Acts 23:21

21 But believe thou not to them; for more than forty men of them ambush him, which have avowed, that they shall neither eat nor drink, till they slay him; and now they be ready, abiding thy promise

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 And the tribune took his hand, and went with him asides half, and asked him, What thing is it, that thou hast to show to me

20 And he said, The Jews be accorded to pray thee, that to morrow thou bring forth Paul into the council, as if they should inquire something more certainly of him.

21 But believe thou not to them; for more than forty men of them ambush him, which have avowed, that they shall neither eat nor drink, till they slay him; and now they be ready, abiding thy promise

22 Therefore the tribune let go the young man [Therefore the tribune left the young man], and commanded, that he should speak to no man, that he had made these things known to him.

23 And he called together two centurions, and he said to them, Make ye ready two hundred knights, that they go to Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, from the third hour of the night.