Acts 23:16-35

16 But the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered ¹the barracks and told Paul.

17 Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, "Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him."

18 So he took him and led him to the commander and said, "Paul ²the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you."

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, "³The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to ⁴the 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 ⁵lying in wait for him who have ⁶bound 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."

Paul Moved to Caesarea

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 ⁷Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen."

24 They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to ⁸Felix the governor.

25 And he wrote a letter having this form:

26 "Claudius Lysias, to the ⁹most excellent governor Felix, ¹⁰greetings.

27 "When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, ¹¹I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, ¹²having learned that he was a Roman.

28 "And ¹³wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I ¹⁴brought him down to their ¹⁵Council;

29 and I found him to be accused over ¹⁶questions about their Law, but under ¹⁷no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.

30 "When I was ¹⁸informed that there would be ¹⁹a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing ²⁰his accusers to bring charges against him before you."

31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 But the next day, leaving ²¹the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to ²²the barracks.

33 When these had come to ²³Caesarea and delivered the letter to ²⁴the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

34 When he had read it, he asked from what ²⁵province he was, and when he learned that ²⁶he was from Cilicia,

35 he said, "I will give you a hearing after your ²⁷accusers arrive also," giving orders for him to be ²⁸kept in Herod's Praetorium.

Cross References

• 1. Acts 21:34; Acts 23:10, 32
• 2. Ephesians 3:1
• 3. Acts 23:14
• 4. Acts 22:30; Acts 23:1, 6, 15, 28
• 5. Acts 23:12, 14
• 6. Luke 11:54
• 7. Acts 8:40; Acts 23:33
• 8. Acts 23:26, 33; Acts 24:1, 3, 10; Acts 25:14
• 9. Luke 1:3; Acts 24:3; Acts 26:25
• 10. Acts 15:23
• 11. Acts 21:32
• 12. Acts 22:25-29
• 13. Acts 22:30
• 14. Acts 23:10
• 15. Acts 23:1
• 16. Acts 18:15; Acts 25:19
• 17. Acts 23:9; Acts 25:25; Acts 26:31; Acts 28:18
• 18. Acts 23:20
• 19. Acts 9:24; Acts 23:12
• 20. Acts 23:35; Acts 24:19; Acts 25:16
• 21. Acts 23:23
• 22. Acts 23:10
• 23. Acts 8:40; Acts 23:23
• 24. Acts 23:24, 26; Acts 24:1, 3, 10; Acts 25:14
• 25. Acts 25:1
• 26. Acts 6:9; Acts 21:39
• 27. Acts 23:30; Acts 24:19; Acts 25:16
• 28. Acts 24:27

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "having been present" with them, "and he entered"
• [b]. V 10, note 1
• [c]. V 10, note 1
• [d]. V 10, note 1
• [e]. Or "Sanhedrin"
• [f]. Lit "be persuaded by them"
• [g]. V 10, note 1
• [h]. I.e. 9 p.m.
• [i]. Lit "and"
• [j]. Or "slingers" or "bowmen"
• [k]. Or "Sanhedrin"
• [l]. Lit "having"
• [m]. Lit "bonds"
• [n]. Lit "speak against him"
• [o]. I.e. governor's official residence