Acts 23 (NMV)
1 Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, "Brothers, I have lived before God with a clear conscience in all good faith up to this day."
2 At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you painted wall; covered up on the outside, but crumbling underneath! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet in violation of the law you order me to be struck?"
4 Those standing nearby said, "Do you dare insult God's high priest?"
5 Paul replied, "Brothers, I did not realize he was the high priest, for it is written: 'You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.'"
6 When Paul realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, he called out in the Sanhedrin, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial because of the confident expectation of the resurrection of the dead!"
7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 (The Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees affirm them all.)
9 A great uproar arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and argued sharply, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"
10 The dispute became so violent that the commander feared they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the troops to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage. Just as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
12 When it was morning, some of the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 There were more than forty men who formed this plot.
14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
15 So now, you and the Sanhedrin should request that the commander bring him down to you, as though you want to investigate his case more thoroughly. But we are ready to kill him before he gets here."
16 But the son of Paul's sister heard about their ambush. So he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him."
18 So he took him, brought him to the commander, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you."
19 The commander took him by the hand, drew him aside, and asked privately, "What is it you have to report to me?"
20 He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow as though they are going to investigate his case more thoroughly.
21 But don't let them persuade you, because more than forty men are lying in wait for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, waiting for your consent."
22 So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, "Don't tell anyone that you've informed me of this."
23 He summoned two of his centurions and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight.
24 Also provide horses for Paul to ride, so that he may be brought safely to Governor Felix."
25 He wrote a letter with the following content:
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. I came with my troops and rescued him when I learned that he is a Roman citizen.
28 I wanted to know the reason they were accusing him, so I brought him before their Sanhedrin.
29 I found out that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
30 When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present their case against him before you."
31 So the soldiers followed their orders and took Paul by night to Antipatris.
32 The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and they returned to the barracks.
33 When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.
34 After reading the letter, the governor asked what province he was from. When he learned he was from Cilicia,
35 he said, "I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive." He ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace.