Paul’s Nephew Foils the Plot

But God stepped in to save His servant. Paul’s sister’s son heard about the assassins’ ambush, and he “entered the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, ‘Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.’ So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, ‘Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.’”ULe 151.4

Claudius Lysias received the youth kindly. “What is it that you have to tell me?” The youth replied: “‘The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.’ULe 151.5

“So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, ‘Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.’”ULe 151.6

Lysias “called for two centurions, saying, ‘Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night; and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor’” (Acts 23:20-24).ULe 151.7

They were to lose no time. “So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris” (NRSV). The horsemen went on with the prisoner to Caesarea. The officer in charge delivered his prisoner to Felix, also presenting a letter:ULe 151.8

“Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. ... And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him.”ULe 151.9