Thematic Bible: Claudius lysius

And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult; who, taking with him immediately soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them. But they, seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul. Then the chiliarch came up and laid hold upon him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he might be, and what he had done. read more.
And different persons cried some different thing in the crowd. But he, not being able to know the certainty on account of the uproar, commanded him to be brought into the fortress. But when he got upon the stairs it was so that he was borne by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd. For the multitude of the people followed, crying, Away with him. But as he was about to be led into the fortress, Paul says to the chiliarch, Is it allowed me to say something to thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek? Thou art not then that Egyptian who before these days raised a sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the assassins? But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, citizen of no insignificant city of Cilicia, and I beseech of thee, allow me to speak to the people. And when he had allowed him, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and a great silence having been made, he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

And as they were crying, and throwing away their clothes, and casting dust into the air, the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, saying that he should be examined by scourging, that he might ascertain for what cause they cried thus against him. But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned? read more.
And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman. And the chiliarch coming up said to him, Tell me, Art thou a Roman? And he said, Yes. And the chiliarch answered, I, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was also free born. Immediately therefore those who were going to examine him left him, and the chiliarch also was afraid when he ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. And on the morrow, desirous to know the certainty of the matter why he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and having brought Paul down set him before them.

And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring him into the fortress. But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also. And when it was day, the Jews, having banded together, put themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul. read more.
And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath; and they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul. Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him. But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported it to Paul. And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him. He therefore, having taken him with him, led him to the chiliarch, and says, The prisoner Paul called me to him and asked me to lead this youth to thee, who has something to say to thee. And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me? And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him. Do not thou then be persuaded by them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they kill him; and now they are ready waiting the promise from thee. The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding him, Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me. And having called to him certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night. And he ordered them to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry him safe through to Felix the governor, having written a letter, couched in this form: Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out of their hands, having learned that he was a Roman. And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council; whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him making him worthy of death or of bonds. But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man by the Jews, I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. Farewell. The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris, and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress. And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him. And having read it, and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that he was of Cilicia, he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.