Acts 23:23-35

https://www.biblestudytools.com/acts/passage/?q=acts+23:23-35

Paul Transferred to Caesarea

23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.” 25 He wrote a letter as follows: 26 Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him. 31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

Study Notes: These will be added as I am able.

23:23, 24 The Roman commander ordered Paul sent to Caesarea. Jerusalem was the seat of Jewish government, but Caesarea was the Roman headquarters for the area. God works in amazing and amusing ways. There were infinite possibilities of ways God could use to get Paul to Caesarea, but he chose to use the Roman army to deliver Paul from his enemies. God's ways are not our ways. Ours are limited, his are not. Don't limit God by asking him to respond your way. When God intervenes, anything can happen, so much more and so much better than you could ever anticipate.

23:26 Felix was the Roman governor or procurator of Judea from A.D. 52 to 59. This was the same position Pontius Pilate had held. While the Jews were given much freedom to govern themselves, the governor ran the army, kept the peace, and gathered the taxes.

23:26 How did Luke know what was written in the letter from Claudius Lysius? In his concern for historical accuracy, Luke used many sources to make sure that his writings were correct (see Luke 1:1-4). This letter was probably read aloud in court when Paul came before Felix to answer the Jews' accusations. Also, because Paul was a Roman citizen, a copy may have been given to him as a courtesy.

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Paul knew his legal rights. Paul knew of the plots against him. Most importantly, Paul knew the truth of Jesus and God. And God sent Paul into many opportunities to testify of the truth. It is amazing to watch God work throughout generations. So important to let him work through this one. I saw that a teacher was reprimanded in Austin, TX for teaching her third graders (?) about their legal and Constitutional rights. I read also a comment that Biden said something akin to "Your children are our children." Concerning. But God is still enabling His work to go forth. Revival is happening in this generation. Powerful revival. Powerful awakening.

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Heavenly Father, thank You for the lessons in Paul's life and service to You. Thank You that it was faithfully documented in Your Word. Oh Lord, we pray that this generation will receive an awakening to Jesus like Paul did--an awakening to truth such that we must decide, we must choose, the path we are to take. Are we to live always under deceptions, Lord? Why can't we live in Truth? With You, Lord, through Your strength, surely we can. Oh help us, Lord, do the things we must do to truly live. According to Your will and timing. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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A Song: (A new one to me, thought provoking) https://youtu.be/MkpMrOzDE-0

Bonus Song: (First one to cross my mind, more traditional) https://youtu.be/NT0HcAr9aeI

Have a blessed day.