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

23 Then 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.

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

25 And he wrote the following letter:

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

27 This 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,

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

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

30 When 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.

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

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

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

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

35 he 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

Then Καὶ G2532 Conjunction he called προσκαλεσάμενός G4341 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular - τινας G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural two δύο G1417 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural of [his] τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural centurions ἑκατονταρχῶν G1543 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural [and] said εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Prepare Ἑτοιμάσατε G2090 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural two hundred διακοσίους G1250 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural soldiers στρατιώτας G4757 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction seventy ἑβδομήκοντα G1440 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural horsemen ἱππεῖς G2460 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction two hundred διακοσίους G1250 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural spearmen δεξιολάβους G1187 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural to ὅπως G3704 Conjunction go πορευθῶσιν G4198 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Plural to ἕως G2193 Preposition Caesarea Καισαρείας G2542 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular in ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the third τρίτης G5154 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular hour ὥρας G5610 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular night νυκτός G3571 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • That is, at nine tonight
Verse 24

Original words

- τε G5037 Conjunction Provide παραστῆσαι G3936 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active mounts κτήνη G2934 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - ἵνα G2443 Conjunction [for] ἐπιβιβάσαντες G1913 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Paul Παῦλον G3972 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular to take [him] safely διασώσωσι G1295 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural to πρὸς G4314 Preposition - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Governor ἡγεμόνα G2232 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Felix Φήλικα G5344 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 25

Original words

[And] he wrote γράψας G1125 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular - ἔχουσαν G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Feminine Singular the following τοῦτον G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular - τύπον G5179 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular letter ἐπιστολὴν G1992 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 26

Original words

Claudius Κλαύδιος G2804 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Lysias Λυσίας G3079 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular To Τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular His Excellency κρατίστῳ G2903 Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular - Superlative Governor ἡγεμόνι G2232 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Felix Φήλικι G5344 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Greetings Χαίρειν G5463 Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Verse 27

Original words

This τοῦτον G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular - Τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular man ἄνδρα G435 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular was seized συλλημφθέντα G4815 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular by ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Jews Ἰουδαίων G2453 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ὑπ’ G5259 Preposition they αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural were about μέλλοντα G3195 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular to kill [him] ἀναιρεῖσθαι G337 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive when I came ἐπιστὰς G2186 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular with σὺν G4862 Preposition [my] τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular troops στρατεύματι G4753 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular to rescue [him] ἐξειλάμην G1807 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular For I had learned μαθὼν G3129 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction he is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a Roman citizen Ῥωμαῖός G4514 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 28

Original words

and τε G5037 Conjunction since I wanted βουλόμενός G1014 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular to understand ἐπιγνῶναι G1921 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active [their] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular charges αἰτίαν G156 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - δι’ G1223 Preposition - ἣν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular [against] ἐνεκάλουν G1458 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular I brought [him] down κατήγαγον G2609 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular Sanhedrin συνέδριον G4892 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 29

Original words

- ὃν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular I found that εὗρον G2147 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular the accusation ἐγκαλούμενον G1458 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular involved περὶ G4012 Preposition questions ζητημάτων G2213 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural [about] τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular their [own] αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural law νόμου G3551 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction there was ἔχοντα G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular no μηδὲν G3367 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular charge ἔγκλημα G1462 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular worthy ἄξιον G514 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular of death θανάτου G2288 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular or G2228 Conjunction imprisonment δεσμῶν G1199 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 30

Original words

[When] δέ G1161 Conjunction I μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular was informed that Μηνυθείσης G3377 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Genitive Feminine Singular there was ἔσεσθαι G1510 Verb - Future Infinitive Middle a plot ἐπιβουλῆς G1917 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular against εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular man ἄνδρα G435 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular I sent [him] ἔπεμψα G3992 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular to πρὸς G4314 Preposition you σέ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular at once ἐξαυτῆς G1824 Adverb vvv καὶ G2532 Conjunction I also instructed παραγγείλας G3853 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular [his] τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural accusers κατηγόροις G2725 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural to present λέγειν G3004 Verb - Present Infinitive Active [their case] τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural against πρὸς G4314 Preposition him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular before ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition you σοῦ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Verse 31

Original words

So οὖν G3767 Conjunction - μὲν G3303 Conjunction the Οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural soldiers στρατιῶται G4757 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv κατὰ G2596 Preposition vvv τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular followed their orders διατεταγμένον G1299 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular . . . αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural [and] brought ἀναλαβόντες G353 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural . . . ἤγαγον G71 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Paul Παῦλον G3972 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular by διὰ G1223 Preposition night νυκτὸς G3571 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular Antipatris Ἀντιπατρίδα G494 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 32

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction The τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular next day ἐπαύριον G1887 Adverb they returned ὑπέστρεψαν G5290 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular barracks παρεμβολήν G3925 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [and] let ἐάσαντες G1439 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural horsemen ἱππεῖς G2460 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural go on ἀπέρχεσθαι G565 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive with σὺν G4862 Preposition him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 33

Original words

[When the horsemen] οἵτινες G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural arrived εἰσελθόντες G1525 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural in εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular Caesarea Καισάρειαν G2542 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction they delivered ἀναδόντες G325 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular letter ἐπιστολὴν G1992 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular to the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular governor ἡγεμόνι G2232 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction presented παρέστησαν G3936 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Paul Παῦλον G3972 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular to him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 34

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction [The governor] read [the letter] Ἀναγνοὺς G314 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction asked ἐπερωτήσας G1905 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular what ποίας G4169 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular province ἐπαρχείας G1885 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [Paul] was ἐστὶν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular from ἐκ G1537 Preposition - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Learning πυθόμενος G4441 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction [he was] from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition Cilicia Κιλικίας G2791 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 35

Original words

he said ἔφη G5346 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular I will hear your case Διακούσομαί G1251 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular . . . σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular when Ὅταν G3752 Conjunction your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural accusers κατήγοροί G2725 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural arrive παραγένωνται G3854 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Then he ordered that κελεύσας G2753 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular [Paul] αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular be kept under guard φυλάσσεσθαι G5442 Verb - Present Infinitive Passive in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Herod’s Ἡρῴδου G2264 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Praetorium πραιτωρίῳ G4232 Noun - 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.