11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!(A) As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”(B)

The Plot to Kill Paul

12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy(C) and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.(D) 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.(E) 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin(F) petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks(G) and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner,(H) sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin(I) tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.(J) 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty(K) of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him.(L) They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”

22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

Paul Transferred to Caesarea

23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen[a] to go to Caesarea(M) at nine tonight.(N) 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”(O)

25 He wrote a letter as follows:

26 Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency,(P) Governor Felix:

Greetings.(Q)

27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him,(R) but I came with my troops and rescued him,(S) for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen.(T) 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin.(U) 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law,(V) but there was no charge against him(W) that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed(X) of a plot(Y) to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers(Z) to present to you their case against him.

31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry(AA) go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.(AB) 33 When the cavalry(AC) arrived in Caesarea,(AD) they delivered the letter to the governor(AE) and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,(AF) 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers(AG) get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard(AH) in Herod’s palace.

Paul’s Trial Before Felix

24 Five days later the high priest Ananias(AI) went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges(AJ) against Paul before the governor.(AK) When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. Everywhere and in every way, most excellent(AL) Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.

“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots(AM) among the Jews(AN) all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene(AO) sect(AP) and even tried to desecrate the temple;(AQ) so we seized him. [7] [b] By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”

The other Jews joined in the accusation,(AR) asserting that these things were true.

10 When the governor(AS) motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11 You can easily verify that no more than twelve days(AT) ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple,(AU) or stirring up a crowd(AV) in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.(AW) 14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors(AX) as a follower of the Way,(AY) which they call a sect.(AZ) I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,(BA) 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection(BB) of both the righteous and the wicked.(BC) 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear(BD) before God and man.

17 “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor(BE) and to present offerings. 18 I was ceremonially clean(BF) when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.(BG) 19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia,(BH) who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.(BI) 20 Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin— 21 unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”(BJ)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 23:23 The meaning of the Greek for this word is uncertain.
  2. Acts 24:7 Some manuscripts include here him, and we would have judged him in accordance with our law. But the commander Lysias came and took him from us with much violence, ordering his accusers to come before you.

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