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The Acts of the Apostles
of him more perfectly. But do not thou yield unto them: for there
lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound
themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they
have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from
thee.”
“The chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him,
See thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me.”
[415]
Lysias at once decided to transfer Paul from his jurisdiction to
that of Felix the procurator. As a people, the Jews were in a state of
excitement and irritation, and tumults were of frequent occurrence.
The continued presence of the apostle in Jerusalem might lead to
consequences dangerous to the city and even to the commandant
himself. He therefore “called unto him two centurions, saying, Make
ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore
and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; and
provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe
unto Felix the governor.”
No time was to be lost in sending Paul away. “The soldiers, as
it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to
Antipatris.” From that place the horsemen went on with the prisoner
to Caesarea, while the four hundred soldiers returned to Jerusalem.
The officer in charge of the detachment delivered his prisoner to
Felix, also presenting a letter with which he had been entrusted by the
chief captain:
“Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth
greeting. This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been
killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having
understood that he was a Roman. And when I would have known
the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their
council: whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but
to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And
when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent
straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to
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say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.”
After reading the communication, Felix inquired to what province
the prisoner belonged, and being informed that he was of Cilicia,
said: “I will hear thee ... when thine accusers are also come. And he
commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.”