^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. ^23:13There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy.⁴⁸^23:14They⁴⁹ went⁵⁰ to the chief priests⁵¹ and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath⁵² not to partake⁵³ of anything until we have killed Paul. ^23:15So now you and the council⁵⁴ request the commanding officer⁵⁵ to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine⁵⁶ his case⁵⁷ by conducting a more thorough inquiry.⁵⁸ We are ready to kill him⁵⁹ before he comes near this place.”⁶⁰

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Footnotes

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.
48 L&N 30.73 defines συνωμοσία (sunōmosia) as “a plan for taking secret action someone or some institution, with the implication of an oath binding the conspirators—‘conspiracy, plot.’ … ‘there were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy’ Ac 23:13.”
49 Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
50 Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselthontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
51 They went to the chief priests. The fact that the high priest knew of this plot and did nothing shows the Jewish leadership would even become accomplices to murder to stop Paul. They would not allow Roman justice to take its course. Paul’s charge in v. 3 of superficially following the law is thus shown to be true.
52 Or “bound ourselves 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.” The pleonastic use ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν (literally “we have cursed ourselves with a curse”) probably serves as an intensifier following Semitic usage, and is represented in the translation by the word “solemn.” On such oaths see Nedarim 3:1, 3.
53 This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).
54 Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
55 Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. .
56 Or “decide.” διαγινώσκω has “ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ to make a more thorough examination of his case Ac 23:15.”
57 Grk “determine the things about him.”
58 The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).
59 “We are ready to kill him.” Now those Jews involved in the conspiracy, along with the leaders as accomplices, are going to break one of the ten commandments.
60 The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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. There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. More than forty men were involved in this plot. They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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. There were more than forty who had formed this plot. These men went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn curse that we won’t eat anything until we have killed Paul. So now you, along with the Sanhedrin, make a request to the commander that he bring him down to you as if you were going to investigate his case more thoroughly. But, before he gets near, we are ready to kill him.”

NLTNew Living Translation

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. There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

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. Now there were more than forty who had made this conspiracy, who went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a curse to partake of nothing until we have killed Paul. Therefore, now you along with the Sanhedrin explain to the military tribune that he should bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine more accurately the things concerning him. And we are ready to do away with him before he comes near.”

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

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