^23:10When the argument became³¹ so great the commanding officer³² feared that they would tear Paul to pieces,³³ he ordered the detachment³⁴ to go down, take him away from them by force,³⁵ and bring him into the barracks.³⁶

^23:11The following night the Lord³⁷ stood near³⁸ Paul³⁹ and said, “Have courage,⁴⁰ for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem,⁴¹ so you must also testify in Rome.”⁴²

The Plot to Kill Paul

^23:12When morning came,⁴³ the Jews formed⁴⁴ a conspiracy⁴⁵ and bound themselves with an oath⁴⁶ not to eat or drink anything⁴⁷ until they had killed Paul.

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Footnotes

31 This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenēs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).
32 Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (chiliarchos) literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.
33 Grk “that Paul would be torn to pieces by them.” διασπάω has “of an angry mob μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπʼ αὐτῶν that Paul would be torn in pieces by them Ac 23:10.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been converted to an equivalent active construction in the translation.
34 Normally this term means “army,” but according to στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.
35 Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”
36 Or “the headquarters.” παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
37 The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.
38 Grk “standing near Paul, said.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
39 Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
40 Or “Do not be afraid.”
41 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
42 Like Jesus went to Jerusalem, Paul would now go to Rome. This trip forms the concluding backdrop to Acts. This is the second notice about going to Rome (see Acts 19:21 for the first). For location see .
43 Grk “when it was day.”
44 Grk “forming a conspiracy, bound.” The participle ποιήσαντες (poiēsantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
45 L&N 30.72 has ‘some Jews formed a conspiracy’ Ac 23:12”; συστροφή 1 has “Judeans came together in a mob 23:12. But in the last pass. the word may also mean—2. the product of a clandestine gathering, plot, conspiracy” (see also Amos 7:10; Ps 63:3).
46 Or “bound themselves under a curse.” ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “ put under a curse τινά someone … pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14 … ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” On such oaths see Shevi’it 3:1–5. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
47 The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When the dispute became violent, the commander feared that Paul might be torn apart by them and ordered the troops to go down, take him away from them, and bring him into the barracks. The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome.”

When it was morning, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

NLTNew Living Translation

As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.

That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”

The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And when the dispute became severe, the military tribune, fearing lest Paul be torn apart by them, ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from their midst, and bring him into the barracks. And the next night the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

And when it was day, the Jews made a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

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. 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.

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