Paul Is Sent to Caesarea

²³Then the commander called two army officers.* He said to them, "I need some men to go to Caesarea. Get 200 soldiers ready. Also, get 70 soldiers on horses and 200 men to carry spears. Be ready to leave at nine o'clock tonight. ²⁴Get some horses for Paul to ride. He must be taken to Governor Felix safely." ²⁵The commander wrote a letter. This is what the letter said:

²⁶From Claudius Lysias To the Most Excellent Governor Felix: Greetings. ²⁷The Jews had taken this man (Paul), and they planned to kill him. But I learned that he is a Roman citizen,* so I went with my soldiers and saved him. ²⁸I wanted to know why they were accusing him. So I brought him before their council meeting. ²⁹This is what I learned: The Jews said Paul did some things that were wrong. But these charges were about their own Jewish laws. And none of these things were worthy of jail or death. ³⁰I was told that some of the Jews were making a plan to kill Paul. So I send him to you. I also told those Jews to tell you the things they have against him. ³¹The soldiers did the things they were told. The soldiers got Paul and took him to the city of Antipatris that night. ³²The next day the soldiers on horses went with Paul to Caesarea. But the other soldiers and the spearmen went back to the army building [in Jerusalem]. ³³The soldiers on horses entered Caesarea and gave the letter to the governor (Felix). Then they gave Paul to him.

³⁴The governor read the letter. Then he asked Paul, "What country are you from?" The governor learned that Paul was from Cilicia. ³⁵The governor said, "I will hear your case when the Jews who are against you come here too." Then the governor gave orders for Paul to be kept in the palace. (This building had been built by Herod.*)

army officers A centurion, a Roman army officer who had authority over 100 soldiers. Roman citizen Roman law said that Roman citizens must not be beaten before their trial. Herod Herod I (the Great), ruler of Judea, 40 B.C. to 4 B.C.