Acts Chapter 23 Verses 1-5

Acts 23:1 “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. 3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? 4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? 5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.”

“And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”  Paul beholding the council testifies that he had lived in all good conscience before God until this day. A person knows whether he is living in good conscience before God or not.  The fact that Paul knew that he was living with a good conscience before God is a testimony that he had strived to do God’s bidding since his conscience had been made good in the spiritual birth. 

“And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.  Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?”  The high priest commanding those who stood by Paul to smite him on the mouth was contrary to the law to which Paul reviled the high priest.  Again we see another example of the Jews seeking to condemn Paul as a breaker of the law (which he wasn’t) when they are themselves breaking the law.

“And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?  Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.”  Paul states he was ignorant of this individual being the high priest and affirmed that it was wrong to speak evil of the ruler of thy people. 

Verses 6-10

Acts 23:6 “But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. 7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. 9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. 10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.”

“But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.”  Paul perceived the different religious sects of the Jews that were present in the council and set them at conflict with one another by stating he was a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee and that he had hope of the resurrection of the dead.

“And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.”  Paul’s statement caused a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees so much that they were divided.  This was a division based on scriptural principle.  The Pharisees believe the truth of the resurrection of the dead and the Sadducees believe in no resurrection of the dead.

“And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”  This dissension was so great that the Pharisees sided with Paul and declared that they found no evil in him.

“And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.”  Because of the great dissension the chief captain commanded the soldiers to go down and take Paul by force from among them and bring him back to the castle. 

Verses 11-15

Acts 23:11 “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. 12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. 14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. 15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.”

“And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”  The Lord informed Paul that as he had borne witness of the Lord in Jerusalem he would also bear witness of the Lord at Rome also.  This had to be an assurance to Paul as he was about to hear of a conspiracy to murder him.

“And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.  And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.  And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.  Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.”  The conspiracy to murder Paul by more than forty men was approved by the chief priests and the council who became a part of the conspiracy.  Now this was done under the guise of defending the law of Moses, when in fact those forty and the chief priest and the council were guilty of grossly breaking the law of Moses. 

Verses 16-22

Acts 23:16 “And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him. 18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. 19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? 20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly. 21 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. 22 So 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.”

God has a way of spoiling the wicked designs of men.  In this case the nephew of Paul heard of the conspiracy to kill Paul and told Paul who called one of the centurions to take the young man to the chief captain who told of the conspiracy to the chief captain. 

Verses 23-30

Acts 23:23 “And he 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; 24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. 25 And he wrote a letter after this manner: 26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting. 27 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. 28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council: 29 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. 30 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 say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.” 

“And he 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.”  The chief captain called two centurions with two hundred men to carry Paul safely to the Roman governor Felix, thus, spoiling the wicked designs of wicked men who conspired to murder Paul.

"And he wrote a letter after this manner: 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 say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.”  The chief captain wrote a letter to Felix the governor relating the Jews plans to kill Paul.  In the letter the chief captain stated he found nothing in the charges of the Jewish council whereby Paul was accused of anything whereby Paul was worthy of death or imprisonment. 

Verses 31-35

Acts 23:31 “Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: 33 Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. 34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia; 35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.”

Here Paul was brought to the governor who accepted jurisdiction of his case and told him that he would hear Paul and his accusers when they were come.