Three days later Paul called a meeting of the local Jewish leaders. When they came, Paul spoke to them. He said,“ My brothers, I have done nothing against our people. I have also done nothing against what our people of long ago practiced. But I was arrested in Jerusalem. I was handed over to the Romans.

过了三天，保罗请犹太人的首领来。他们来了，就对他们说：“弟兄们，我虽没有做什么事干犯本国的百姓和我们祖宗的规条，却被锁绑，从耶路撒冷解在罗马人的手里。

过了三天，保罗请当地犹太人的领袖来。他们来了，保罗对他们说：“诸位弟兄，虽然我没有做什么事干犯本国的百姓和我们祖宗的规矩，却在耶路撒冷被囚禁，交在罗马人的手里。

过了三天，保罗请当地犹太人的领袖来。他们来了，保罗对他们说：“诸位弟兄，虽然我没有做什么事干犯本国的百姓和我们祖宗的规矩，却在耶路撒冷被囚禁，交在罗马人的手里。

三天后，保罗请来当地犹太人的首领，对他们说：“弟兄们，虽然我没有做过任何对不起同胞或违背祖先规矩的事，却在耶路撒冷遭囚禁，又被交到罗马人的手里。

过了三天，保罗请犹太人的首领来。他们都到了，保罗说：“各位弟兄，我虽然没有作过什么事反对人民或者反对祖先的规例，却像囚犯被逮捕，从耶路撒冷交到罗马人的手里。

第三天，保罗请犹太人的首领们来。他们聚集了，保罗就对他们说：“各位兄弟，我没有做过任何反对我们民族或先祖规矩的事，却做为囚犯从耶路撒冷被交到罗马人手中。

過了三天，保羅請猶太人的首領來。他們來了，就對他們說：「弟兄們，我雖沒有做甚麼事干犯本國的百姓和我們祖宗的規條，卻被鎖綁，從耶路撒冷解在羅馬人的手裏。

過了三天，保羅請當地猶太人的領袖來。他們來了，保羅對他們說：「諸位弟兄，雖然我沒有做甚麼事干犯本國的百姓和我們祖宗的規矩，卻在耶路撒冷被囚禁，交在羅馬人的手裏。

過了三天，保羅請當地猶太人的領袖來。他們來了，保羅對他們說：「諸位弟兄，雖然我沒有做甚麼事干犯本國的百姓和我們祖宗的規矩，卻在耶路撒冷被囚禁，交在羅馬人的手裏。

三天後，保羅請來當地猶太人的首領，對他們說：「弟兄們，雖然我沒有做過任何對不起同胞或違背祖先規矩的事，卻在耶路撒冷遭囚禁，又被交到羅馬人的手裡。

過了三天，保羅請猶太人的首領來。他們都到了，保羅說：“各位弟兄，我雖然沒有作過甚麼事反對人民或者反對祖先的規例，卻像囚犯被逮捕，從耶路撒冷交到羅馬人的手裡。

過了三天、保羅把那些做猶太人領袖的招集了來；他們聚攏來了，保羅就對他們說：『同人弟兄們，論到我、我並沒有作過甚麼事干犯本國的人民或我們祖宗的規矩，竟做了囚犯從耶路撒冷被送交到羅馬人手裏。

第三天，保羅請猶太人的首領們來。他們聚集了，保羅就對他們說：「各位兄弟，我沒有做過任何反對我們民族或先祖規矩的事，卻做為囚犯從耶路撒冷被交到羅馬人手中。

越三日、保羅招猶太諸長者、既集、謂之曰、兄弟、我未干犯斯民、及列祖之規、然自耶路撒冷被囚、付於羅馬人手、

越三日、保羅會猶太長者、既集、謂之曰、兄弟、我未獲罪以色列民、違列祖例、然自耶路撒冷、解與羅馬人為囚、

越三日、保羅請猶太人之長者、既集、謂之曰、諸兄長、我未獲罪我民、或犯我列祖之例、竟在耶路撒冷被囚、付於羅瑪人手、

越三日、葆樂邀集猶太人之首領既至、語之曰：『諸兄弟、予並未開罪於本國同胞、或違犯祖宗遺規、然竟在耶路撒冷縛解羅馬人之手、

Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them:“ My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.

