¹³ And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in ^(A)Dothan.”

¹⁷ And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to ^(A)Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at ^(B)Dothan.

⁴⁷ So the chief priests and the Pharisees ^(A)gathered ^(B)the council and said, ^(C)“What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and ^(D)the Romans will come and take away both our ^(E)place and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, ^(F)Caiaphas, ^(G)who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. ⁵⁰ Nor do you understand that ^(H)it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” ⁵¹ He did not say this of his own accord, but ^(I)being high priest that year ^(J)he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵² and ^(K)not for the nation only, but also ^(L)to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³ So from that day on they ^(M)made plans to put him to death.

A Plot to Kill Paul

¹² When it was day, ^(A)the Jews made a plot and ^(B)bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

¹⁶ Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered ^(C)the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷ Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” ¹⁸ So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul ^(D)the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” ¹⁹ The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” ²⁰ And he said, ^(E)“The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. ²¹ But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who ^(F)have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” ²² So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”

Paul Sent to Felix the Governor

²³ Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night.^{[a] 24} Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to ^(G)Felix ^(H)the governor.” ²⁵ And he wrote a letter to this effect:

²⁶ “Claudius Lysias, to ^(I)his Excellency the governor Felix, ^(J)greetings. ^27 (K)This man was seized by the Jews and ^(L)was about to be killed by them ^(M)when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, ^(N)having learned that he was a Roman citizen.

⁴ and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where ^(A)the Christ was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

⁷ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

²⁶ And the king commanded Jerahmeel the ^(A)king's son and Seraiah the son of Azriel and ^(B)Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize ^(C)Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.