Acts 23
- Who wrote it
- Traditionally Luke, a doctor and companion of Paul
- Who it was for
- Theophilus and other followers of Jesus
- What was happening
- Before the council, a plot to kill him, and a night escort to Caesarea
What’s happening
Paul, looking intently at the council, says, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day." The high priest Ananias commands those standing by to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul says, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?" Those who stand by say, "Do you malign God's high priest?" Paul says, "I didn't know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'" Perceiving that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul cries out in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!" When he says this, an argument breaks out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly is divided, for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, no angel, and no spirit, but the Pharisees confess all of them. There is a great outcry, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' part rise up and argue: "We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let's not fight against God." When a great argument arises, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul will be torn in pieces by them, commands the soldiers to take him by force from among them and bring him into the barracks. The following night the Lord stands by him and says, "Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome." When it is day, some of the Jews form a conspiracy and bind themselves under a curse, saying they will neither eat nor drink until they have killed Paul; there are more than forty who have made this conspiracy. They go to the chief priests and elders and ask them to request that the commanding officer bring Paul down, as though they would judge his case more exactly, while they themselves will be ready to kill him before he comes near. But Paul's sister's son hears of their ambush, comes into the barracks, and tells Paul, who calls one of the centurions and says, "Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him." The commanding officer takes him by the hand, goes aside, and asks privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?" He says, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the council, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. Therefore don't yield to them, for more than forty men of them lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him." The commanding officer lets the young man go, charging him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me." He calls two of the centurions and says, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night. Provide animals, that they may set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor." He writes a letter: "Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council. I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment. When I was told that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you." The soldiers, as they were commanded, take Paul and bring him by night to Antipatris. On the next day they let the horsemen go with him, and return to the barracks. When they come to Caesarea and deliver the letter to the governor, they also present Paul to him. When the governor reads it, he asks what province he is from, and when he learns that he is from Cilicia, he says, "I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." He commands that he be kept in Herod's palace.
Why the setting matters
The high priest Ananias (son of Nedebaeus) held the office from about AD 47 to 59, and was known for his greed and violence; he was killed by Jewish rebels in AD 66. Paul's retort, "whitewashed wall," echoes Ezekiel 13:10-15 and Jesus' "whitewashed tombs" (Matthew 23:27); his explanation that he did not know the speaker was high priest is odd, and the reasons (poor eyesight, the high priest not wearing robes, irony) are debated. Paul quotes Exodus 22:28 to show respect for the office. The council was split between the Sadducees, who denied resurrection and angels and spirits, and the Pharisees, who affirmed all three, and Paul uses the split. Luke's remark that Paul called himself a Pharisee makes the point that for Paul the resurrection was at the heart of Jewish hope. The vision of the Lord assures Paul that he will reach Rome. The forty conspirators bound themselves by a vow, with the high priests' help, which shows how far the plot went; the intervention of Paul's nephew, otherwise unknown, is a rare mention of his family. Claudius Lysias' letter slightly polishes his own role by saying he rescued Paul because he was a Roman, whereas 21:33-22:29 suggests he learned this later. The escort of 470 soldiers is large, and Antipatris was a Roman stage on the road to Caesarea, about 35 miles from Jerusalem. Felix (governor from about AD 52 to 59) hears the case in Herod's palace.
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Before the council, then rescued and sent to Caesarea.
Ananias the high priest
Orders Paul to be struck on the mouth.
The Sadducees
Deny resurrection, angels, and spirit.
The Pharisees
Some defend Paul.
The forty conspirators
Swear not to eat or drink until Paul is dead.
Paul's nephew
Hears of the ambush and warns Paul.
Claudius Lysias
The tribune who sends Paul to Felix.
Antonius Felix
The governor in Caesarea.
Talk it through
- Paul uses the Pharisee-Sadducee split. Is that clever, honest, or both?
- The Lord says, "You must testify also at Rome." What does that promise mean for what follows?
- Paul's nephew speaks up and the tribune listens. What does this tell you about how God works through ordinary people?
- Claudius Lysias' letter is a little self-serving. What does that say about how Luke tells the story?
Read Acts 23
World English Bible
1Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”
2The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
4Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”
5Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ” 6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
7When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided. 8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these. 9A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”
10When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
11The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”
12When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy. 14They 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. 15Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
16But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul. 17Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”
18So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, “Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
19The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. 21Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”
22So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” 23He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.” 24He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 25He wrote a letter like this:
26“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
27“This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council. 29I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment. 30When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”
31So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks. 33When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, 35“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources