Thematic Bible: Claudius lysius

And while they were endeavoring to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar; who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And seeing the chief captain and the soldiers, they left off beating Paul. Then the chief captain came near and laid hold of him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done. read more.
And some cried one thing, and some another, among the multitude. And not being able to gain certain knowledge on account of the uproar, he ordered him to be carried into the castle. And when he reached the stairs, he was obliged to be borne by the soldiers, on account of the violence of the crowd; for the multitude of the people were following, crying out, Away with him! And as he was about to be led into the castle, Paul saith to the chief captain, May I speak to thee? And he said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art thou not then the Egyptian, who before these days made an insurrection, and led out into the wilderness those four thousand men of the assassins? But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, a citizen of no mean city of Cilicia; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people. And when he had given him leave, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with his hand to the people, and there was a great silence; and he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

And as they were crying out, and shaking their garments, and throwing dust into the air, the chief captain ordered him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might ascertain for what cause they were thus crying out against him. But when they had stretched him out with the cords, Paul said to 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 this, he went and told the chief captain, saying, What art thou about to do? For this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yes. The chief captain answered, For a great sum I obtained this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was born a Roman. They therefore who were about to examine him left him immediately. And the chief captain also was alarmed when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. On the morrow, wishing to have certain knowledge why he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and ordered the chief priests and all the council to assemble; and bringing Paul down, he set him before them.

And a great dissension arising, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle. And the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast borne witness concerning me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. read more.
And there were more than forty who took this oath together. And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. Now therefore do ye with the council give notice to the chief captain, that he bring him down to you, as though ye were about to examine his case more thoroughly; and we are ready to kill him before he cometh near you. But Pauls sisters son hearing of the plot went, and entering the castle, told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, Take this young man to the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him. So he took him and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to thee, as he hath something to say to thee. Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went aside privately, and asked him, What is it that thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though thou wert about to inquire more thoroughly concerning him. But do not thou yield to them; for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves with an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him; and they are now ready, looking for the promise from thee. The chief captain then dismissed the young man with the charge, Tell no one that thou hast disclosed these things to me. And he called to him two of the 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 beasts, whereon they may set Paul, and carry him safe to Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter after this manner: Claudius Lysias to the moss excellent governor Felix, greeting. This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them; but I came upon them with the soldiery, and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. And wishing to know the crime of which they accused him, I brought him down to their council; but I found him to be accused only on account of questions of their law, and to have nothing laid to his charge deserving death or bonds. And having been informed of a plot against the man, I sent him at once to thee, and directed his accusers also to bring their charges against him before thee. Then the soldiers, as was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the castle. And they, when they had come to Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him. And having read the letter, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, he said, I will hear thee fully, when thy accusers also have arrived. And he ordered him to be kept in Herods palace.