20
The young man said, "The Jews have decided to ask you to bring Paul down to their council meeting tomorrow. They want you to think they are going to ask him more questions.
21
But don't believe them! More than forty men are hiding and waiting to kill Paul. They have all taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are waiting for you to agree.
22
The commander sent the young man away, ordering him, "Don't tell anyone that you have told me about their plan."
23
Then the commander called two officers and said, "I need some men to go to Caesarea. Get two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred men with spears ready to leave at nine o'clock tonight.
24
Get some horses for Paul to ride so he can be taken to Governor Felix safely."
25
And he wrote a letter that said:
26
From Claudius Lysias. Greetings.
27
The Jews had taken this man and planned to kill him. But I learned that he is a Roman citizen, so I went with my soldiers and saved him.
28
I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him before their council meeting.
29
I learned that the Jews said Paul did some things that were wrong by their own laws, but no charge was worthy of jail or death.
30
When I was told that some of the Jews were planning to kill Paul, I sent him to you at once. I also told those Jews to tell you what they have against him.