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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But when the seven days were near ended, the Jews that came from Asia seeing him in the temple, raised a tumult among the people, and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help: this is the man that teaches all men every where against the people of the Jews, and the law, and this sacred place? and besides, hath brought Greeks too into the temple, and polluted this holy place. read more. (For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought Paul had brought into the temple.) And the whole city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people: and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the gates were shut. And as they were going to kill him, a report came to the tribune of the cohort, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar: who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the chiliarch and the soldiers, they left off beating Paul. Then the commanding officer came near and took him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and inquired, who he was, and what he had done.
Then the commanding officer came near and took him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and inquired, who he was, and what he had done. But some in the croud bawled out one thing and some another: and as he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. read more. And when he was upon the stairs, he was even borne by the soldiers, because of the violence of the people. For the multitude followed crying out, Away with him.
the tribune commanded him to be brought into the castle, and ordered him to be put to the question by scourging; that he might know for what reason they so cried out against him. And as they were binding him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, uncondemned? read more. And the centurion hearing this, went and told the tribune, saying, Consider what thou art about to do; for this man is a Roman. Then the tribune came and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yes. And the tribune replied, I obtained this freedom with a large sum of money. And Paul said, But I was free-born. Immediately therefore those who were going to put him to the question quitted him: and the tribune also was afraid, when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
And when it was day, some of the Jews, having formed a conspiracy, bound themselves with a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty that had made this oath: read more. who came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves by a curse to eat nothing till we have killed Paul. Now therefore do ye with the rest of the sanhedrim signify to the tribune, that he would bring him down to you to-morrow, as if you would examine more accurately some things concerning him: and we are ready to dispatch him before he come near you." But Paul's sister's son, hearing of the ambush, came and entered into the castle, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, Introduce this young man to the tribune; for he hath something to tell him. So he took him and brought him to the tribune, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him, and desired me to introduce this young man unto thee, as having something to say to thee. And the tribune took him by the hand, and retiring into a private apartment asked him, What is it which thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring down Paul to-morrow to the council, as if they would inquire something more strictly concerning him. But do not thou comply with them: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves with a curse neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him: and they are now ready, waiting for an order from thee. Then the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, Tell no one that thou hast discovered these things to me. And he called two of the centurions to him, and said, Get ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, by the third hour of the night. And provide beasts, that they may set Paul on and bring him safe to Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter to this effect: Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting. This man being seized by the Jews, and about to be killed by them, I came upon them with some soldiers and rescued him: for I understand that he is a Roman. But desiring to know the cause for which they accused him, I brought him down into their council: and I found he was accused about questions of their law, but had no charge against him deserving death or bonds. But an ambush, which was going to be laid for the man by the Jews, being discovered to me, immediately I sent him to thee, telling his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell. The soldiers therefore, according to the orders given them, took up Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. And the next day they returned to the castle, leaving the horsemen to go with him; who, when they came into Cesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, 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 were going to kill him, a report came to the tribune of the cohort, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar: