Focused Passage

Acts 23:11-22

The Lord Stands Near Paul and Preserves His Witness

Paul testifies before the Sanhedrin, exposes the resurrection issue, receives the Lord’s promise of witness in Rome, escapes a murder plot through providential disclosure, and is transferred under Roman protection to Caesarea.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”

12When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

13More than forty of them were involved in this plot.

14They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.

15Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”

16But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”

18So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”

19The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”

20He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him.

21Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”

22So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionTheΤῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingularfollowingἐπιούσῃG1966Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Feminine SingularnightνυκτὶG3571Noun - Dative Feminine SingulartheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularLordΚύριοςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularstood nearἐπιστὰςG2186Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular[Paul]αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular[and] saidεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularTake courageΘάρσειG2293Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular-γὰρG1063ConjunctionAsὡςG5613Adverbyou have testifiedδιεμαρτύρωG1263Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Singular-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralaboutπερὶG4012PrepositionMeἐμοῦG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person SingularinεἰςG1519PrepositionJerusalemἸερουσαλὴμG2419Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularsoοὕτωG3779AdverbalsoκαὶG2532ConjunctionyouσεG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person SingularmustδεῖG1163Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartestifyμαρτυρῆσαιG3140Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveinεἰςG1519PrepositionRomeῬώμηνG4516Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 12

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionWhen daylight cameΓενομένηςG1096Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Genitive Feminine Singular. . .ἡμέραςG2250Noun - Genitive Feminine SingulartheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralJewsἸουδαῖοιG2453Adjective - Nominative Masculine PluralformedποιήσαντεςG4160Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plurala conspiracyσυστροφὴνG4963Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularand bound themselves with an oathἀνεθεμάτισανG332Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. . .ἑαυτοὺςG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural. . .λέγοντεςG3004Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralnotμήτεG3383Conjunctionto eatφαγεῖνG5315Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active[or]μήτεG3383ConjunctiondrinkπιεῖνG4095Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveuntilἕωςG2193Preposition. . .οὗG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singularthey had killedἀποκτείνωσινG615Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularPaulΠαῦλονG3972Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 13

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionMore thanπλείουςG4119Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural - Comparativeforty [of them]τεσσεράκονταG5062Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural-οἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralwereἦσανG1510Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralinvolvedποιησάμενοιG4160Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Pluralin thisταύτηνG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularplotσυνωμοσίανG4945Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

TheyοἵτινεςG3748Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine PluralwentπροσελθόντεςG4334Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Pluralto theτοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine Pluralchief priestsἀρχιερεῦσινG749Noun - Dative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction-τοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine PluraleldersπρεσβυτέροιςG4245Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural[and] saidεἶπανG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralWe have boundἀνεθεματίσαμενG332Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralourselvesἑαυτοὺςG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Pluralwith a solemn oathἈναθέματιG331Noun - Dative Neuter Singular[not] to eatγεύσασθαιG1089Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle[anything]μηδενὸςG3367Adjective - Genitive Neuter SingularuntilἕωςG2193Preposition. . .οὗG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singularwe have killedἀποκτείνωμενG615Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularPaulΠαῦλονG3972Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 15

Original words

NowνῦνG3568AdverbthenοὖνG3767ConjunctionyouὑμεῖςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person PluralandσὺνG4862PrepositiontheτῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter SingularSanhedrinσυνεδρίῳG4892Noun - Dative Neuter SingularpetitionἐμφανίσατεG1718Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluraltheτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularcommanderχιλιάρχῳG5506Noun - Dative Masculine SingulartoὅπωςG3704Conjunctionbring him downκαταγάγῃG2609Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .αὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingulartoεἰςG1519PrepositionyouὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Pluralon the pretextὡςG5613Adverb. . .μέλλονταςG3195Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Pluralof examiningδιαγινώσκεινG1231Verb - Present Infinitive Activehis caseτὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Plural. . .περὶG4012Preposition. . .αὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singularmore carefullyἀκριβέστερονG199Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative-δὲG1161ConjunctionWeἡμεῖςG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person PluralareἐσμενG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralreadyἕτοιμοίG2092Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter Singularto killἀνελεῖνG337Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivehimαὐτόνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singularon the wayπρὸG4253Preposition. . .αὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. . .τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter Singular. . .ἐγγίσαιG1448Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Verse 16

Original words

But [when]δὲG1161ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularsonυἱὸςG5207Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularof Paul’sΠαύλουG3972Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularsisterἀδελφῆςG79Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularheard aboutἈκούσαςG191Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingulartheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularplotἐνέδρανG1747Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularhe wentπαραγενόμενοςG3854Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular. . .καὶG2532Conjunction. . .εἰσελθὼνG1525Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularintoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularbarracksπαρεμβολὴνG3925Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular[and] toldἀπήγγειλενG518Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularPaulΠαύλῳG3972Noun - Dative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or the ambush
Verse 17

