READ | ACTS CHAPTER 23
1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”
4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”
5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’[a]”
6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
The Plot to Kill Paul
12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.
The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
Paul Transferred to Caesarea
23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen[b] to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”
25 He wrote a letter as follows:
26 Claudius Lysias,
To His Excellency, Governor Felix:
Greetings.
27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.
31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.
4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”
5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’[a]”
6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
The Plot to Kill Paul
12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.
The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
Paul Transferred to Caesarea
23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen[b] to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”
25 He wrote a letter as follows:
26 Claudius Lysias,
To His Excellency, Governor Felix:
Greetings.
27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.
31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.
DEVOTIONAL
We’ve all heard the term “Conspiracy Theory” in one context or another. The term describes someone who reveals the inner workings and details of a calculated plot which is often shrouded in secrecy. We often picture the person with wild eyes, wild theories, and a tinfoil hat as the conspiracy theorist. What most people don’t know is that the term conspiracy theory was admittedly coined by the CIA as a way to discredit and marginalize those who uncovered plots or facts which could be seen as embarrassing to the governments of the world. Simply label a person as a conspiracy theorist, and despite their evidence or testimony, the people will see them as unbelievable and unreliable witnesses. This has been relatively effective over the years to quell the spread of conspiracies, whether good or bad. There are many conspiracies that have good intentions. Christianity started as a conspiracy; a small group of disciples conspiring together with plans to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. America started as a conspiracy; a small group of patriots and pastors conspiring together in New England taverns with plans to find freedom and liberty from under the yoke of King George.
There are also many conspiracies which have evil intentions. Scripture tells us how Lucifer conspired with other angels to elevate his throne above God and rebel against his creator. Delilah conspired with the Philistines to capture Samson. Judas conspired with the Pharisees to betray the Messiah. The Bible is full of conspiracies from beginning to end. In Acts chapter 23 we see another conspiracy of a secret plot involving 40 Jews who bound themselves to not eat or drink until Paul was dead. They would not stop until Paul was no longer a threat. We read this and feel separated from it, but the truth is that If you are a follower of Christ, there is a plot against you at this very moment. There are people and entities conspiring together on how they can stop you, how to silence you, how to tempt you, how to intimidate you, how to close your churches, how to keep you divided, how to indoctrinate your children, how to pressure you to live a life you were not called to live, and how to divert or distract you from your purpose. The devil has come to steal, kill and destroy; steal your identity, kill your purpose, destroy your reputation, testimony, and future. What Paul faced, in some way, we will all face.
Amid plots and plans, there is always good news for those who are in Christ. In verse 11, we read that the Lord (Jesus) came to Paul in the dark of night, when Paul may have been feeling the most discouraged. He’d had two opportunities to speak before the people which had seemingly come to nothing. Paul was also facing a corrupt High Priest and a Sanhedrin who were hard-hearted and intent on taking Paul out of the way. The only way Paul had been able to preserve his liberty and his life was through a clever ploy to pit the Pharisees against the Sadducees on differences of theological opinion. In the middle of one of the darkest nights in Paul’s life, Jesus himself appears before Paul and tells him to take courage. He tells Paul that he will surely go to Rome and In Rome, boldly declare the gospel before powerful men who desperately need what the Gospel offers. In the midst of plots formed against us, in the midst of coming lies, opposition, and persecution, Jesus comes and stands with us. He reminds us that we are not alone even when we cannot see his hand at work. What a comfort that must have been for Paul. What a refreshing breath of fresh air! His strength was renewed. His resolve was now stronger than ever. Whatever comes, he would use it as an opportunity to declare the good news of Jesus. Not only did Paul have Jesus in his corner, but his family as well. Paul’s nephew heard the news of the plot against Paul and risked his life to get this information to Paul, who then shared the news of the conspiracy with the Roman commander. In only a few hours, Paul, who thought he may be facing the evils of this world on his own, now has a group of allies working together to thwart the plans of the enemy. Not only to stop and expose the enemy’s plans but to use those plans to help get Paul in front of Governor Felix, a powerful and influential man in his own right. Not only would God bring Paul to his destination, but he would have a great number of war horses to carry him there!
