¹⁶ But 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, as he hath something to say unto thee.”

¹⁹ Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside with him privately, asked him, “What is it that thou hast to tell me?”

²⁰ And he said, “The Jews have agreed to request thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they wished to inquire of him somewhat more thoroughly.

²¹ But do not thou yield unto them, for there lie in wait for him more than forty of their men, who have bound themselves with an oath that they will neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. And now they are ready, looking for consent from thee.”

²² So the chief captain then let the young man depart and charged him, “See thou tell no man that thou hast revealed these things to me.”

²³ And he called unto him two centurions, saying, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and threescore and ten horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night;

²⁴ and provide them with beasts that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.”

²⁵ And he wrote a letter in this manner:

²⁶ “Claudius Lysias, unto the most excellent governor Felix, sendeth greeting:

²⁷ This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them. Then came I with an army and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

²⁸ And desiring to know the cause whereof they accused him, I brought him forth into their council.

²⁹ I perceived him to be accused about questions of their law, but there was nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

³⁰ And when it was told me how the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him straightway to thee, and gave a command to his accusers also to speak before thee what they have against him. Farewell.”

³¹ Then the soldiers took Paul, as it was commanded them, 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 had come 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 Paul was. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia,

³⁵ he said, “I will hear thee when thine accusers have also come.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.