12And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy.
14They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.
15Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near."
16So when Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.
17Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him."
18So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, "Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you."
19Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"
20And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him.
21But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you."
22So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me."
23And he called for two centurions, saying, "Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night;
24and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor."
25He wrote a letter in the following manner:
26Claudius Lysias, To the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
27This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
28And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council.
29I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains.
30And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell.
31Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks.
33When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia,
35he said, "I will hear you when your accusers also have come." And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.