NKJV Bible in 365 Days
Trials Begin Amid Plots and Politics — October 24
Acts 23-24
Acts 23
1 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” 365N 297.1
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 365N 297.2
3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” 365N 297.3
4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 365N 297.4
5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ” 365N 297.5
6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!” 365N 297.6
7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. 365N 297.7
8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. 365N 297.8
9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; [a] but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.” 365N 297.9
10 Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. 365N 297.10
11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, [b] “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” 365N 297.11
12 And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 365N 297.12
13 Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. 365N 297.13
14 They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul. 365N 297.14
15 Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you [c] tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.” 365N 297.15
16 So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 365N 297.16
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” 365N 297.17
18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.” 365N 297.18
19 Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 365N 297.19
20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. 365N 297.20
21 But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.” 365N 297.21
22 So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” 365N 297.22
23 And he called for two centurions, saying, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night; 365N 297.23
24 and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 365N 297.24
25 He wrote a letter in the following manner: 365N 297.25
26 Claudius Lysias, To the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. 365N 297.26
27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 365N 297.27
28 And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council. 365N 297.28
29 I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. 365N 297.29
30 And when it was told me that [d] the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell. 365N 297.30
31 Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 365N 297.31
32 The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. 365N 297.32
33 When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 365N 297.33
34 And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia, 365N 297.34
35 he said, “I will hear you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s [e] Praetorium. 365N 297.35
Acts 24
1 Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. 365N 297.36
2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and [a] prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, 365N 297.37
3 we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 365N 297.38
4 Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your [b] courtesy, a few words from us. 365N 297.39
5 For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 365N 297.40
6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, [c] and wanted to judge him according to our law. 7But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, 365N 297.41
7 365N 297.42
8 commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” 365N 297.43
9 And the Jews also [d] assented, maintaining that these things were so. 365N 297.44
10 Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, 365N 297.45
11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 365N 297.46
12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 365N 297.47
13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. 365N 297.48
14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. 365N 297.49
15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection [e] of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 365N 297.50
16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. 365N 297.51
17 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, 365N 297.52
18 in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. 365N 297.53
19 They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. 365N 297.54
20 Or else let those who are here themselves say [f] if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, 365N 297.55
21 unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’ ” 365N 297.56
22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” 365N 297.57
23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. 365N 297.58
24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 365N 297.59
25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” 365N 297.60
26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, [g] that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. 365N 297.61
27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound. 365N 297.62