The Book of Acts Chapter 23

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The Book of Acts Chapter 23

Text from https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.23.NIV

Paul Avoided the Sanhedrin Trial

Paul Before the Sanhedrin (Continues)

1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” (Paul began his defence saying that he had done everything to fulfill his duty to God who is the everything of Jews.)

2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. (The high pries Ananias tried to prevent Paul's further defence from the start.)

3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” (Paul hit back Ananias for his self conflicting behavior.)

4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!” (The accusers tried to subdue Paul with the social status of Ananias, but not by justice of right and wrong.)

5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’” (Paul partially admitted Ananias' position for smooth defence.)

6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, (The Sanhedrin was composed of Sadducees and Pharisees.) “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” (Paul tried to raise conflict between the two groups with the issue of the resurrection which also is the major part of the Gospel.)

7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) (Paul succeeded because of the different thoughts of the two groups concerning the resurrection.)

9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” (Paul caused Pharisees' favorable response.)

10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. (The trial was failed with Paul's clever strategy. He was wise like a serpent. Mt. 10:16-20)

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” (The Lord personally confirmed Paul's fighting and gave vision of the ministry in Rome. The Lord was with Paul all the time. Mt. 28:20)

The Plot to Kill Paul

12 The next morning some Jews (maybe Zealots(1)) formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

13 More than forty men were involved in this plot.

14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. (Due to the failure of the Sanhedrin trial, some extremists plotted assassination of Paul and vowed not to eat anything until they had accomplished the plot.)

15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.” (They will kill Paul when he was exposed.)

16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. (But the plot leaked to whom distantly related to Paul and delivered to Paul.)

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”

18 So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” (The informer was led to the commander.)

19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.

21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.” (The plot was delivered to the commander.)

22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.” (They tried to expose Paul to their presence for the assassination but failed due to the leak of the plot.)

Paul Transferred to Caesarea

23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight.

24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.” (Due to the plot of assassination, the commander planed to relocate Paul to a safer place, and mobilized sizable convoy, total 470 of them. It was Paul's privilege as a Roman citizen to be protected from the assassination.)

25 He wrote a letter as follows:

Bill of Indictment

26 Claudius Lysias, (Name of the commander)

To His Excellency, Governor Felix(2):

Greetings.

27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. (Paul had the legal right to have official trial as a Roman citizen.)

28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin.

29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. (Paul was innocent since the accusation was not of a crime but religious matter.)

30 When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him. (Paul was sent for his safety from the plot and a fare trial. And the accusers will be there too.)

31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris (mid-point between Jerusalem and Caesarea).

32 The next day they let the cavalry (70 of them) go on with him, while they (400 of them) returned to the barracks.

33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. (Paul was saved from the assassination by the Roman military force.)

34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. (Just as Noah survived by being confined to the ark, Paul secured his safety as a confined defendant.)

(1)Zealots (Google AI)

Zealots were a fervent Jewish political movement in 1st-century Judea, fiercely opposing Roman rule through armed rebellion, believing God was Israel's only true king, as seen in the First Jewish-Roman War (66-70 AD) and the siege of Masada. Originating with Judas of Galilee, they sought to expel Romans by force, even assassinating Jewish collaborators with hidden daggers (Sicarii), and represent the passionate, often radical, pursuit of a cause, leading to both historical significance and destructive outcomes.

(2)Governor Felix (Google AI)

Governor Felix (Antonius Felix) was the corrupt Roman procurator of Judea (c. 52-60 AD) known from the Book of Acts for imprisoning the Apostle Paul while hoping for a bribe, and for his harsh rule, but he was recalled by Nero due to Jewish complaints, leaving Paul imprisoned. He was a freedman of Emperor Claudius, married to Drusilla, and his administration was marked by violence, bribery, and political unrest, noted by both the Bible and Roman historians.