Reference: Lysias, Claudius
Easton
the chief captain (chiliarch) who commanded the Roman troops in Jerusalem, and sent Paul under guard to the procurator Felix at Caesarea (Ac 21:31-38; 22:24-30). His letter to his superior officer is an interesting specimen of Roman military correspondence (Ac 23:26-30). He obtained his Roman citizenship by purchase, and was therefore probably a Greek. (See Claudius.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And as they were attempting to kill Paul, the commander of the military unit was informed that the entire city of Jerusalem was rioting. So, immediately he rushed down on the people with his soldiers and officers, and when the mob saw the commander and his soldiers [coming], they stopped beating Paul. read more. Then the commanding officer approached Paul, took hold of him and ordered him to be secured with two chains. He then questioned him as to who he was and what he had done. From the crowd, some shouted one thing and some another. When the commander could not hear what was being said because of the noise, he ordered Paul to be taken into the battalion headquarters. When they got to the stairway [of the headquarters building] the soldiers had to carry Paul because of the [unrestrained] violence of the mob, for the crowds that followed were [pressing in on them] shouting, "Kill him." As Paul was being brought into the headquarters building, he said to the commander, "Can I speak with you?" The commander replied [with surprise], "You know the Greek language? Are you not the Egyptian who, awhile back, stirred up a revolt and led four thousand of the 'Dagger Men' out into the wilderness?"
the commander ordered Paul to be brought to headquarters and requested that he be interrogated by means of a flogging, in order to learn the reason why people were shouting against him. Just as they were tying him up [in preparation] for the flogging, Paul said to the officer nearby, "Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman [citizen] before he has been [legally] condemned?" read more. When the officer heard this, he [immediately] went and told the commander, saying, "What are you going to do? For this man is a Roman citizen." Then the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you [really] a Roman citizen?" Paul said, "Yes." The commander answered, "It cost me a large sum of money to obtain this [right of] citizenship." Paul replied, "But I am a Roman citizen by birth." Then those who were about to interrogate Paul [with whips] immediately left him, and the commander also became fearful when he realized that he had chained a Roman citizen [illegally]. But the next day the commander released Paul [from the chains] because he wanted to know what specific charges the Jews has against him. So, he ordered the leading priests and the entire [Jewish] Council to assemble, then brought Paul down and placed him in front of them.
"Claudius Lysias, [commander of the battalion, is writing] to His Excellency, Governor Felix. Greetings: This man [i.e., Paul] was grabbed by the Jews and almost killed by them when I discovered what they were doing and rescued him, after learning that he was a Roman citizen. read more. So, I brought him before the Council because I wanted to know the reasons for the charges [they were] bringing against him. I found out that he was being accused over questions regarding their law, but that they had no charges against him deserving of the death penalty, or [even] of being kept in prison. And when I was told that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, also ordering his accusers to present their case against him in front of you."
Hastings
A chiliarch of a cohort in Jerusalem who rescued St. Paul from the Jews in the Temple and took him to the 'Castle,'