Focused Passage

Acts 23:23-35

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

23Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.

24Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”

25And he wrote the following letter:

26Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.

27This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,

28and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

29I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.

30When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.

31So the soldiers followed their orders and brought Paul by night to Antipatris.

32The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.

33When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.

34The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,

35he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 23

Original words

ThenΚαὶG2532Conjunctionhe calledπροσκαλεσάμενόςG4341Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular-τιναςG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine PluraltwoδύοG1417Adjective - Accusative Masculine Pluralof [his]τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralcenturionsἑκατονταρχῶνG1543Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural[and] saidεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularPrepareἙτοιμάσατεG2090Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Pluraltwo hundredδιακοσίουςG1250Adjective - Accusative Masculine PluralsoldiersστρατιώταςG4757Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural-καὶG2532ConjunctionseventyἑβδομήκονταG1440Adjective - Accusative Masculine PluralhorsemenἱππεῖςG2460Noun - Accusative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunctiontwo hundredδιακοσίουςG1250Adjective - Accusative Masculine PluralspearmenδεξιολάβουςG1187Noun - Accusative Masculine PluraltoὅπωςG3704ConjunctiongoπορευθῶσινG4198Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person PluraltoἕωςG2193PrepositionCaesareaΚαισαρείαςG2542Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularinἀπὸG575Prepositionthe thirdτρίτηςG5154Adjective - Genitive Feminine SingularhourὥραςG5610Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularof theτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularnightνυκτόςG3571Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • That is, at nine tonight
Verse 24

Original words

-τεG5037ConjunctionProvideπαραστῆσαιG3936Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivemountsκτήνηG2934Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural-ἵναG2443Conjunction[for]ἐπιβιβάσαντεςG1913Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularPaulΠαῦλονG3972Noun - Accusative Masculine Singularto take [him] safelyδιασώσωσιG1295Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person PluraltoπρὸςG4314Preposition-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularGovernorἡγεμόναG2232Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularFelixΦήλικαG5344Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 25

Original words

[And] he wroteγράψαςG1125Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular-ἔχουσανG2192Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Feminine Singularthe followingτοῦτονG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Singular-τύπονG5179Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularletterἐπιστολὴνG1992Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 26

Original words

ClaudiusΚλαύδιοςG2804Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularLysiasΛυσίαςG3079Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularToΤῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularHis ExcellencyκρατίστῳG2903Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular - SuperlativeGovernorἡγεμόνιG2232Noun - Dative Masculine SingularFelixΦήλικιG5344Noun - Dative Masculine SingularGreetingsΧαίρεινG5463Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Verse 27

Original words

ThisτοῦτονG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular-ΤὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularmanἄνδραG435Noun - Accusative Masculine Singularwas seizedσυλλημφθένταG4815Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Accusative Masculine SingularbyὑπὸG5259PrepositiontheτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralJewsἸουδαίωνG2453Adjective - Genitive Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction-ὑπ’G5259PrepositiontheyαὐτῶνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Pluralwere aboutμέλλονταG3195Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singularto kill [him]ἀναιρεῖσθαιG337Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passivewhen I cameἐπιστὰςG2186Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularwithσὺνG4862Preposition[my]τῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter SingulartroopsστρατεύματιG4753Noun - Dative Neuter Singularto rescue [him]ἐξειλάμηνG1807Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 1st Person SingularFor I had learnedμαθὼνG3129Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularthatὅτιG3754Conjunctionhe isἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singulara Roman citizenῬωμαῖόςG4514Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 28

Original words

andτεG5037Conjunctionsince I wantedβουλόμενόςG1014Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singularto understandἐπιγνῶναιG1921Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active[their]τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularchargesαἰτίανG156Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular-δι’G1223Preposition-ἣνG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular[against]ἐνεκάλουνG1458Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralhimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularI brought [him] downκατήγαγονG2609Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person SingulartoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheirαὐτῶνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural-τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularSanhedrinσυνέδριονG4892Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 29

