To Caesarea by Night

23 He summoned two of his centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready with seventy cavalry and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight.[a](A) 24 Also provide mounts to ride so that Paul may be brought safely to Felix the governor.”

25 He wrote the following letter:[b]

26 Claudius Lysias,

To the most excellent governor Felix:

Greetings.(B)

27 When this man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, I arrived with my troops and rescued him because I learned that he is a Roman citizen.(C) 28 Wanting to know the charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down before their Sanhedrin. 29 I found out that the accusations were concerning questions of their law,(D) and that there was no charge that merited death or imprisonment.(E) 30 When I was informed that there was a plot against the man,[c](F) I sent him to you right away. I also ordered his accusers(G) to state their case against him in your presence.[d]

31 So the soldiers took Paul during the night and brought him to Antipatris as they were ordered. 32 The next day, they returned to the barracks, allowing the cavalry to go on with him. 33 When these men entered Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.(H) 34 After he[e] read it, he asked what province he was from. When he learned he was from Cilicia,(I) 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing whenever your accusers also get here.” He ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.[f](J)

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Footnotes

  1. 23:23 Lit at the third hour tonight
  2. 23:25 Or He wrote a letter to this effect:
  3. 23:30 Other mss add by the Jews
  4. 23:30 Other mss add Farewell
  5. 23:34 Other mss read the governor
  6. 23:35 Or headquarters

Paul Is Sent to Caesarea

23 Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops. 24 Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.” 25 Then he wrote this letter to the governor:

26 “From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!

27 “This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety. 28 Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him. 29 I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law—certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death. 30 But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you.”

31 So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris. 32 They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea. 33 When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix. 34 He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered.

35 “I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive,” the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herod’s headquarters.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 23:35 Greek Herod’s Praetorium.