Acts 23:17-35 ▼

17 and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, “Lead this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell him.”

18 He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him to the chief captain and says, “The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked [me] to bring to you this young man, having something to say to you.”

19 And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, “What is that which you have to tell me?”

20 And he said, “The Jews agreed to request you, that tomorrow you may bring down Paul to the Sanhedrin, as being about to inquire something more exactly concerning him;

21 you, therefore, may you not yield to them, for there more than forty men of them lie in wait for him, who cursed themselves—not to eat nor to drink until they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”

22 The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged [him], “Tell no one that you have shown these things to me”;

23 and having called a certain two of the centurions near, he said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers, that they may go on to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, from the third hour of the night;

24 also provide beasts, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe to Felix the governor”;

25 he having written a letter after this description:

26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, greetings:

27 This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them—having come with the army, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman;

28 and intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin,

29 whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;

30 and a plot having been intimated to me against this man—about to be of the Jews—I sent to you at once, having also given command to the accusers to say the things against him before you; be strong.”

31 Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris,

32 and on the next day, having permitted the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the stronghold;

33 those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him.

34 And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;

35 “I will hear you,” he said, “when your accusers may also have come”; he also commanded him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.