Original words

-ὃνG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine SingularI found thatεὗρονG2147Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singularthe accusationἐγκαλούμενονG1458Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine SingularinvolvedπερὶG4012PrepositionquestionsζητημάτωνG2213Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural[about]τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singulartheir [own]αὐτῶνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person PlurallawνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularbutδὲG1161Conjunctionthere wasἔχονταG2192Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine SingularnoμηδὲνG3367Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularchargeἔγκλημαG1462Noun - Accusative Neuter SingularworthyἄξιονG514Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singularof deathθανάτουG2288Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularorG2228ConjunctionimprisonmentδεσμῶνG1199Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 30

Original words

[When]δέG1161ConjunctionIμοιG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singularwas informed thatΜηνυθείσηςG3377Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Genitive Feminine Singularthere wasἔσεσθαιG1510Verb - Future Infinitive Middlea plotἐπιβουλῆςG1917Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularagainstεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularmanἄνδραG435Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularI sent [him]ἔπεμψαG3992Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person SingulartoπρὸςG4314PrepositionyouσέG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singularat onceἐξαυτῆςG1824AdverbvvvκαὶG2532ConjunctionI also instructedπαραγγείλαςG3853Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular[his]τοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine PluralaccusersκατηγόροιςG2725Noun - Dative Masculine Pluralto presentλέγεινG3004Verb - Present Infinitive Active[their case]τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralagainstπρὸςG4314PrepositionhimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularbeforeἐπὶG1909PrepositionyouσοῦG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Verse 31

Original words

SoοὖνG3767Conjunction-μὲνG3303ConjunctiontheΟἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralsoldiersστρατιῶταιG4757Noun - Nominative Masculine PluralvvvκατὰG2596PrepositionvvvτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Singularfollowed their ordersδιατεταγμένονG1299Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular. . .αὐτοῖςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural[and] broughtἀναλαβόντεςG353Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural. . .ἤγαγονG71Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularPaulΠαῦλονG3972Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularbyδιὰG1223PrepositionnightνυκτὸςG3571Noun - Genitive Feminine SingulartoεἰςG1519Preposition-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularAntipatrisἈντιπατρίδαG494Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 32

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionTheτῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine Singularnext dayἐπαύριονG1887Adverbthey returnedὑπέστρεψανG5290Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluraltoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularbarracksπαρεμβολήνG3925Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular[and] letἐάσαντεςG1439Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluraltheτοὺςG3588Article - Accusative Masculine PluralhorsemenἱππεῖςG2460Noun - Accusative Masculine Pluralgo onἀπέρχεσθαιG565Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or PassivewithσὺνG4862PrepositionhimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 33

Original words

[When the horsemen]οἵτινεςG3748Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine PluralarrivedεἰσελθόντεςG1525Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralinεἰςG1519Preposition-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularCaesareaΚαισάρειανG2542Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular-καὶG2532Conjunctionthey deliveredἀναδόντεςG325Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluraltheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularletterἐπιστολὴνG1992Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularto theτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingulargovernorἡγεμόνιG2232Noun - Dative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionpresentedπαρέστησανG3936Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularPaulΠαῦλονG3972Noun - Accusative Masculine Singularto himαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 34

Original words

-δὲG1161Conjunction[The governor] read [the letter]ἈναγνοὺςG314Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionaskedἐπερωτήσαςG1905Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularwhatποίαςG4169Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Feminine SingularprovinceἐπαρχείαςG1885Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular[Paul] wasἐστὶνG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularfromἐκG1537Preposition-καὶG2532ConjunctionLearningπυθόμενοςG4441Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine SingularthatὅτιG3754Conjunction[he was] fromἀπὸG575PrepositionCiliciaΚιλικίαςG2791Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 35

Original words

he saidἔφηG5346Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularI will hear your caseΔιακούσομαίG1251Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular. . .σουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularwhenὍτανG3752ConjunctionyourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-οἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralaccusersκατήγοροίG2725Noun - Nominative Masculine PluralarriveπαραγένωνταιG3854Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Plural-καὶG2532ConjunctionThen he ordered thatκελεύσαςG2753Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular[Paul]αὐτόνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singularbe kept under guardφυλάσσεσθαιG5442Verb - Present Infinitive PassiveinἐνG1722Preposition-τῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularHerod’sἩρῴδουG2264Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularPraetoriumπραιτωρίῳG4232Noun - Dative Neuter 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.