教師站起來爭辯說:「我們找不出這人有什麼錯處,也許真的有靈或天使跟他說過話。」 10 爭論越來越激烈,千夫長怕保羅會被他們扯碎了,就派人把他從人群中救出來,帶回軍營。

11 當天晚上,主站在保羅身旁對他說:「要勇敢!正如你在耶路撒冷為我作了見證,你也必須在羅馬為我做見證。」

陰謀殺害保羅

12 天亮後,猶太人設下陰謀,並起誓說:「不殺保羅,誓不吃喝!」 13 有四十多人參與了這個陰謀。 14 他們去見祭司長和長老,說:「我們已經發了誓,不殺保羅不吃飯。 15 請你們和公會出面通知千夫長,請他把保羅押到你們這裡來,就說要進一步審訊他。我們準備在他到達之前殺掉他!」

16 保羅的外甥聽到這一陰謀,就去軍營通知保羅。 17 保羅請來一位百夫長,說:「請趕快帶這青年去見千夫長,他有要事稟告!」 18 百夫長領那青年去見千夫長,說:「那囚犯保羅叫我帶這青年來,說有要事稟告。」

19 千夫長就拉著那青年的手走到一旁,私下問他:「你有什麼事要告訴我?」 20 他說:「那些猶太人約好了,要請求你明天帶保羅到公會受審,假裝要詳細審問他的事。 21 你不要答應他們,因為他們有四十多個人會埋伏在半路,並且還起誓說,『不殺保羅就不吃不喝』。他們現在已經準備就緒,就等你答應了。」

22 千夫長聽後,就叫他回去,並叮囑道:「你向我稟告的事,不要告訴別人。」

保羅被押往凱撒利亞

23 於是,千夫長召來兩名百夫長,吩咐道:「預備二百名步兵、七十名騎兵、二百名長槍手,今晚九時出發去凱撒利亞。 24 要給保羅預備坐騎,護送他安全抵達腓利斯總督那裡。」

25 千夫長寫了公文給腓利斯總督,內容如下: 26 「克勞狄·呂西亞敬問腓利斯總督大人安。 27 這人被猶太人抓住,險些被他們殺害。我得知他是羅馬公民,便帶兵去救了他。 28 為了弄清楚他們控告他的緣由,我押他到猶太人的公會受審, 29 發現他被控告與他們的律法有關,他並沒有犯該被監禁或處死的罪。 30 我得知有人準備暗殺他,便立即護送他到你那裡,並通知他的控告者去你那裡告他。」

31 軍兵奉命行事,連夜護送保羅到安提帕底。 32 第二天,由騎兵繼續護送,其餘軍兵返回軍營。 33 他們到了凱撒利亞,將公文呈交總督,把保羅交給他。 34 總督看過公文,便問保羅是哪省的人,得知保羅是基利迦人,就說: 35 「等告你的人來了,我會審理你的案子。」於是下令把保羅關在希律的王府裡。

Footnotes

  1. 23·3 偽君子」希臘文是「粉飾的牆」。

23 保罗注视着公会的人,说:“弟兄们,我在上帝面前行事为人一向问心无愧。” 大祭司亚拿尼亚一听,就命那些站在旁边的人打保罗的嘴。 保罗对亚拿尼亚说:“你这伪君子[a],上帝要击打你!你坐在那里不是应当依法审问我吗?你怎么违法叫人打我?”

站在旁边的人说:“你竟敢辱骂上帝的大祭司?” 保罗说:“弟兄们,我不知道他是大祭司。我知道圣经上说,‘不可咒诅百姓的官长。’”

保罗发现他们一些是法利赛人,一些是撒都该人,就在公会中高声说:“弟兄们,我是法利赛人,也是法利赛人的子孙。我因为盼望死人复活,才在这里受审!” 这句话立刻引起法利赛人和撒都该人之间的争论,公会分成了两派。 因为撒都该人认为没有复活,也没有天使和灵,而法利赛人认为这些都有。

众人大声喧嚷,有几个法利赛派的律法教师站起来争辩说:“我们找不出这人有什么错处,也许真的有灵或天使跟他说过话。” 10 争论越来越激烈,千夫长怕保罗会被他们扯碎了,就派人把他从人群中救出来,带回军营。

11 当天晚上,主站在保罗身旁对他说:“要勇敢!正如你在耶路撒冷为我做了见证,你也必须在罗马为我做见证。”

阴谋杀害保罗

12 天亮后,犹太人设下阴谋,并起誓说:“不杀保罗,誓不吃喝!” 13 有四十多人参与了这个阴谋。 14 他们去见祭司长和长老,说:“我们已经发了誓,不杀保罗不吃饭。 15 请你们和公会出面通知千夫长,请他把保罗押到你们这里来,就说要进一步审讯他。我们准备在他到达之前杀掉他!”

