WeekLy BooK oF Acts 23 16-35

  a paraphrased study

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16 - Now the son of Paul's sister heard of the planned ambush (against Paul to kill him on the road). So he went to the barracks (jail) and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something he needs to tell him.” 18 So the centurion took him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to report to you.” 19 The tribune took him aside and asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20 And the boy said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they want to question him further. 21 But more than forty men are lying in ambush and have bound themselves by an oath to not eat or drink until they have killed him!” 22 The tribune dismissed the young man, and said, “Tell no one you have told me these things.” 23 Then he called two centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third watch of the night. 24 Bring mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 And he wrote a letter saying, 26 “From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him when I and the soldiers came upon them and rescued him. Then having learned he is a Roman citizen, 28 and desiring to know the charge for which they are accusing him, I brought him down to their council. 29 I found he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I at once sent him to you, ordering his accusers to state before you, what it is they have against him.”

     31 So the soldiers took Paul and the letter by night to Antipatris. 32 They returned home the next day, and the horsemen went on to Caesarea. 33 When they got there, they delivered the letter to the governor, and presented Paul before him. 34 On reading the letter, Felix asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I’ll give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he instructed him to be guarded in Herod's praetorium.