Acts 23:16-35

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 23:16

And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait ,.... Paul might have a sister living in Jerusalem; or this her son might be there on account of his studies; he might be a pupil to one of the doctors, by which means he might come at this secret, that such a number of men were in ambush, in order to take away his uncle's life: wherefore having got intelligence of it, he went and entered into the castle ; the Alexandrian copy reads, "the synagogue"; but Paul was not there, but in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:17

Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him ,.... For under this chief captain there must have been ten of them, if the company of which he was captain consisted of a thousand men, as his title chief captain or chiliarch imports; for a centurion was over an hundred men, as his title signifies; perhaps this might be the same, as in Acts 22:25 and said, bring this young man to the chief captain : which was a very prudential step, not to let the centurion into the secret, but to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:18

So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain ,.... Immediately, without any more to do, without curiously inquiring into the thing, or examining the young man about it; which showed him to be a man of a good disposition, and ready to do a kind office, even to a prisoner: and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him ; either vocally or by some gesture, beckoned him to him: and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee ; in which may be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:19

Then the chief captain took him by the hand ,.... Some have thought that the reason of this was, that he expected that the young man had brought him a present in his hand, from Paul; but this is to represent him as a sordid mercenary man, which ought not to be said, without sufficient proof; rather this should be considered as an instance of civility and humanity, and what showed him to be a man of breeding and good manners; and might be done partly out of respect to Paul, and partly to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:20

And he said, the Jews have agreed to desire thee ,.... By the Jews are meant, the Jewish sanhedrim, for the young man had not only intelligence of the conspiracy, and lying in wait of the forty men or more; but also of the agreement which the sanhedrim at the motion of these men were come into, to make the following request to the chief captain; which seems to confirm the above conjecture, that this young man might be a student under the president of the council, or one of the doctors,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:21

But do not thou yield unto them ,.... Or be persuaded by them, to bring Paul down from the castle to the sanhedrim; this must not be imputed to the young man's pride and vanity, in taking upon him to give advice to the chief captain; but to his great affection for his uncle, which moved him to entreat, rather than to direct him, for which he gives a good reason: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 23:22

So the chief captain then let the young man depart ,.... After he had had the account from him, and was master of the whole affair: and charged him, see thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me ; which was prudently said; it was a right and wise thing to conceal this matter, that the men might go on with their designs, and an opportunity be taken to convey Paul away, before the time came fixed by them to execute them; for otherwise, should it have been known that their... read more

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