Thematic Bible: Claudius lysius

And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the tribunal of the company that all Jerusalem was in an uproar who immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down unto them; and when they saw the tribunal and the soldiers, they left off beating Paul. Then the tribunal came near and took him and commanded him to be bound with two chains and demanded to know who he was and what he had done. read more.
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 fortress. 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. And as Paul was to be led into the fortress, he said unto the tribunal, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art not thou that Egyptian, who before these days made an uproar and led four thousand men out into the wilderness that were murderers? But Paul said, I am certainly a Jew, a citizen of Tarsus, a city known in Cilicia; and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

And as they cried out and cast off their clothes and threw dust into the air, the tribunal commanded him to be brought into the fortress and bade that he should be examined by scourging that he might know why they cried out 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 tribunal, saying, Take heed what thou doest, for this man is a Roman. Then the tribunal came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yes. And the tribunal answered, With a great sum I obtained this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. Then straightway those who should have tormented him departed from him, and the tribunal was also afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman and because he had bound him. On the next day, because he wanted to know of certainty the cause for which he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands and commanded the princes of the priests and all their council to appear and brought Paul down and set him before them.

And when there arose a great dissension, the tribunal, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the fortress. And the night following the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou also bear witness at Rome. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together and they vowed under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. read more.
And they were more than forty who had made this conspiracy. And they came to the princes of the priests and the elders and said, We have made a vow of anathema that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the tribunal that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would enquire something more certain concerning him, and we, before he arrives, are ready to kill him. And when Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, he went and entered into the fortress and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him and said, Bring this young man unto the tribunal, for he has a certain thing to tell him. So he took him and brought him to the tribunal and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who has something to say unto thee. Then the tribunal took him by the hand and went with him aside privately and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee that thou would bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would enquire something more certain of him. But do not believe them, for more than forty of them lie in wait to ambush him, who have vowed under a curse that they will neither eat nor drink until they have killed him, and now they are ready, looking for a promise from thee. So the tribunal then let the young man depart and charged him, See thou tell no one that thou hast showed these things to me. And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night and provide them beasts 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 should have been killed by them; then I came with an army and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. And when I desired to know the cause of why they accused him, I brought him forth into their council, whom I found 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 how the Jews lay in wait to ambush the man, I sent straightway to thee and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell. Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. On the next day they left the horsemen to go with him and returned to the fortress, who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia, I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.