Reference: Lysias Claudius
Fausets
A Roman chiliarch or captain in charge of the troops of the citadel Antonia at Paul's last visit to Jerusalem. He rescued Paul from the fanatical crowd, and subsequently from the plot of more than 40 zealots against his life (Ac 21:27-36; 23:12-33). With worldly tact he in writing to Felix makes no mention of having bound Paul for scourging (Ac 21:33; 22:24-29), for he" feared" the consequences to himself of having so treated a Roman citizen. Still his treatment of the apostle otherwise, after he knew his Roman citizenship, was fair and firm.
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And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews who were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and has polluted this holy place. read more. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and immediately the doors were shut. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the barracks. read more. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers because of the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the barracks, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know why they cried so against him. And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? read more. When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what you do: for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, are you a Roman? He said, Yes. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. Then immediately they departed from him who should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty who had made this conspiracy. read more. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore you with the council inform the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though you would inquire something more exactly concerning him: and we, before he comes near, are ready to kill him. And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the barracks, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he has a certain thing to tell him. So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto you, who has something to say unto you. Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is it that you have to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask you that you would bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more exactly. But do not yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from you. So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See that you tell no man that you have showed these things to me. And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; And provide them mounts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter after this manner: Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sends greeting. This man was taken of the Jews, and would have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. And when I would have known the cause for which they accused him, I brought him forth into their council: Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And when it was told me that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent immediately to you, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before you what they had against him. Farewell. Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. The next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks: When they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.
Smith
Lys'ias Clau'dius,
a chief captain of the band, that is, tribune of the Roman cohort who rescued St. Paul from the hands of the infuriated mob at Jerusalem, and sent him under a guard to Felix, the governor or proconsul of Caesarea.
seq.; Acts 23:26; 24:7 (A.D. 55.)
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And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.