Thematic Bible: Claudius lysius
Thematic Bible
Claudius lysius » A roman military officer
They were attempting to kill him, when word reached the commander of the garrison that the whole of Jerusalem was in confusion. Taking some soldiers and officers, he at once rushed down to them, and when they saw the commander and the soldiers they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander came up and seized him; he ordered him to be bound with a couple of chains, and asked "Who is he?" and "What has he done?" read more.
Some of the crowd roared one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts owing to the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks. By the time he reached the steps, he had actually to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd, for the whole mass of the people followed shouting, "Away with him!" Just as he was being taken into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "May I say a word to you?" "You know Greek!" said the commander. "Then you are not the Egyptian who in days gone by raised the four thousand assassins and led them out into the desert?" Paul said, "I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, the citizen of a famous town. Pray let me speak to the people." As he gave permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. A great hush came over them, and he addressed them as follows in Hebrew.
Some of the crowd roared one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts owing to the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks. By the time he reached the steps, he had actually to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd, for the whole mass of the people followed shouting, "Away with him!" Just as he was being taken into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "May I say a word to you?" "You know Greek!" said the commander. "Then you are not the Egyptian who in days gone by raised the four thousand assassins and led them out into the desert?" Paul said, "I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, the citizen of a famous town. Pray let me speak to the people." As he gave permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. A great hush came over them, and he addressed them as follows in Hebrew.
They yelled and threw their clothes into the air and flung dust about, till the commander ordered him to be taken inside the barracks and examined under the lash, so as to find out why the people shouted at him in this way. They had strapped him up, when Paul said to the officer who was standing by, "Are you allowed to scourge a Roman citizen ??and to scourge him without a trial?" read more.
When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, "What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen." So the commander went to him and said, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said. The commander replied, "I had to pay a large sum for this citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," said Paul. Then those who were to have examined him left him at once alone; even the commander was alarmed to find that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. Next day, as he was anxious to find out the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, ordered the high priests and all the Sanhedrin to meet, and brought Paul down, placing him in front of them.
When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, "What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen." So the commander went to him and said, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said. The commander replied, "I had to pay a large sum for this citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," said Paul. Then those who were to have examined him left him at once alone; even the commander was alarmed to find that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. Next day, as he was anxious to find out the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, ordered the high priests and all the Sanhedrin to meet, and brought Paul down, placing him in front of them.
Claudius lysius » Sends paul to felix
The quarrel then became so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul in pieces; he therefore ordered the troops to march down and take him from them by force, bringing him inside the barracks. On the following night the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Courage! As you have testified to me at Jerusalem, so you must testify at Rome." When day broke, the Jews formed a conspiracy, taking a solemn oath neither to eat nor to drink till they had killed Paul. read more.
There were more than forty of them in this plot. They then went to the high priests and elders, saying, "We have taken a solemn oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. Now you and the Sanhedrin must inform the commander that you propose to investigate this case in detail, so that he may have Paul brought down to you. We will be all ready to kill him on the way down." Now Paul's nephew heard about their treacherous ambush; so he got admission to the barracks and told Paul. Paul summoned one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has some news to give him." So the officer took him to the commander, saying, "The prisoner Paul has summoned me to ask if I would bring this young man to you, as he has something to tell you." The commander then took him by the hand aside and asked him in private, "What is the news you have for me?" He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to-morrow to the Sanhedrin, on the plea that they propose to examine his case in detail. Now do not let them persuade you. More than forty of them are lying in ambush for him, and they have taken a solemn oath neither to eat nor to drink till they have murdered him. They are all ready at this moment, awaiting your consent." Then the commander dismissed the youth, bidding him "Tell nobody that you have informed me of this." He summoned two of the officers and said, "Get ready by nine o'clock to-night two hundred infantry to march as far as Caesarea, also seventy troopers, and two hundred spearmen." Horses were also to be provided, on which they were to mount Paul and carry him safe to Felix the governor. He then wrote a letter in the following terms. "Claudius Lysias, to his excellency the governor Felix: greeting. This man had been seized by the Jews and was on the point of being murdered by them, when I came on them with the troops and rescued him, as I had ascertained that he was a Roman citizen. Anxious to find out why they accused him, I took him down to their Sanhedrin, where I found he was accused of matters relating to their Law but not impeached for any crime that deserved death or imprisonment. I am informed a plot is to be laid against him, so I am sending him to you at once, telling his accusers that they must impeach him before you. Farewell." The soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. Next day the infantry returned to their barracks, leaving the troopers to ride on with him. They reached Caesarea, presented the letter to the governor, and also handed Paul over to him. On reading the letter he asked what province he belonged to, and finding it was Cilicia he said, "I will go into your case whenever your accusers arrive," giving orders that he was to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.
There were more than forty of them in this plot. They then went to the high priests and elders, saying, "We have taken a solemn oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. Now you and the Sanhedrin must inform the commander that you propose to investigate this case in detail, so that he may have Paul brought down to you. We will be all ready to kill him on the way down." Now Paul's nephew heard about their treacherous ambush; so he got admission to the barracks and told Paul. Paul summoned one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has some news to give him." So the officer took him to the commander, saying, "The prisoner Paul has summoned me to ask if I would bring this young man to you, as he has something to tell you." The commander then took him by the hand aside and asked him in private, "What is the news you have for me?" He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to-morrow to the Sanhedrin, on the plea that they propose to examine his case in detail. Now do not let them persuade you. More than forty of them are lying in ambush for him, and they have taken a solemn oath neither to eat nor to drink till they have murdered him. They are all ready at this moment, awaiting your consent." Then the commander dismissed the youth, bidding him "Tell nobody that you have informed me of this." He summoned two of the officers and said, "Get ready by nine o'clock to-night two hundred infantry to march as far as Caesarea, also seventy troopers, and two hundred spearmen." Horses were also to be provided, on which they were to mount Paul and carry him safe to Felix the governor. He then wrote a letter in the following terms. "Claudius Lysias, to his excellency the governor Felix: greeting. This man had been seized by the Jews and was on the point of being murdered by them, when I came on them with the troops and rescued him, as I had ascertained that he was a Roman citizen. Anxious to find out why they accused him, I took him down to their Sanhedrin, where I found he was accused of matters relating to their Law but not impeached for any crime that deserved death or imprisonment. I am informed a plot is to be laid against him, so I am sending him to you at once, telling his accusers that they must impeach him before you. Farewell." The soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. Next day the infantry returned to their barracks, leaving the troopers to ride on with him. They reached Caesarea, presented the letter to the governor, and also handed Paul over to him. On reading the letter he asked what province he belonged to, and finding it was Cilicia he said, "I will go into your case whenever your accusers arrive," giving orders that he was to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.