Acts 23:12-35

A Plot to Kill Paul

12 When it was day, ¹the Jews made a plot and ²bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy.

14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul

15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near."

16 Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered ³the barracks and told Paul.

17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him."

18 So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, "Paul ⁴the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you."

19 The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?

20 And he said, ⁵"The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him.

21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who ⁶have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.

22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, "Tell no one that you have informed me of these things."

Paul Sent to Felix the Governor

23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, "Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night.^[a]

24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to ⁷Felix ⁸the governor."

25 And he wrote a letter to this effect:

26 "Claudius Lysias, to ⁹his Excellency the governor Felix, ¹⁰greetings.

27 ¹¹This man was seized by the Jews and ¹²was about to be killed by them ¹³when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, ¹⁴having learned that he was a Roman citizen.

28 And ¹⁵desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council.

29 I found that he was being accused ¹⁶about questions of their law, but ¹⁷charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment.

30 ¹⁸And when it was disclosed to me ¹⁹that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ²⁰ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him."

31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 And on the next day they returned to ²¹the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him.

33 When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.

34 On reading the letter, he asked what ²²province he was from. And when he learned ²³that he was from Cilicia,

35 he said, "I will give you a hearing ²⁴when your accusers arrive." And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's ²⁵praetorium.