Acts 23:11-22 - The Plot Against Paul

¹¹ The next night the Lord stood beside Paul [in a supernatural dream] and said, "Take courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome."

¹² When daylight came, [a group of] Jews conspired together, agreeing under oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty men who made this pact. ¹⁴ They went to the leading priests and [Jewish] elders and told them, "We have bound ourselves under an oath [with serious consequences] to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Therefore, [all of] you, together with the Jewish Council, should notify the commander so that he will bring Paul [back] down to you, as though you wanted to consider his case further. Then we will be ready to kill him, [even] before he comes near [you]."

¹⁶ But Paul's nephew learned of their plot and went to the headquarters and told Paul [all about it]. ¹⁷ So, Paul called for one of the officers and said [to him], "Take this young man to the commander; he has something [important] to tell him."

¹⁸ So, the officer took Paul's nephew to the commander and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called for me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you."

¹⁹ The commander took him by the hand, and walking along together, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

²⁰ And the lad said, "The Jews have plotted to ask you to take Paul down to the Council [meeting] tomorrow, as though you were going to question him further. ²¹ But, do not listen to them, because over forty men have laid a plot and bound themselves under an oath [with serious consequences] neither to eat nor drink [anything] until they have killed him. They are now ready [to carry out the plot] and are just waiting for you to agree [to their arrangement]."

²² So, the commander let the young man go, urging him, "Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me."