Acts 23:23-35

New International Reader's Version

Paul Is Taken to Caesarea

²³ Then the commanding officer called for two of his commanders. He ordered them, “Gather a company of 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 men armed with spears. Get them ready to go to Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. ²⁴ Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”

²⁵ Here is the letter the officer wrote.

²⁶ I, Claudius Lysias, am writing this letter.

I am sending it to His Excellency, Governor Felix.

Greetings.

²⁷ The Jews grabbed Paul. They were about to kill him. But I came with my soldiers and saved him. I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. ²⁸ I wanted to know why they were bringing charges against him. So I brought him to their Sanhedrin. ²⁹ I found out that the charge against him was based on questions about their law. But there was no charge against him worthy of death or prison. ³⁰ Then I was told about a plan against the man. So I sent him to you at once. I also ordered those bringing charges against him to present their case to you.

³¹ The soldiers followed their orders. During the night they took Paul with them. They brought him as far as Antipatris. ³² The next day they let the horsemen go on with him. The soldiers returned to the fort. ³³ The horsemen arrived in Caesarea. They gave the letter to the governor. Then they handed Paul over to him. ³⁴ The governor read the letter. He asked Paul where he was from. He learned that Paul was from Cilicia. ³⁵ So he said, “I will hear your case when those bringing charges against you get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.