Acts 23

King James Version

Full text for Acts Chapter 23

1¶ And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men [and] brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

2And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

3Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, [thou] whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

4And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?

5Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

6¶ But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men [and] brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

7And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.

8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

9And there arose a great cry: and the scribes [that were] of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

10And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring [him] into the castle.

11And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, ‹Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.›

12¶ And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

13And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

14And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

15Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

16And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

17Then Paul called one of the centurions unto [him], and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

18So he took him, and brought [him] to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto [him], and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.

19Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went [with him] aside privately, and asked [him], What is that thou hast to tell me?

20And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

21But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

22So the chief captain [then] let the young man depart, and charged [him, See thou] tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.

23And he called unto [him] two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;

24And provide [them] beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring [him] safe unto Felix the governor.

25And he wrote a letter after this manner:

26Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix [sendeth] greeting.

27This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

28And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

29Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

30And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what [they had] against him. Farewell.

31Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought [him] by night to Antipatris.

32On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

33Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

34And when the governor had read [the letter], he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that [he was] of Cilicia;

35I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Paul appeared before the Sanhedrin, where he was struck and then strategically divided the council by declaring himself a Pharisee, leading to a fierce dispute between the Sadducees and Pharisees. The chief captain rescued him from the ensuing chaos, and that night, the Lord assured Paul he would bear witness in Rome. Subsequently, a plot by over forty Jews to assassinate Paul was uncovered, prompting the chief captain to send him under heavy guard to Felix the governor in Caesarea for his safety and further judgment.

Medium Summary

Paul began his defense before the Sanhedrin by asserting his good conscience, but was immediately struck on the mouth by order of the high priest Ananias, whom Paul rebuked as a "whited wall." Upon realizing Ananias was the high priest, Paul apologized, citing scripture. Perceiving the council's division, Paul declared himself a Pharisee, emphasizing his belief in the resurrection, which ignited a fierce debate between the Sadducees, who denied resurrection, and the Pharisees, who affirmed it. The chief captain, fearing Paul would be torn apart, removed him to the castle. That night, the Lord appeared to Paul, encouraging him and confirming his future testimony in Rome. A conspiracy by over forty Jews to ambush and kill Paul was then revealed by his nephew. Alerted to the plot, the chief captain dispatched a large military escort to transport Paul safely to Governor Felix in Caesarea, along with a letter explaining the situation.

Long Summary

Paul, standing before the Jewish council, declared his life had been lived in all good conscience before God until that day. The high priest Ananias, without due process, commanded Paul to be struck on the mouth, to which Paul retorted, calling Ananias a "whited wall" for judging him contrary to the law. When admonished for reviling God's high priest, Paul apologized, stating he was unaware of Ananias's office and quoting the scripture against speaking evil of a ruler. Observing the council was comprised of both Sadducees and Pharisees, Paul strategically proclaimed himself a Pharisee, specifically highlighting his trial concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead. This declaration immediately created a profound dissension, as Sadducees denied the resurrection, angels, and spirits, while Pharisees confessed them all. The ensuing clamor grew so intense that the chief captain, fearing Paul would be dismembered, ordered soldiers to forcibly remove him and bring him back to the castle. The following night, the Lord appeared to Paul, providing comfort and a divine promise that just as he had testified in Jerusalem, so must he also bear witness in Rome. The next day, more than forty Jews conspired, binding themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul, and sought the chief priests' and elders' cooperation to lure Paul out. Paul's nephew, overhearing the plot, informed Paul, who then had the young man brought to the chief captain. The chief captain, taking the nephew aside, learned of the ambush plan. To thwart the conspiracy and ensure Paul's safety, the chief captain immediately arranged a substantial military escort of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to transport Paul by night to Governor Felix in Caesarea. He also penned a letter to Felix, explaining that Paul, a Roman citizen, was accused of matters concerning Jewish law, but found innocent of any capital crime, and was being sent to Felix due to the Jewish plot against him. Paul was then taken to Antipatris by night, and the horsemen continued with him to Caesarea, where he was presented to Governor Felix and held in Herod's judgment hall awaiting his accusers.

Core Concepts

  • Paul's Conscience and IntegrityPaul begins his defense before the Sanhedrin by asserting that he has lived in all good conscience before God, highlighting his conviction of blamelessness in his faith and conduct.
  • Conflict with the High PriestPaul is unjustly commanded to be struck by High Priest Ananias, leading Paul to rebuke him as a "whited wall" for violating the law, though he later apologizes upon learning Ananias's office.
  • Theological Division in the SanhedrinPaul strategically exploits the deep doctrinal rift between the Sadducees (who deny resurrection, angels, and spirits) and the Pharisees (who affirm them) by declaring himself a Pharisee, causing a major schism in the council.
  • Divine Assurance and Future WitnessThe Lord appears to Paul in the night, comforting him and confirming that he must bear witness in Rome, providing divine validation and direction amidst his trials.
  • Jewish Conspiracy and Assassination PlotA group of more than forty Jews binds themselves under a solemn curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed Paul, devising a plan to ambush him during a false summons to the council.
  • Roman Protection and Due ProcessChief Captain Claudius Lysias, upon learning of the assassination plot and Paul's Roman citizenship, orchestrates a large military escort to ensure Paul's safe transfer to Governor Felix in Caesarea, upholding Roman law and order.
  • Paul's Journey to CaesareaPaul is secretly transported by a significant Roman military force from Jerusalem to Caesarea, where he is presented to Governor Felix and held in custody, awaiting further legal proceedings.