Acts 23:30

And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(30) Farewell.—The closing formula, like the opening one, agrees with that used in the letter of the Council of Jerusalem. The “commandment” given to the accusers to go down to Cæsarea was probably given in answer to the high priest’s application for another inquiry before the Sanhedrin. We are not told what became of the vow of the forty conspirators. They doubtless considered themselves absolved from it as soon as they heard of the prisoner’s removal, and their fast probably did not last longer than eighteen or twenty hours.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:25-35 God has instruments for every work. The natural abilities and moral virtues of the heathens often have been employed to protect his persecuted servants. Even the men of the world can discern between the conscientious conduct of upright believers, and the zeal of false professors, though they disregard or understand not their doctrinal principles. All hearts are in God's hand, and those are blessed who put their trust in him, and commit their ways unto him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Questions of their law - So he understood the whole controversy to be.

Worthy of death - By the Roman law. He had been guilty of no crime against the Roman people.

Or of bonds - Of chains, or of confinement.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

30. gave commandment to his accusers … to say before thee—This was not done when he wrote, but would be before the letter reached its destination.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The Jews laid wait for the man; this reflects upon the Jews, as being seditious, and ready to attempt against the government; as also gives the governor an account why he troubled him with this prisoner, and why he sent so great a guard with him.

Farewell; the usual prayer wherewith they ended their letters, as in Acts 15:29.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when it was told me,.... As it was by Paul's sister's son,

how that the Jews laid wait for the man; had formed a conspiracy to take away his life, and laid a scheme in order to it, and at least intended, if they were not actually in ambush, to seize him as he should be brought from the castle to the sanhedrim:

I sent straightway to thee; the prisoner Paul, under a guard of soldiers; this he did directly, as soon as ever he heard of the design of the Jews; and he sent him to Felix, as being governor, to whom the judgment of this affair properly belonged, and who was best qualified for it, at least in the chief captain's account; and who doubtless consulted his own honour and safety, lest he should incur blame and disgrace, should a Roman have been slain through any neglect or want of care in him:

and gave commandment to his accusers also, to say before thee what they had against him; it is reasonable to conclude, that he said nothing of this to them, though he might have determined he would, till after Paul was sent away; otherwise the affair would have been discovered, which he desired might be concealed:

farewell; which is the conclusion of the epistle, and is a wish of health and happiness.

Geneva Study Bible

And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 23:30. A mingling of two constructions, Blass, Gram., p. 247, Winer-Moulton, lxiii., 1, 1. ἔσεσθαι: on the future infinitive denoting time relatively to the time of the principal verb see Burton, pp. 48, 52.—ἔπεμψα: epistolary aorist, cf. 1 Corinthians 5:11, Php 2:28, Ephesians 6:22, Colossians 4:8, Philemon 1:11; Burton, p. 21. ἐξαυτῆς, see critical note.—λέγειν τὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν, cf. Acts 19:38, omitting τὰ, see critical note.—ἐπὶ σοῦ: coram, cf. Acts 24:20-21, Acts 25:9; Acts 25:26, Acts 26:2, 1 Corinthians 6:1 (1 Timothy 6:13), Winer-Moulton, xlvii.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

30. And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man] In the oldest MSS. there is no mention made of “the Jews.” The Rev. Ver. therefore renders “and when it was shewn to me that there would be a plot against the man.”

I sent straightway to thee] i.e. I sent him. The pronoun is supplied in the Rev. Ver. as needful to the sense. Of course Lysias implies by his language that he felt that Felix was a more fit person than himself to deal with such a case.

and gave commandment, &c.] By reason of the text in the oldest MSS. the Rev. Ver. has, in the latter part of this clause, “to speak against him before thee.” The word “Farewell” is also unsupported by the earliest authorities.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 23:30. Μηνυθείσης) Upon this, as being a verb of declaring, the infinitive μέλλειν depends.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 30. - Shown to for told, A.V.; that there would be a plot against for how that the Jews laid wait for. A.V. and T.R.; I sent him to thee forthwith for I sent straight- way to thee, A.V.; charging for and gave commandment to, A.V.; to speak against him before thee for to say before thee what they had against him, A.V.; the R.T. omits fare- well, in the A.V. That there would be a plot, etc. Two constructions are mixed up either by the writer of the letter, or by the transcriber. One would be Μηνυθείσης δέ μοι ἐπιβουλῆς τῆς μελλούσης ἔσεσθαι, "When I was informed of the plot which was about to be laid against him;" the other, Μηνυθέντος μοι ἐπιβουλὴν μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι, "When I was informed that a plot was going to be laid," etc. Against the man; πρὸς αὐτόν, as Acts 6:1; 1 Corinthians 6:1. But λέγειν πρός (instead of κατά), "to speak against" any one, is an unusual phrase. The T.R., which is retained by Mill, Alford, Wordsworth, Meyer, etc., is far more probable. Other readings are Acts 23:30

Vincent's Word Studies

When it was told (μηνυθείσης)

Lit., pointed out, or shown, as Rev. See on Luke 20:37.

Farewell

The best texts omit. See on Acts 15:29.