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Sunday, August 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Lexham English Bible

Acts 24:7

Paul Before Felix at Caesarea Maritima And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, all of whom brought charges against Paul to the governor. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "We have experienced much peace through you, and reforms are taking place in this nation through your foresight. Both in every way and everywhere we acknowledge this, most excellent Felix, with all gratitude. But so that I may not impose on you for longer, I implore you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. For we have found this man to be a public menace and one who causes riots among all the Jews throughout the Roman Empire and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, who even attempted to desecrate the temple, and we arrested him.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Advocate;   Lysias;   Readings, Select;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Caesarea;   Felix;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Tertullus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Acts of the Apostles;   Tertullus;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Lysias;   Oration, Orator;   Tertullus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Justice;   Latin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Captain;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Claudius Lysias ;   Felix ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Tertullus;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Lys'ias Clau'dius,;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Army, Roman;   Claudius Lysias;   Tertullus;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But Lysias the commander came and took him from our hands with great force,
King James Version (1611)
But the chiefe captaine Lysias came vpon vs, and with great violence tooke him away out of our hands:
King James Version
But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
English Standard Version
Paul Before Felix at Caesarea And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: "Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.
New Century Version
But the officer Lysias came and used much force to take him from us.
Amplified Bible
but Lysias the commander came, and with great force took him out of our hands,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands,
Legacy Standard Bible
But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands,
Complete Jewish Bible
Darby Translation
but Lysias, the chiliarch, coming up, took [him] away with great force out of our hands,
Geneva Bible (1587)
But the chiefe captaine Lysias came vpon vs, and with great violence tooke him out of our handes,
George Lamsa Translation
But the chief captain Lys''ias came, and by force took him away out of our hands and sent him to you,
Good News Translation
Literal Translation
but Lysias the chiliarch coming up with much force took him away out of our hands,
American Standard Version
And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with certain elders, and with an orator, one Tertullus; and they informed the governor against Paul. And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that by thy providence evils are corrected for this nation, we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. But, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I entreat thee to hear us of thy clemency a few words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: who moreover assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold:
Bible in Basic English
[] Brackets are used for marking additions made by later writers.
Hebrew Names Version
* [No text]
Etheridge Translation
but Lusios the tribune came, and with great force transferred him from our hands,
Murdock Translation
But Lysias the Chiliarch came, and with great violence took him out of our hands, and sent him to thee.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the hye captayne Lysias, came vpon vs, and with great violence toke hym away out of our handes,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But Lysias the tribune coming upon us, with great violence took him away out of our hands,
Weymouth's New Testament
[]
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But Lisias, the trybune, cam with greet strengthe aboue, and delyuerede hym fro oure hoondis;
Webster's Bible Translation
But the chief captain Lysias came and with great violence took [him] out of our hands,
New English Translation
The Accusations Against Paul After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought formal charges against Paul to the governor. When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "We have experienced a lengthy time of peace through your rule, and reforms are being made in this nation through your foresight. Most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way with all gratitude. But so that I may not delay you any further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. For we have found this man to be a troublemaker, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to desecrate the temple, so we arrested him.
New King James Version
But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands,
New Living Translation
New Life Bible
But Lysias, the captain, came and took him out of our hands.
New Revised Standard
Paul before Felix at Caesarea Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, and they reported their case against Paul to the governor. When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: "Your Excellency, because of you we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms have been made for this people because of your foresight. We welcome this in every way and everywhere with utmost gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, and so we seized him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But Lysias the tribune, coming upon us with great violence, took him away out of our hands;
Revised Standard Version
* [No text]
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
but the hye captayne Lisias came vpon vs and with great violence toke him awaye out of oure hodes
Young's Literal Translation
and Lysias the chief captain having come near, with much violence, out of our hands did take away,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Lysias the hye captayne came vpo vs, and with greate violence delyuered him out of oure handes,
Mace New Testament (1729)
but general Lysias interpos'd, and with open force took him out of our hands,
Simplified Cowboy Version

