Acts 23:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.

NIV: When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.

NASB: When these horsemen had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

CSB: When these men entered Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

NLT: When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix.

KJV: Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

NKJV: When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

Paul is back in Caesarea Maritima. He had arrived there after his third missionary journey and continued to Jerusalem where he knew he would be arrested (Acts 21:8–15). While in Jerusalem, he learned someone had been spreading the rumor that he taught Jews they didn't have to circumcise their sons. The leaders of the church in Jerusalem asked him to fulfill a Jewish ceremony to show his fealty. While doing so, Jews from modern-day Turkey accused him of bringing a Gentile into the temple. They incited the crowd to beat him until the Roman tribune rescued him by arresting him (Acts 21:17–35). The tribune Lysias tried to find out what Paul had done by allowing the Sanhedrin to question him, but Paul managed to start a fight between the Pharisees and Sadducees, instead (Acts 23:1–10). The next day, Paul's nephew overheard forty Jews conspiring with the Sanhedrin to assassinate Paul. The tribune gave up and sent Paul to the governor in Caesarea (Acts 23:16–24).

The tribune knows Paul is a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27) so he does what he can to keep Paul safe. He sends two centurions, two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to escort Paul (Acts 23:23). When they reach Antipatris, roughly halfway, the infantry and spearmen return to Jerusalem and the horsemen continue (Acts 23:31–32).

The letter is Lysias' explanation to the governor Felix. In it, he gives a summary of the previous few days—conveniently leaving out the part where he didn't find out Paul was a Roman citizen until he had bound him and nearly flogged him, both of which were illegal to do without a trial and conviction (Acts 22:24–29). Lysias also warns Felix that Paul's accusers are on their way for the trial (Acts 23:26–30).

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.