Acts 23:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

NIV: But when the son of Paul's sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

NASB: But the son of Paul’s sister heard about their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.

CSB: But the son of Paul's sister, hearing about their ambush, came and entered the barracks and reported it to Paul.

NLT: But Paul’s nephew — his sister’s son — heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul.

KJV: And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

NKJV: So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

Paul is incarcerated in the Antonia Fortress next to the temple mount. He's being held because a mob dragged him out of the temple and tried to kill him, and the tribune wants to know why (Acts 21:27–32). So far, the tribune has asked the mob (Acts 21:33–34), let Paul speak to the mob (Acts 22:1–21), almost scourged Paul (Acts 22:23–29), and asked the Sanhedrin (Acts 22:30). Very soon, representatives of the Sanhedrin will approach the tribune and ask him to bring Paul again. The first time, Paul's presence resulted in a melee between the Sadducees and the Pharisees (Acts 23:6–10), but the tribune is getting desperate; he'd probably take the opportunity.

He won't know that the request is a ruse to get Paul out of the barracks and into the open so a group of forty men can assassinate him (Acts 23:12–15). Fortunately, Paul's nephew does know and tells Paul. Paul sends him to the tribune who promptly and wisely sends Paul out of Jerusalem. The tribune is supposed to keep the peace in Jerusalem, making sure the aristocracy doesn't take advantage of the poor. This dispute is getting beyond his authority to control. So, he sends Paul with a military escort to the governor (Acts 23:17–24).

The ease with which Paul's nephew finds him suggests Paul isn't strictly under arrest but is being held for his own safety until the tribune can figure out what's going on. Strangely, this is the only mention of Paul's family other than that his male relations are Pharisees (Acts 23:6).

Acts 23:12–22 shows Paul just how unwelcoming Jerusalem can be. False accusations and old religious-political differences have conspired to keep him incarcerated in the Roman barracks. Forty men gain the approval of the Sanhedrin to murder Paul. But Paul's nephew hears of their plan and tells the Roman tribune. The tribune swears him to secrecy as he makes plans for Paul to go to the governor: a man with higher legal authority and a larger army.

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.