Contextual Overview

1 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, all of whom brought charges against Paul to the governor. 2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "We have experienced much peace through you, and reforms are taking place in this nation through your foresight. 3 Both in every way and everywhere we acknowledge this, most excellent Felix, with all gratitude. 4 But so that I may not impose on you for longer, I implore you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. 5 For we have found this man to be a public menace and one who causes riots among all the Jews throughout the Roman Empire and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, 6 who even attempted to desecrate the temple, and we arrested him. When you yourself examine him you will be able to find out from him about all these things of which we are accusing him." And the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting these things were so. And when the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, "Because I know you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I defend myself cheerfully with respect to the things concerning myself. You can ascertain that it has not been more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. And neither did they find me arguing with anyone or making a crowd develop in the temple courts nor in the synagogues nor throughout the city. Nor can they prove the things to you concerning which they are now accusing me. But I do confess this to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), so I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things that are in accordance with the law and that are written in the prophets, having a hope in God which these men also themselves await: that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. For this reason also I myself always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and people. So after many years, I came to practice charitable giving and offerings to my people, in which they found me purified in the temple courts, not with a crowd or with a disturbance. But there are some Jews from Asia who ought to be present before you and bring charges against me, if they have anything against me, or these men themselves should say what crime they found when I stood before the Sanhedrin, other than concerning this one declaration that I shouted while standing there before them: ‘I am being judged before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead!'" But Felix, because he understood the facts concerning the Way more accurately, put them off, saying, "When Lysias the military tribune comes down, I will decide your case." He ordered the centurion for him to be guarded and to have some freedom, and in no way to prevent any of his own people from serving him. And after some days, when Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him concerning faith in Christ Jesus. And while he was discussing about righteousness and self control and the judgment that is to come, Felix became afraid and replied, "Go away for the present, and when I have an opportunity, I will summon you." At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. For this reason also he sent for him as often as possible and talked with him. And when two years had passed, Felix received as successor Porcius Festus. And because he wanted to do a favor for the Jews, Felix left Paul behind as a prisoner. 7Paul Before Felix at Caesarea Maritima And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, all of whom brought charges against Paul to the governor. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "We have experienced much peace through you, and reforms are taking place in this nation through your foresight. Both in every way and everywhere we acknowledge this, most excellent Felix, with all gratitude. But so that I may not impose on you for longer, I implore you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. For we have found this man to be a public menace and one who causes riots among all the Jews throughout the Roman Empire and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, who even attempted to desecrate the temple, and we arrested him. 8 When you yourself examine him you will be able to find out from him about all these things of which we are accusing him." 9 And the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting these things were so.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the chief: Acts 21:31-33, Acts 23:23-32, Proverbs 4:16

great: Acts 21:35, Acts 23:10

Reciprocal: Acts 21:32 - and ran Acts 23:27 - was taken Acts 23:30 - and gave Acts 24:22 - When

Cross-References

Genesis 13:15
for all the land which you see I will give to you, and to your descendants, forever.
Genesis 15:18
On that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram saying, "To your offspring I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates river,
Genesis 17:8
And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land in which you are living as an alien, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting property. And I will be to them as God."
Genesis 24:1
Now Abraham was old, advanced in age, and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in everything.
Genesis 24:3
that I may make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose midst I am dwelling,
Genesis 24:4
but that you will go to my land and to my family, and take a wife for my son, for Isaac."
Genesis 24:5
And the servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land—must I then return your son to the land from whence you came?"
Genesis 24:6
Abraham said to him, "You must take care that you do not return my son there.
Genesis 24:7
Yahweh, the God of heaven who took me from the house of my father and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘to your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Genesis 24:16
Now the girl was very pleasing in appearance. She was a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But the chief captain Lysias came upon us,.... Suddenly, and at unawares, immediately, and with great haste, before they could execute their designs; which were not to judge Paul according to law, but to kill him, in the manner the zealots did:

and with great violence took him away out of our hands; for he came with an army, and rescued him, Acts 23:27 Some copies add, "and sent him to thee"; and so the Syriac version reads.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But the chief captain ... - Tertullus pretends that they would have judged Paul righteously if Lysias had not interposed; but the truth was, that, without regard to law or justice, they would have murdered him on the spot.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 24:7. With great violence — μετα πολλης βιας, I rather think, means with an armed force. Tertullus intimates that Lysias interfered contrary to law, and brought soldiers to support him in his infringement on their constitution. This is what he seems to say and complain of; for the Jews were vexed with Lysias for rescuing the apostle from their hands.


 
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