God had delivered Paul from jail cells before. Paul may have expected it again when Jesus appeared, but the plan and purpose God had for Paul meant that Paul would stay in the prison and be transferred to go see Governor Felix. Sometimes, in our own lives, the plans of God lead us to deliverance from our prison, but sometimes the plans of God require us to remain in the prison. Whatever the struggle, know that you are not alone. Even in the darkest night, Jesus is there to deliver you or comfort you. Even in your most desperate feelings, Jesus is there to urge you to take courage. You have friends and family who are for you, and even those you don’t expect may be led to your aid. Stay strong, keep up the good fight no matter what comes. We serve a God who can use all the events and circumstances in life, even the difficult ones, to position you to share Christ and fulfill your calling.
There are also many conspiracies which have evil intentions. Scripture tells us how Lucifer conspired with other angels to elevate his throne above God and rebel against his creator. Delilah conspired with the Philistines to capture Samson. Judas conspired with the Pharisees to betray the Messiah. The Bible is full of conspiracies from beginning to end. In Acts chapter 23 we see another conspiracy of a secret plot involving 40 Jews who bound themselves to not eat or drink until Paul was dead. They would not stop until Paul was no longer a threat. We read this and feel separated from it, but the truth is that If you are a follower of Christ, there is a plot against you at this very moment. There are people and entities conspiring together on how they can stop you, how to silence you, how to tempt you, how to intimidate you, how to close your churches, how to keep you divided, how to indoctrinate your children, how to pressure you to live a life you were not called to live, and how to divert or distract you from your purpose. The devil has come to steal, kill and destroy; steal your identity, kill your purpose, destroy your reputation, testimony, and future. What Paul faced, in some way, we will all face.
Amid plots and plans, there is always good news for those who are in Christ. In verse 11, we read that the Lord (Jesus) came to Paul in the dark of night, when Paul may have been feeling the most discouraged. He’d had two opportunities to speak before the people which had seemingly come to nothing. Paul was also facing a corrupt High Priest and a Sanhedrin who were hard-hearted and intent on taking Paul out of the way. The only way Paul had been able to preserve his liberty and his life was through a clever ploy to pit the Pharisees against the Sadducees on differences of theological opinion. In the middle of one of the darkest nights in Paul’s life, Jesus himself appears before Paul and tells him to take courage. He tells Paul that he will surely go to Rome and In Rome, boldly declare the gospel before powerful men who desperately need what the Gospel offers. In the midst of plots formed against us, in the midst of coming lies, opposition, and persecution, Jesus comes and stands with us. He reminds us that we are not alone even when we cannot see his hand at work. What a comfort that must have been for Paul. What a refreshing breath of fresh air! His strength was renewed. His resolve was now stronger than ever. Whatever comes, he would use it as an opportunity to declare the good news of Jesus. Not only did Paul have Jesus in his corner, but his family as well. Paul’s nephew heard the news of the plot against Paul and risked his life to get this information to Paul, who then shared the news of the conspiracy with the Roman commander. In only a few hours, Paul, who thought he may be facing the evils of this world on his own, now has a group of allies working together to thwart the plans of the enemy. Not only to stop and expose the enemy’s plans but to use those plans to help get Paul in front of Governor Felix, a powerful and influential man in his own right. Not only would God bring Paul to his destination, but he would have a great number of war horses to carry him there!
God had delivered Paul from jail cells before. Paul may have expected it again when Jesus appeared, but the plan and purpose God had for Paul meant that Paul would stay in the prison and be transferred to go see Governor Felix. Sometimes, in our own lives, the plans of God lead us to deliverance from our prison, but sometimes the plans of God require us to remain in the prison. Whatever the struggle, know that you are not alone. Even in the darkest night, Jesus is there to deliver you or comfort you. Even in your most desperate feelings, Jesus is there to urge you to take courage. You have friends and family who are for you, and even those you don’t expect may be led to your aid. Stay strong, keep up the good fight no matter what comes. We serve a God who can use all the events and circumstances in life, even the difficult ones, to position you to share Christ and fulfill your calling.
