Acts 23:12-35 - A Conspiracy To Kill Paul

¹² In the morning the Jews combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty in the plot; ¹⁴ And they went to the Chief Priests and the Councillors, and said: "We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food till we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ So we want you now, with the consent of the Council, to suggest to the Commanding Officer that he should bring Paul down before you, as though you intended to go more fully into his case; but, before he comes here, we will be ready to make away with him."

¹⁶ However, the son of Paul's sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it. ¹⁷ Paul called one of the Captains of the garrison and asked him to take the lad to the Commanding Officer, as he had something to tell him.

¹⁸ The Captain went with the lad to the Commanding Officer, and said: "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as he has something to tell you."

¹⁹ The Commanding Officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.

²⁰ "The Jews have agreed," answered the lad, "to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council to-morrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case. ²¹ But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink, till they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting upon your promise."

²² The Commanding Officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.

²³ Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred men ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o'clock that night, ²⁴ And to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.

²⁵ To him he wrote a letter, somewhat as follows--

²⁶ 'Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.

²⁷ The man whom I send with this had been seized by the Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen. ²⁸ Wishing to ascertain exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council, ²⁹ When I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment. ³⁰ Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.'

³¹ The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris; ³² And on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort. ³³ On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him. ³⁴ As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said: ³⁵ "I will hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived." And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod's Government House.