Original words

ThenδὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularPaulΠαῦλοςG3972Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularcalledπροσκαλεσάμενοςG4341Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine SingularoneἕναG1520Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singularof theτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralcenturionsἑκατονταρχῶνG1543Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural[and] saidἔφηG5346Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularTakeἄπαγεG520Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularthisτοῦτονG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular-ΤὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Singularyoung manνεανίανG3494Noun - Accusative Masculine SingulartoπρὸςG4314PrepositiontheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularcommanderχιλίαρχονG5506Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular-γὰρG1063Conjunctionhe hasἔχειG2192Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularsomethingτιG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularto tellἀπαγγεῖλαίG518Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivehimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 18

Original words

SoοὖνG3767Conjunction-μὲνG3303Particle[the centurion]G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singulartook himπαραλαβὼνG3880Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. . .αὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. . .ἤγαγενG71Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartoπρὸςG4314PrepositiontheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularcommanderχιλίαρχονG5506Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionsaidφησίνG5346Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularPaulΠαῦλοςG3972Noun - Nominative Masculine SingulartheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularprisonerδέσμιοςG1198Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularsentπροσκαλεσάμενόςG4341Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular[and] askedἠρώτησενG2065Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularmeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singularto bringἀγαγεῖνG71Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivethisτοῦτονG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Singularyoung manνεανίσκονG3495Noun - Accusative Masculine SingulartoπρὸςG4314PrepositionyouσέG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person SingularHe hasἔχοντάG2192Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine SingularsomethingτιG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularto tellλαλῆσαίG2980Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveyouσοιG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Verse 19

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionTheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularcommanderχιλίαρχοςG5506Noun - Nominative Masculine SingulartookἘπιλαβόμενοςG1949Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular[the young man]αὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singularby theτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularhandχειρὸςG5495Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular-καὶG2532Conjunctiondrew [him]ἀναχωρήσαςG402Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularvvvκατ’G2596PrepositionasideἰδίανG2398Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singularand askedἐπυνθάνετοG4441Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularWhatΤίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter SingularvvvἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularvvvG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singulardo you needἔχειςG2192Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singularto tellἀπαγγεῖλαίG518Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivemeμοιG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Verse 20

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionHe answeredΕἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-ὅτιG3754ConjunctionTheΟἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralJewsἸουδαῖοιG2453Adjective - Nominative Masculine Pluralhave agreedσυνέθεντοG4934Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter Singularto askἐρωτῆσαίG2065Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveyouσεG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person SingulartoὅπωςG3704ConjunctionbringκαταγάγῃςG2609Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularPaulΠαῦλονG3972Noun - Accusative Masculine SingulartoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularSanhedrinσυνέδριονG4892Noun - Accusative Neuter SingulartomorrowαὔριονG839Adverbon the pretextὡςG5613Adverb. . .μέλλον*G3195Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singularof acquiringπυνθάνεσθαιG4441Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passivemore informationἀκριβέστερονG199Adverb. . .τιG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularaboutπερὶG4012PrepositionhimαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 21

Original words

-οὖνG3767Conjunction{Do} not {let}μὴG3361AdverbthemαὐτοῖςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person PluralpersuadeπεισθῇςG3982Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person SingularyouσὺG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person SingularbecauseγὰρG1063Conjunctionmore thanπλείουςG4119Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural - ComparativefortyτεσσεράκονταG5062Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural-ἐξG1537Preposition-αὐτῶνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person PluralmenἄνδρεςG435Noun - Nominative Masculine Pluralare waiting to ambushἐνεδρεύουσινG1748Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralhimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular[They]οἵτινεςG3748Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Pluralhave bound themselves with an oathἀνεθεμάτισανG332Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. . .ἑαυτοὺςG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person PluralnotμήτεG3383Conjunctionto eatφαγεῖνG5315Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active[or]μήτεG3383ConjunctiondrinkπιεῖνG4095Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveuntilἕωςG2193Preposition. . .οὗG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singularthey have killedἀνέλωσινG337Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person PluralhimαὐτόνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-καὶG2532Conjunctionthey areεἰσινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralreadyἕτοιμοιG2092Adjective - Nominative Masculine PluralnowνῦνG3568AdverbawaitingπροσδεχόμενοιG4327Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularvvvἀπὸG575PrepositionyourσοῦG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularconsentἐπαγγελίανG1860Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 22

Original words

SoοὖνG3767Conjunction-μὲνG3303ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularcommanderχιλίαρχοςG5506Noun - Nominative Masculine SingulardismissedἀπέλυσεG630Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Singularyoung manνεανίσκονG3495Noun - Accusative Masculine Singularand instructed [him]παραγγείλαςG3853Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularDo not tellἐκλαλῆσαιG1583Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active[anyone]ΜηδενὶG3367Adjective - Dative Masculine SingularthatὅτιG3754Conjunctionyou have reportedἐνεφάνισαςG1718Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularthisταῦταG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter PluraltoπρὸςG4314PrepositionmeἐμέG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.