Envious Jews Plot Against Paul

Acts 23:12-24 the plot against Paul

Verses 12-13: Certain of the Jews – over forty of them – determine to kill Paul, the day after Paul’s defense and his night of encourage. These certain Jews:

• banded together
• bound themselves under a curse
• would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul
• were more than forty
• made this conspiracy

Verses 14-15: These conspirators join in plot with the priests. They explain their oath and course of action, and ask for the cooperation of the priests. The priests on the council would suggest to the chief captain that they needed to have a more perfect understanding of something concerning Paul, and that he should bring him before the council the next day. The conspirators would lay in wait, and kill Paul as the soldiers brought him to the meeting with the council.

Verse 16: The devilish plot is exposed. Paul’s nephew (his sister’s son) hears that they or will be) lying in wait to assassinate Paul. He went to the castle and told Paul what he had heard.

Verses 17-18: While his nephew is still present, Paul calls one of the centurions and tells the centurion to take the young man to the chief captain so he can tell him something. The centurion does as “Paul the prisoner” had asked.

Verses 19-21: The chief captain discerns this as a matter of secrecy and urgency, and steps aside privately with him. “privately” (κατ ιδιαν) apart, restricted or confined to only those concerned (i.e. the chief captain and Paul’s nephew). “What is that thou hast to tell me?” Paul’s nephew retells the plot as he had heard it, adding that everything is in place, only “looking for a promise from [the chief captain].”

Verse 22: “See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.” The captain charges Paul’s nephew to keep this secret, to not let anyone else know what he had told him.

Verses 23-24: The chief captain quickly formulates a plan. He will bring Paul not to the council in Jerusalem, but to Felix the governor in Cæsarea – with a great show of force. He gives the command to prepare to two centurions.

1. two hundred (200) soldiers 
2. horsemen threescore and ten (70)
3. spearmen two hundred (200)

This would be done not only with force, but also with stealth, “at the third hour of the night.” All this for one little prisoner, to “bring him safe unto Felix the governor.” The hand of God’s providence stands out in the incident. God has promised Paul will “bear witness also at Rome” and he will bring it about without fail.

• Jeremiah 33:14 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised…
• Luke 1:72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant
• Romans 4:21 and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.