Acts 23:23-33

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 23:12-35

We have here the story of a plot against the life of Paul; how it was laid, how it was discovered, and how it was defeated. I. How this plot was laid. They found they could gain nothing by popular tumult, or legal process, and therefore have a recourse to the barbarous method of assassination; they will come upon him suddenly, and stab him, if they can but get him within their reach. So restless is their malice against this good man that, when one design fails, they will turn another stone.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 23:11-24

23:11-24 On the next night the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Courage! As you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness in Rome also." When it was day the Jews formed a plot and laid themselves selves under a vow neither to eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who formed this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have laid ourselves under a vow to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. Now, therefore, do you... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 23:25-35

23:25-35 The commander wrote a letter to the following effect, "Claudius Lysias to his excellency Felix, the governor--greetings! When this man was seized by the Jews and when he was going to be murdered by them, I stepped in with the guard and rescued him, for I learned that he was a Roman citizen. As I wished to discover the charges on which they accused him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin. I found that he was accused of some questions of their Law and was under no charge deserving... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:23

And he called to him two centurions ,.... Who had each of them an hundred soldiers under them: saying, make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea ; which was formerly called Strato's tower, a sea port town, where Felix the Roman governor now was; it was six hundred furlongs, or seventy five miles F6 Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 3. sect. 5. Egesip de Excid. urb. l. 1. c. 7. from Jerusalem: these two hundred soldiers were foot soldiers, as appears by their being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:24

And provide them beasts ,.... Horses or mules; the Syriac version reads in the singular number, "a beast": and one being sufficient for Paul, here may be a change of number; the Arabic and Ethiopic versions leave out these words, but the following clause makes them necessary: that they may set Paul on ; on the beast, or on one of the beasts provided; if more than one were provided, they might be for his companions, to go along with him: and bring him safe unto Felix the governor ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:25

And he wrote a letter after this manner. The chief captain wrote a letter to Felix the governor, the form and sum of which were as follow; this letter he sent by one of the centurions to him. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:26

Claudius Lysias, unto the most excellent Governor Felix ,.... This is the inscription of the letter, and by it we learn the name of the chief captain, so often spoken of in this and the two preceding chapters, which was Claudius Lysias; the first of these names is a Roman one, and which he might take from the Emperor Claudius, for he was not a Roman born; and the latter seems to be a Greek name, and was his proper name, and, he himself very likely was a Greek, since he purchased his freedom... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:27

This man was taken by the Jews ,.... Meaning Paul, who was presented by the centurions to the governor, and was in his presence when the letter was opened and read, and who was taken by the Jews in the temple, and from thence dragged out and beaten by them: and should have been killed of them ; and would have been killed, had it not been for the chief captain; he was very near being killed by them, he was nigh unto death: then came I with an army and rescued him ; he came with the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:28

And when I would have known the cause ,.... Or crime, he was guilty of: wherefore they accused him : which they charged him with, and for which they beat him almost to death: I brought him forth into their council ; their court of judicature, the great sanhedrim. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:29

Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law ,.... As about the resurrection of the dead, and a future state, which some in the council denied, and some asserted, which with this heathen man were idle and foolish questions; or about the defiling of the temple, and speaking contemptibly of the law of Moses, the people of the Jews, and the holy place, which was the cry of the populace against him, and were things the captain knew little of: but to have nothing laid to his charge... read more

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