After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them,“ Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

Three days after Paul’s arrival, he called together the local Jewish leaders. He said to them,“ Brothers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Roman government, even though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors.

After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them,“ Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them,“ Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.

And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them:“ Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

And it came to pass, that after three days he called together those that were the chief of the Jews: and when they were come together, he said unto them, I, brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans:

After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them:“ Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men[ and] brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

After three days Paul called the local Jewish leaders together. When they had assembled, he said to them,“ Brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, from Jerusalem I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans.

After three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them,“ I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us.”

Then Paul spoke up for himself. He said,“ I’ve done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple. I’ve done nothing wrong against Caesar.”

Paul answered,“ I’m already standing in Caesar’s court. This is where I should go on trial. I haven’t done anything wrong to the Jews. You yourself know that very well.

The high priest and the whole Council can be witnesses of this themselves. I even had some official letters they had written to their friends in Damascus. So I went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

The commander came up and arrested Paul. He ordered him to be held with two chains. Then he asked who Paul was and what he had done.Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another. But the commander couldn’t get the facts because of all the noise. So he ordered that Paul be taken into the fort.Paul reached the steps. But then the mob became so wild that he had to be carried by the soldiers.The crowd that followed kept shouting,“ Get rid of him!”The soldiers were about to take Paul into the fort. Then he asked the commander,“ May I say something to you?”“ Do you speak Greek?” he replied.“ Aren’t you the Egyptian who turned some of our people against their leaders? Didn’t you lead 4,000 terrorists out into the desert some time ago?”Paul answered,“ I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia. I am a citizen of an important city. Please let me speak to the people.”The commander told him he could. So Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When all of them were quiet, he spoke to them in the Aramaic language.

The governor motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said,“ I know that you have been a judge over this nation for quite a few years. So I am glad to explain my actions to you.About 12 days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. You can easily check on this.Those bringing charges against me did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple. I wasn’t stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city.They can’t prove to you any of the charges they are making against me.It is true that I worship the God of our people. I am a follower of the Way of Jesus. Those bringing charges against me call it a cult. I believe everything that is in keeping with the Law. I believe everything that is in keeping with what is written in the Prophets.I have the same hope in God that these men themselves have. I believe that both the godly and the ungodly will rise from the dead.So I always try not to do anything wrong in the eyes of God or in the eyes of people.

There the chief priests and the Jewish leaders came to Festus. They brought their charges against Paul.

Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin.“ My brothers,” he said,“ I have always done my duty to God. To this day I feel that I have done nothing wrong.”Ananias the high priest heard this. So he ordered the men standing near Paul to hit him on the mouth.Then Paul said to him,“ You pretender! God will hit you! You sit there and judge me by the law. But you yourself broke the law when you commanded them to hit me!”Those who were standing near Paul spoke to him. They said,“ How dare you talk like that to God’s high priest!”Paul replied,“ Brothers, I didn’t realize he was the high priest. It is written,‘ Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’ ”( Exodus 22:28)Paul knew that some of them were Sadducees and the others were Pharisees. So he called out to the members of the Sanhedrin.“ My brothers,” he said,“ I am a Pharisee. I come from a family of Pharisees. I believe that people will rise from the dead. That’s why I am on trial.”When he said this, the Pharisees and the Sadducees started to argue. They began to take sides.The Sadducees say that people will not rise from the dead. They don’t believe there are angels or spirits either. But the Pharisees believe all these things.People were causing trouble and making a lot of noise. Some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up. They argued strongly.“ We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said.“ What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”The people arguing were getting out of control. The commanding officer was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them. So he ordered the soldiers to go down and take him away from them by force. The officer had told them to bring Paul into the fort.The next night the Lord stood near Paul. He said,“ Be brave! You have told people about me in Jerusalem. You must do the same in Rome.”

I was taken away from the land of the Hebrews by force. Even here I haven’t done anything to be put in prison for.”

The horsemen arrived in Caesarea. They gave the letter to the governor. Then they handed Paul over to him.