Acts 23:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor."

NIV: Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix."

NASB: They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

CSB: Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor."

NLT: Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.'

KJV: And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

NKJV: and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

Despite his three-day investigation, the Roman tribune in Jerusalem cannot discover why a group of men attacked a man named Paul in the temple, dragged him out into the courtyard, and started beating him (Acts 21:27–32). Now, he's learned the religious leaders of the Jews have conspired with forty others to assassinate this man (Acts 23:16–22). The tribune—Lysias—is charged with keeping the peace in Jerusalem. If his soldiers resort to violence to keep one man—a Roman citizen—safe from the national leaders, he will have failed. He resolves to send Paul to Governor Felix in Caesarea Maritima on the Samarian coast. To make sure he gets there, Lysias sends an escort of two hundred soldiers and two hundred spearmen to ride the first forty-two–mile leg to Antipatris and seventy horsemen who will take Paul all the way to Caesarea. Further, they will leave at nine that night (Acts 23:23).

Marcus Antonius Felix, the governor, is an interesting individual. He had been a slave and some say this led to his cruel and licentious behavior as a government official. He is unfair to Paul; despite the fact Paul's accusers offer no legitimate charge against him (Acts 24:1–9), Felix keeps Paul under house arrest until he is replaced by Festus. He does this in part as a favor to the Jews and in part in hopes that Paul will offer him a bribe. He does give Paul some liberty and allows his friends to care for him (Acts 24:23, 26–27).

Acts 23:23–35 records Paul escaping a death plot in Jerusalem. He then travels to the governor in Caesarea Maritima. Jews and their leaders attacked Paul and conspired for his death, and the Roman tribune can't determine why (Acts 21:27–34). The governor agrees to hold a trial not yet knowing Paul's accusers don't have a case and the tribune will never arrive to give his side of the story. He holds Paul without charges for two years until the new governor sends Paul to Caesar in Rome.

Acts 23 continues the tribune's attempt to discover why a mob of Jews suddenly turned violent and attacked Paul (Acts 21:27–33). He takes Paul to the Sanhedrin to see if they understand what his crime is. Paul barely begins his story when he is slapped for impudence. He disrespects the high priest and starts a fight between the Pharisees and Sadducees. The next day, a group of forty Jews invite the Sanhedrin to help them murder Paul. Paul's nephew reports the plot to the tribune who gives up and sends Paul to the governor. The governor awaits Paul's accusers for trial.

Jews from near Ephesus accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the temple and incited a crowd to attack him. The tribune saved Paul but couldn't uncover the reason for the violence; most of the mob didn't know, and Paul was a Roman citizen, so the tribune couldn't beat the truth out of him (Acts 21—22). When the Sanhedrin would rather murder Paul than talk to him, the tribune sends Paul to the governor. The governor holds Paul without charges for so long he invokes his right to a trial before Caesar. The governor agrees, and Paul finally gets to Rome (Acts 24—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.