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Paul Is Brought to Caesarea

23 And when he called to him two of the centurions, he said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers, [a]seventy horsemen, and two hundred [b]spearmen to proceed to (A)Caesarea by the [c]third hour of the night, 24 and provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to (B)Felix the governor.” 25 And he wrote a letter having this form:

26 “Claudius Lysias, to the (C)most excellent governor Felix, (D)greetings.

27 “When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, (E)I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, (F)having learned that he was a Roman.

28 And (G)wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I (H)brought him down to their (I)Sanhedrin;

29 and I found him to be accused over (J)questions about their Law, but [d]under (K)no accusation deserving death or [e]imprisonment.

30 “And when I was (L)informed that there would be (M)a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing (N)his accusers to speak against him before you.”

31 So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 But the next day, leaving (O)the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to (P)the barracks. 33 When these had come to (Q)Caesarea and delivered the letter to (R)the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34 And when he had read it, he asked from what (S)province he was, and when he learned that (T)he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing after your (U)accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be (V)kept in Herod’s [f]Praetorium.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 23:23 Lit and
  2. Acts 23:23 Or slingers, bowmen
  3. Acts 23:23 9 p.m.
  4. Acts 23:29 Lit having
  5. Acts 23:29 Lit bonds
  6. Acts 23:35 Governor’s official residence

23 The commander called two centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. 24 Have horses ready for Paul to ride, so they may take him safely to Governor Felix.” 25 He wrote the following letter:

26 Claudius Lysias, to the most honorable Governor Felix: Greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was almost killed by them. I was nearby with a unit of soldiers, and I rescued him when I discovered that he was a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to find out why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their council. 29 I discovered that they were accusing him about questions related to their Law. I found no charge deserving of death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed of a conspiracy against his life, I sent him to you at once and ordered his accusers to bring their case against him before you.

31 Following their orders, the soldiers took Paul during the night and brought him to Antipatris. 32 The following day they let the horsemen continue on with Paul while they returned to the military headquarters in Jerusalem. 33 The horsemen entered Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor, and brought Paul before him. 34 After he read the letter, he asked Paul about his home province. When he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 the governor said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept in custody in Herod’s palace.

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