en_cepher - Act 23 - Ozzuu Bible

¹ AND Pa'al, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before Elohiym until this day.

² And the high priest Chananyahu commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

³ Then said Pa'al unto him, Elohiym shall smite you, you whited wall: for sit you to judge me after the Torah, and command me to be smitten contrary to the Torah?

⁴ And they that stood by said, Revile you Elohiym's high priest?

⁵ Then said Pa'al, I knew not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.

⁶ But when Pa'al perceived that the one part were Tsadoqiym, and the other Parashiym, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Parashiy, the son of a Parashiy: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

⁷ And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Parashiym and the Tsadoqiym: and the multitude was divided.

⁸ For the Tsadoqiym say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor ruach: but the Parashiym confess both.

⁹ And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Parashiym's part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a ruach or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against Elohiym.

¹⁰ And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Pa'al should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

¹¹ And the night following Yahuah stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Pa'al: for as you have testified of me in Yerushalayim, so must you bear witness also at Rome.

¹² And when it was day, certain of the Yahudiym banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Pa'al.

¹³ And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

¹⁴ And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Pa'al.

¹⁵ Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

¹⁶ And when Pa'al's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Pa'al.

¹⁷ Then Pa'al called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he has a certain thing to tell him.

¹⁸ So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Pa'al the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto you, who has something to say unto you.

¹⁹ Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that you have to tell me?

²⁰ And he said, The Yahudiym have agreed to desire that you would bring down Pa'al tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

²¹ But do not yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from you.

²² So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See you tell no man that you have showed these things to me.

²³ And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Qeycaryah, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;

²⁴ And provide them beasts, that they may set Pa'al on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

²⁵ And he wrote a cepher after this manner:

²⁶ Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sends greeting.

²⁷ This man was taken of the Yahudiym, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Romaiy.

²⁸ And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

²⁹ Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their Law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

³⁰ And when it was told me how that the Yahudiym laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to you, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before you what they had against him. Farewell.

³¹ Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Pa'al, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

³² On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

³³ Who, when they came to Qeycaryah, and delivered the cepher to the governor, presented Pa'al also before him.

³⁴ And when the governor had read the cepher, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;

³⁵ I will hear you, said he, when your accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.