Acts 23:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia,

NIV: The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,

NASB: Now when he had read it, he also asked from what province Paul was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia,

CSB: After he read it, he asked what province he was from. When he learned he was from Cilicia,

NLT: He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. 'Cilicia,' Paul answered.

KJV: And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;

NKJV: And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia,

Jerusalem's tribune, Lysias, sent Paul to the governor in Caesarea Maritima. Lysias was unable to figure out what crime Paul committed that would justify a mob beating and an assassination attempt (Acts 21:27–31; 23:12–15). The governor's first order of business is to determine if he has the authority to hold Paul's trial.

An accused Roman citizen could be tried in the province of his crime or his home province. If Paul comes from a client kingdom, he can demand the trial be held in his home. Felix is governor over Jerusalem—where the "crime" happened—and Caesarea, where they are now, and Felix's boss is governor over Syria, of which Cilicia is part. So, Felix feels confident to hold the trial in Caesarea. Felix feels so confident, in fact, that when the trial brings no evidence that Paul has committed a crime, Felix decides to hold him under house arrest as a favor to the Jewish leaders. Paul stays in Caesarea for two years until Felix is replaced by Festus and, in his frustration, Paul demands a trial before Caesar (Acts 24:27; 25:11).

Caesarea Maritima is a port on the coast of Samaria, northwest of Jerusalem. Cilicia is a long, thin province along the southeast coast of modern-day Turkey. Felix is known for being cruel—and part of the reason he holds Paul is to elicit a bribe—but while he holds Paul with no charges, he does allow him the freedom to see his friends (Acts 24:23, 26).

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.