10. The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound.
11. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
12. When day came, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13. There were more than forty who formed this conspiracy.
14. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves by a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
15. You, together with the Sanhedrin, must now make an official request to the commander to have him bring him down to you, as though you meant to investigate his case more thoroughly. We on our part are prepared to kill him before he arrives.”
16. The son of Paul’s sister, however, heard about the ambush; so he went and entered the compound and reported it to Paul.
17. Paul then called one of the centurions and requested, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to report to him.”
18. So he took him and brought him to the commander and explained, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked that I bring this young man to you; he has something to say to you.”
19. The commander took him by the hand, drew him aside, and asked him privately, “What is it you have to report to me?”
20. He replied, “The Jews have conspired to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they meant to inquire about him more thoroughly,
21. but do not believe them. More than forty of them are lying in wait for him; they have bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are now ready and only wait for your consent.”
22. As the commander dismissed the young man he directed him, “Tell no one that you gave me this information.”