17. Then Paul called one of the army officers and said to him, “Take this young man to the commander. He has a message for him.”
18. So the army officer brought Paul’s nephew to the commander. The officer said, “The prisoner Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
19. The commander led the young man to a place where they could be alone. The commander asked, “What do you want to tell me?”
20. The young man said, “Some Jews have decided to ask you to bring Paul down to their council meeting tomorrow. They want you to think that they plan to ask Paul more questions.
21. But don’t believe them! More than 40 of them are hiding and waiting to kill him. They have all promised not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are waiting for you to say yes.”
22. The commander sent the young man away, telling him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have told me about their plan.”
23. Then the commander called two army officers. He said to them, “I need some men to go to Caesarea. Get 200 soldiers ready. Also, get 70 soldiers on horses and 200 men to carry spears. Be ready to leave at nine o’clock tonight.
24. Get some horses for Paul to ride so that he can be taken to Governor Felix safely.”
25. The commander wrote a letter that said:
26. From Claudius Lysias, To the Most Honorable Governor Felix. Greetings:
27. Some Jews had taken this man and planned to kill him. But I learned that he is a Roman citizen, so I went with my soldiers and saved him.
28. I wanted to know why they were accusing him. So I brought him before their council meeting.
29. This is what I learned: The Jews said this man did some things that were wrong. But these charges were about their own Jewish laws, and there was nothing worthy of jail or death.
30. I was told that some of the Jews were making a plan to kill him. So I decided to send him to you. I also told those Jews to tell you what they have against him.
31. The soldiers did what they were told. They got Paul and took him to the city of Antipatris that night.
32. The next day the soldiers on horses went with Paul to Caesarea, but the other soldiers and the spearmen went back to the army building in Jerusalem.