# Acts 23 đ: A Plot to Kill Paul
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đ Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đ Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#đ¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#đ§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#âď¸ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#đ Key Observations / đ Life Application]]
> [[#đŹ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#âď¸ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đ Related Passages]]
> [[#đ Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đ Outline]]
> [[#đ Internal Notes]]
## đ Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Paul Before The Sanhedrin
**Principle**: Know your audience.
[[#Verse 01.]] Paul looked directly at the council and said, âBrothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God to this day.âÂ
[[#Verse 02.]] At that the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.Â
[[#Verse 03.]] Then Paul said to him, âGod is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law you order me to be struck?âÂ
[[#Verse 04.]] Those standing near him said, âDo you dare insult Godâs high priest?â
[[#Verse 05.]] Paul replied, âI did not realize, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, â**_You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people_**.ââ
[[#Verse 06.]] Then when Paul noticed that part of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out in the council, âBrothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead!âÂ
[[#Verse 07.]] When he said this, an argument began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.Â
[[#Verse 08.]]Â (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)Â
[[#Verse 09.]] There was a great commotion, and some experts in the law from the party of the Pharisees stood up and protested strongly, âWe find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?âÂ
[[#Verse 10.]] When the argument became so great the commanding officer feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, he ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
[[#Verse 11.]] The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, âHave courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.â
### The Plot to Kill Paul
**Principle**: God reveals the enemy's plans.
[[#Verse 12.]] When morning came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul.
[[#Verse 13.]]Â There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, âWe have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to partake of anything until we have killed Paul.Â
[[#Verse 15.]] So now you and the council request the commanding officer to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine his case by conducting a more thorough inquiry. We are ready to kill him before he comes near this place.â
[[#Verse 16.]] But when the son of Paulâs sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.Â
[[#Verse 17.]] Paul called one of the centurions and said, âTake this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to report to him.âÂ
[[#Verse 18.]] So the centurion took him and brought him to the commanding officer and said, âThe prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.âÂ
[[#Verse 19.]] The commanding officer took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, âWhat is it that you want to report to me?âÂ
[[#Verse 20.]] He replied, âThe Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him.Â
[[#Verse 21.]] So do not let them persuade you to do this, because more than forty of them are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.âÂ
[[#Verse 22.]] Then the commanding officer sent the young man away, directing him, âTell no one that you have reported these things to me.âÂ
### To Caesarea By Night
**Principle**: God sometimes uses non-Christians to move His agenda forward.
[[#Verse 23.]] Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, âMake ready 200 soldiers to go to Caesarea along with 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen by nine oâclock tonight,Â
[[#Verse 24.]] and provide mounts for Paul to ride so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor.âÂ
[[#Verse 25.]] He wrote a letter that went like this:
[[#Verse 26.]] Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings.Â
[[#Verse 27.]] This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I came up with the detachment and rescued him, because I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.
[[#Verse 28.]] Since I wanted to know what charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down to their council.Â
[[#Verse 29.]] I found he was accused with reference to controversial questions about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment.Â
[[#Verse 30.]] When I was informed there would be a plot against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges against him before you.
[[#Verse 31.]] So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him to Antipatris during the night.Â
[[#Verse 32.]] The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and they returned to the barracks.Â
[[#Verse 33.]] When the horsemen came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.Â
[[#Verse 34.]] When the governor had read the letter, he asked what province he was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia,Â
[[#Verse 35.]] he said, âI will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive too.â Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herodâs palace.
## đ Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
###### Verse 30.
###### Verse 31.
###### Verse 32.
###### Verse 33.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 35.
## đ¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Ananias the high priest (23:2) served from about AD 47 to 59 and was known for greed and violence, according to Josephus.
2. Paul called him a "whitewashed wall" (23:3), a phrase like Jesus' words about whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27).
3. Paul quotes Exodus 22:28, "You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people" (23:5).
4. Pharisees believed in the resurrection, angels, and spirits, while Sadducees denied them (23:8).
5. Paul's statement that he was a Pharisee on trial for the hope of the resurrection divided the council (23:6-7).
6. More than forty men vowed not to eat or drink until they killed Paul (23:12-13).
7. This is the only place in the New Testament where Paul's sister and nephew are mentioned (23:16).
8. The commander sent Paul to Caesarea with two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen (23:23).
9. The commander's name was Claudius Lysias (23:26), and his letter presents his own actions in the best possible light.
10. Antipatris (23:31) was a town Herod the Great built and named after his father Antipater.
## đ§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] đą Still growing. This section is on its way.
## âď¸ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the risen Lord who stood by Paul in the night and told him to take courage (23:11). The hope of the resurrection that Paul preached rests on Him (23:6; 1 Corinthians 15:20).
## đ Key Observations / đ Life Application
> [!note] đą Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đŹ Discussion Questions
1. After a chaotic day, the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Have courage" (23:11). How has God encouraged you in your hardest moments?
2. Paul quickly apologized when he learned he had spoken against the high priest (23:5). What does that teach us about respect for authority?
3. God used Paul's nephew to uncover the plot (23:16). How does God use unexpected people to protect His purposes?
## âď¸ Key Verses to Remember
- đ verse 1: Paul has lived his life with a clear conscience before God.
- đ verse 6: Paul is on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead.
- đ verse 11: The Lord stands near Paul and tells him to take courage, for he must testify in Rome.
## đ Related Passages
- đ [[2 Timothy 01#Verse 03.|2 Timothy 1:3]] - Serving God with a clear conscience.
- đ [[Matthew 23#Verse 27.|Matthew 23:27]] - Whitewashed tombs.
- đ [[Exodus 22#Verse 28.|Exodus 22:28]] - Do not curse a ruler of your people.
- đ [[Matthew 22#Verse 23.|Matthew 22:23]] - The Sadducees deny the resurrection.
- đ [[Acts 27#Verse 24.|Acts 27:24]] - You must stand before Caesar.
## đ Devotional Reflection
đ SOAP: [[Acts 23 - SOAP|The Lord Is There]]
## đ Outline
Text: (Acts 23:11 NLT) "That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, 'Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.'"
BI- God, not chaos, should determine the direction of your focus.
1. Make sure your joy comes from God, not the response of those around you.
1. "Be encouraged."
2. Paul had just been through something that could have shaken the most veteran missionary. The first thing God tells Paul is to be comforted.
2. God will give us direction so we can withstand the conflict.
1. "just as you have been my witness... you must preach the Good News in Rome as well."
2. God told Paul he was not done yet.
3. Let God determine how it is going to happen. You just take the next step.
1. "Verse as a whole."
2. God got him to Rome in a winding way, but for a purpose. Just because God tells us something does not mean we have to do it immediately. Sometimes He will let us know what's up, so we can be encouraged that He is still at work.
## đ Internal Notes
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### Outline
**Big Idea**:
**Point 1**:
**Point 2**:
**Point 3**:
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