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Themes in Acts 23
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Themes in Acts 23

Acts 23:1

Paul looked steadily at the council and said, "Brothers, I have done my duty to God with a perfectly clear conscience up to this very day."

Acts 23:2

At this the high priest Ananias ordered the people who were standing nearest to him to strike him on the mouth.

Acts 23:3

Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you white-washed wall! Do you sit there to try me by the Law, and order them to strike me in violation of the Law?"

Acts 23:4

But the people who stood near him said, "Do you mean to insult God's high priest?"

Acts 23:5

"I did not know, brothers," said Paul, "that he was high priest, for the Scripture says, 'You shall not say anything against any ruler of your people.' "

Acts 23:6

Knowing that part of them were Sadducees and part of them Pharisees, Paul called out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, and the son of Pharisees! It is for my hope for the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!"

Acts 23:7

When he said that, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the meeting was divided.

Acts 23:8

For the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection and that there are no angels or spirits, while the Pharisees believe in all three.

Acts 23:9

So there was a great uproar, and some scribes of the Pharisees' party got up and insisted, "We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose some spirit or angel really spoke to him!"

Acts 23:10

As the dispute was becoming violent, the colonel began to be afraid that they would tear Paul in pieces, and ordered the soldiers to go down and get him away from them and bring him into the barracks.

Acts 23:11

On the following night the Lord stood beside him and said, "Courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, you must testify in Rome also."

Acts 23:12

In the morning, the Jews made a conspiracy and took an oath not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul.

Acts 23:13

There were more than forty of them involved in this plot,

Acts 23:14

and they went to the high priests and elders and said to them, "We have taken a solemn oath not to touch anything to eat till we have killed Paul.

Acts 23:15

Now you and the council must suggest to the colonel that he should have Paul brought down to you, as you mean to look into his case more carefully, and we will be ready to kill him before he gets down."

Acts 23:16

But Paul's nephew heard of the plot, and he came and got into the barracks, and told Paul.

Acts 23:17

Paul called one of the officers and said to him, "Take this young man to the colonel, for he has something to tell him."

Acts 23:18

So he took him to the colonel, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you."

Acts 23:19

So the colonel took him by the arm and stepping aside where they could be alone, asked, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

Acts 23:20

"The Jews," he answered, "have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, on the ground that you mean to have a fuller inquiry made into his case.

Acts 23:21

But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, and they have taken an oath not to eat or drink till they have killed him. They are all ready now, and are only waiting to get your promise."

Acts 23:22

So the colonel sent the youth away, directing him not to tell anyone that he had given him this information.

Acts 23:23

Then he called in two of his officers and said to them, "Get two hundred men ready to march to Caesarea, with seventy mounted men and two hundred spear-men, by nine o'clock tonight."

Acts 23:24

They were also to provide horses for Paul to ride, so that they might take him in safety to Felix, the governor,

Acts 23:25

to whom he wrote a letter to this effect:

Acts 23:26

"Claudius Lysias sends greetings to his Excellency Felix, the governor.

Acts 23:27

This man had been seized by the Jews and they were just going to kill him when I came upon them with my men and rescued him, as I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

Acts 23:28

As I wanted to learn what charge they made against him, I had him brought before their council,

Acts 23:29

and found that their accusations had to do with questions about their Law, but that he was not charged with anything that would call for his death or imprisonment.

Acts 23:30

As I have been informed that a plot against him is brewing, I am sending him on to you at once, and directing his accusers to present their charges against him before you."

Acts 23:31

Then the soldiers took Paul, as they had been ordered to do, and escorted him as far as Antipatris that night.

Acts 23:32

The next day, they returned to the barracks, leaving the mounted men to go on with him,

Acts 23:33

and they on reaching Caesarea delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.

Acts 23:34

After reading the letter, he asked Paul what province he belonged to, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia,

Acts 23:35

he said, "I will hear your case as soon as your accusers arrive." And he gave orders that he should be kept in Herod's palace.
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