Acts 23:21

21 "So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are ¹lying in wait for him who have ²bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.

Acts 23:21 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 23:21

But do not thou yield unto them
Or be persuaded by them, to bring Paul down from the castle to the sanhedrim; this must not be imputed to the young man's pride and vanity, in taking upon him to give advice to the chief captain; but to his great affection for his uncle, which moved him to entreat, rather than to direct him, for which he gives a good reason:

for there lie in wait for him more than forty men, which have bound
themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till
they have killed him; (See Gill on Acts 23:12). (See Gill on Acts 23:13).

and now are they ready;
to execute their designs, being met together, and lying in ambush in some place, between the castle and the place where the sanhedrim met:

looking for a promise from thee;
that when the sanhedrim should apply to him, he would promise them to bring Paul down according to their request; and for the making and performing of this promise, these men were waiting.

Acts 23:21 In-Context

19 The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately , "What is it that you have to report to me?

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

21 "So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.

22 So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, "Tell no one that you have notified me of these things."

23 And he called to him two of the centurions and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen."

Cross References

• 1. Acts 23:12, 14
• 2. Luke 11:54

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "be persuaded by them"