19
The officer took the young man by the arm, went where they could be alone, and asked him, "What do you have to tell me?"
20
The young man answered, "The Jews have planned to ask you to bring Paul to the Jewish council tomorrow. They're going to make it look as though they want more accurate information about him.
21
Don't let them persuade you to do this. More than forty of them are planning to ambush him. They have asked God to curse them if they eat or drink anything before they have murdered him. They are ready now and are expecting you to promise [that you will bring Paul]."
22
The officer dismissed the young man and ordered him not to tell this information to anyone else.
23
Then the officer summoned two of his sergeants and told them, "I want 200 infantrymen, 70 soldiers on horseback, and 200 soldiers with spears. Have them ready to go to Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight.
24
Provide an animal for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix."
25
The officer wrote a letter to the governor with the following message:
26
Claudius Lysias sends greetings to Your Excellency, Governor Felix:
27
The Jews had seized this man and were going to murder him. When I found out that he was a Roman citizen, I went with my soldiers to rescue him.
28
I wanted to know what they had against him. So I took him to their Jewish council
29
and found their accusations had to do with disputes about Jewish teachings. He wasn't accused of anything for which he deserved to die or to be put into prison.