16 保罗的外甥听到这一阴谋,就去军营通知保罗。 17 保罗请来一位百夫长,说:“请赶快带这青年去见千夫长,他有要事禀告!” 18 百夫长领那青年去见千夫长,说:“那囚犯保罗叫我带这青年来,说有要事禀告。”

19 千夫长就拉着那青年的手走到一旁,私下问他:“你有什么事要告诉我?” 20 他说:“那些犹太人约好了,要请求你明天带保罗到公会受审,假装要详细审问他的事。 21 你不要答应他们,因为他们有四十多个人会埋伏在半路,并且还起誓说,‘不杀保罗就不吃不喝’。他们现在已经准备就绪,就等你答应了。”

22 千夫长听后,就叫他回去,并叮嘱道:“你向我禀告的事,不要告诉别人。”

保罗被押往凯撒利亚

23 于是,千夫长召来两名百夫长,吩咐道:“预备二百名步兵、七十名骑兵、二百名长枪手,今晚九时出发去凯撒利亚。 24 要给保罗预备坐骑,护送他安全抵达腓利斯总督那里。”

25 千夫长写了公文给腓利斯总督,内容如下: 26 “克劳狄·吕西亚敬问腓利斯总督大人安。 27 这人被犹太人抓住,险些被他们杀害。我得知他是罗马公民,便带兵去救了他。 28 为了弄清楚他们控告他的缘由,我押他到犹太人的公会受审, 29 发现他被控告与他们的律法有关,他并没有犯该被监禁或处死的罪。 30 我得知有人准备暗杀他,便立即护送他到你那里,并通知他的控告者去你那里告他。”

31 军兵奉命行事,连夜护送保罗到安提帕底。 32 第二天,由骑兵继续护送,其余军兵返回军营。 33 他们到了凯撒利亚,将公文呈交总督,把保罗交给他。 34 总督看过公文,便问保罗是哪省的人,得知保罗是基利迦人,就说: 35 “等告你的人来了,我会审理你的案子。”于是下令把保罗关在希律的王府里。

Footnotes

  1. 23:3 伪君子”希腊文是“粉饰的墙”。

23 Sha’ul looked straight at them and said, “Brothers, I have been discharging my obligations to God with a perfectly clear conscience, right up until today.” But the cohen hagadol, Hananyah, ordered those standing near him to strike him on the mouth. Then Sha’ul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Will you sit there judging me according to the Torah, yet in violation of the Torah order me to be struck?” The men nearby said, “This is the cohen hagadol of God that you’re insulting!” Sha’ul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was the cohen hagadol; for it says in the Torah, ‘You are not to speak disparagingly of a ruler of your people.’”[a]

But knowing that one part of the Sanhedrin consisted of Tz’dukim and the other of P’rushim, Sha’ul shouted, “Brothers, I myself am a Parush and the son of P’rushim; and it is concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am being tried!” When he said this, an argument arose between the P’rushim and the Tz’dukim, and the crowd was divided. For the Tz’dukim deny the resurrection and the existence of angels and spirits; whereas the P’rushim acknowledge both. So there was a great uproar, with some of the Torah-teachers who were on the side of the P’rushim standing up and joining in — “We don’t find anything wrong with this man; and if a spirit or an angel spoke to him, what of it?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander, fearing that Sha’ul would be torn apart by them, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force and bring him back into the barracks.

11 The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage! For just as you have borne a faithful witness to me in Yerushalayim, so now you must bear witness in Rome.”

12 The next day, some of the Judeans formed a conspiracy. They took an oath, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Sha’ul; 13 more than forty were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the head cohanim and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Sha’ul. 15 What you are to do is make it appear to the commander that you and the Sanhedrin want to get more accurate information about Sha’ul’s case, so that he will bring him down to you; while we, for our part, are prepared to kill him before he ever gets here.”

16 But the son of Sha’ul’s sister got wind of the planned ambush, and he went into the barracks and told Sha’ul. 17 Sha’ul called one of the officers and said, “Take this man up to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “The prisoner Sha’ul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you.” 19 The commander took him by the hand, led him aside privately and asked, “What is it you have to tell me?” 20 He said, “The Judeans have agreed to ask you tomorrow to bring Sha’ul down to the Sanhedrin on the pretext that they want to investigate his case more thoroughly. 21 But don’t let yourself be talked into it, because more than forty men are lying in wait for him. They have taken an oath neither to eat nor to drink until they kill him; and they are ready now, only waiting for you to give your consent to their request.”

22 The commander let the young man go, cautioning him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.” 23 Then he summoned two of the captains and said, “Get two hundred infantry soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight, and seventy mounted cavalry and two hundred spearmen; 24 also provide replacements for Sha’ul’s horse when it gets tired; and bring him through safely to Felix the governor.” 25 And the commander wrote the following letter:

26 From: Claudius Lysias
To: His Excellency, Governor Felix:

Greetings!

27 This man was seized by the Judeans and was about to be killed by them, when I came on the scene with my troops and rescued him. After learning that he was a Roman citizen, 28 I wanted to understand exactly what they were charging him with; so I brought him down to their “Sanhedrin.”

29 I found that he was charged in connection with questions of their “Torah” but that there was no charge deserving death or prison.

30 But when I was informed of a plot against the man, I immediately sent him to you and also ordered his accusers to state their case against him before you.

31 So the soldiers, following their orders, took Sha’ul during the night and brought him to Antipatris, 32 then returned to the barracks after leaving the cavalry to go on with him. 33 The cavalry took him to Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor, and handed Sha’ul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. On learning he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a full hearing after your accusers have also arrived,” and ordered him to be kept under guard in Herod’s headquarters.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 23:5 Exodus 22:27(28)