Acts 23


Acts 23 is the twenty-third chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records the period of Paul's imprisonment in Jerusalem and then in Caesarea. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke composed this book as well as the Gospel of Luke.

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 35 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
The events in this chapter took place in Jerusalem, Antipatris and Caesarea.

Paul before the Sanhedrin (verses 1–10)

This section continues the record of Paul's trial before the Sanhedrin from the previous chapter. The tribune ordered the Sanhedrin to meet in an advisory capacity to help him "determine whether or not Paul had a case to answer" under the Jewish law.

Verse 2

The quoted text is taken from Exodus 22:28:
Paul quotes from the Jewish law to show his willingness to abide by that law.

Verse 8

Paul's account of the beliefs excluded by the Sadducees matches the issues addressed in the gospels at Matthew 22:23-33 and parallels. Both these doctrines "have commonly stood or fallen together".

Plots and counterplots (verses 11–22)

After the trial, Paul received 'private reassurance' that things happening to him 'are part of God's plan' and the first indication that "his 'witness' in Rome will not be as missionary but as prisoner". When 'the Jews' decide to assassinate Paul, and Paul's nephew relays this information to Paul, Paul receives 'a high-quality escort' to Caesarea.

Verse 11

For years Paul has the ambition to preach the gospel in Rome, the great capital of the empire, and the comforting word of Jesus reflects what Jesus had 'promised and foretold' in .

Paul sent to Caesarea (verses 23–30)

The necessity and extent of the military escort for Paul's transfer from Jerusalem to Caesarea indicate the danger on the roads at this period, which is corroborated by the historian Flavius Josephus. The tribune, Claudius Lysias, 'wrote a letter', telling 'the story in a way more flattering to himself', but 'otherwise repeats for the governor's benefit' what the readers had known.

Verses 23–24

  • "Felix the governor" is mentioned for the first time in the book. According to historical records, Felix was 'a freedman, brother to the imperial secretary Pallas', was appointed by Claudius to be the procurator of Judea around AD 52 until 60 and generally regarded as cruel and corrupt, even was indicted by the Jews of Caesarea after his retirement from office He was replaced by Festus.

    The journey to Caesarea (23:31–35)

Caesarea is located about 110 kilometer from Jerusalem by road, and Antipatris is about half-way, 'at the point where the hill-country road intersects with the road running north from Lydda along the coastal plain'. Paul was then detained in Herod's praetorium, where some scholars have suggested is the place the Epistle to the Philippians could have been written, as an alternative opinions to Rome as the traditional origin.

Verse 31

  • "Antipatris", on the road from Jerusalem to Caesarea, was built by Herod the Great, who named it after his father "Antipater".

    Verse 33

  • "Presented": from Greek: πάρεστησαν, , is a word 'particularly used of setting any one before a judge'.