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Monday, August 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Acts 23:16

But Paul's nephew heard about this plan. He went to the army building and told Paul.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Castle;   Claudius Lysius;   Friendship;   Minister, Christian;   Paul;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Lysias Claudius;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Ambush;   Letter;   Persecution in the Bible;   Prison, Prisoners;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Caesarea;   Paul the Apostle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Andronicus ;   Castle;   Lysias;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Claudius;   Paul;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Sister;   Sister's Son;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But the son of Paul’s sister, hearing about their ambush, came and entered the barracks and reported it to Paul.
King James Version (1611)
And when Pauls sisters sonne heard of their laying in wait, hee went and entred into the castle, & told Paul.
King James Version
And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
English Standard Version
Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.
New American Standard Bible
But the son of Paul's sister heard about their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.
New Century Version
But Paul's nephew heard about this plan and went to the army building and told Paul.
Amplified Bible
But the son of Paul's sister heard of their [planned] ambush, and he went to the barracks and told Paul.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.
Legacy Standard Bible
But when the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, he came and entered the barracks and reported it to Paul.
Berean Standard Bible
But when the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
Contemporary English Version
When Paul's nephew heard about the plot, he went to the fortress and told Paul about it.
Complete Jewish Bible
But the son of Sha'ul's sister got wind of the planned ambush, and he went into the barracks and told Sha'ul.
Darby Translation
But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported [it] to Paul.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But when Pauls sisters sonne heard of their laying awaite, he went, and entred into the castel, and tolde Paul.
George Lamsa Translation
When Paul''s nephew heard this plot, he went into the castle and told Paul.
Good News Translation
But the son of Paul's sister heard about the plot; so he went to the fort and told Paul.
Lexham English Bible
But when the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered into the barracks and reported it to Paul.
Literal Translation
But the son of Paul's sister hearing of the ambush, having come near, and entering into the fortress, reported to Paul.
American Standard Version
But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
Bible in Basic English
But Paul's sister's son had word of their design, and he came into the army building and gave news of it to Paul.
Hebrew Names Version
But Sha'ul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Sha'ul.
International Standard Version
But the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, so he came and got into the barracks and told Paul.
Etheridge Translation
And the son of the sister of Paulos heard this plot, and he entered the fortress and informed Paulos.
Murdock Translation
the son of Paul's sister, heard of this plot: and he went into the castle, and informed Paul.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when Paules sisters sonne heard of their laying awaite, he went & entred into the castle, and tolde Paul.
English Revised Version
But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
World English Bible
But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But Paul's sister's son, hearing of the ambush, came, and entering into the castle, told Paul.
Weymouth's New Testament
But Paul's sister's son heard of the intended attack upon him. So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about it;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the sone of Poulis sister hadde herd the aspies, he cam, and entride in to the castels, and telde to Poul.
Update Bible Version
But Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when the son of Paul's sister heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
New English Translation
But when the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.
New King James Version
So when Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.
New Living Translation
But Paul's nephew—his sister's son—heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul.
New Life Bible
Paul's nephew heard about the plan. He went to the soldiers' building and told Paul.
New Revised Standard
Now the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush; so he went and gained entrance to the barracks and told Paul.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But Paul's sister's son hearing of the lying-in-wait, happening to be near, and coming into the castle, - reported it unto Paul.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Which when Paul’s sister’s son had heard, of their lying in wait, he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
Revised Standard Version
Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush; so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When Pauls sisters sonne hearde of their layinge awayte he wet and entred into the castle and tolde Paul.
Young's Literal Translation
And the son of Paul's sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the castle, told Paul,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whan Pauls sisters sonne herde of their layenge awayte, he came, and entred into the castell, and tolde Paul.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Paul's sister's son hearing of the ambuscade, went to the castle, and being admitted, told Paul;
THE MESSAGE
Paul's nephew, his sister's son, overheard them plotting the ambush. He went immediately to the barracks and told Paul. Paul called over one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the captain. He has something important to tell him."
Simplified Cowboy Version
But Paul's nephew on his sister's side heard the plot and went to the garrison to tell Paul about the plan to ambush and kill him.

Contextual Overview

12 The next morning some of the Jews made a plan to kill Paul. They made a promise to themselves that they would not eat or drink anything until they had killed him. 13 There were more than 40 of them who made this plan. 14 They went and talked to the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders. They said, "We have promised ourselves that we will not eat or drink until we have killed Paul. 15 So this is what we want you to do: Send a message to the commander from you and the high council. Tell him you want him to bring Paul out to you. Say that you want to ask him more questions. We will be waiting to kill him while he is on the way here." 16 But Paul's nephew heard about this plan. He went to the army building and told Paul. 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."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when: Job 5:13, Proverbs 21:30, Lamentations 3:37, 1 Corinthians 3:19

he went: 2 Samuel 17:17

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 19:2 - Jonathan 1 Samuel 23:9 - David Proverbs 24:15 - Lay Jeremiah 36:19 - General Jeremiah 37:20 - lest Acts 21:34 - into Acts 23:30 - it was Acts 26:22 - obtained

Cross-References

Genesis 23:15
"Sir, listen to me. Ten pounds of silver mean nothing to you or me. Take the land and bury your dead wife."
Genesis 43:21
On the way home, we opened our sacks and found our money in every sack. We don't know how it got there, but we brought that money with us to give it back to you. And we have brought more money to pay for the food that we want to buy this time."
Exodus 30:13
Each man who is counted must pay 1/2 shekel of silver. (That is 1/2 shekel by the official measure. This shekel weighs 20 gerahs.) This half shekel is an offering to the Lord .
Job 28:15
You cannot buy wisdom with even the purest gold. There's not enough silver in the world to pay for it.
Jeremiah 32:9
I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel. I weighed out 17 shekels of silver for him.
Ezekiel 45:12
A shekel must equal 20 gerahs. A mina must equal 60 shekels. It must be equal to 20 shekels plus 25 shekels plus 15 shekels.
Zechariah 11:12
Then I said, "If you want to pay me, pay me. If not, don't!" So they paid me 30 pieces of silver.
Matthew 7:12
"Do for others what you would want them to do for you. This is the meaning of the Law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.
Romans 13:8
You should owe nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands.
Philippians 4:8
Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait,.... Paul might have a sister living in Jerusalem; or this her son might be there on account of his studies; he might be a pupil to one of the doctors, by which means he might come at this secret, that such a number of men were in ambush, in order to take away his uncle's life: wherefore having got intelligence of it,

he went and entered into the castle; the Alexandrian copy reads, "the synagogue"; but Paul was not there, but in the castle of Antonia; the Ethiopic version renders it, "the prison"; though it is plain that he was not very closely confined, it was easy to have access to him; the reason might be, not only because he was a Roman, but because he was uncondemned, nor was any charge proved against him:

and told Paul; what he had heard, that such a number of men had entered into a conspiracy to take away his life, and lay in wait for him; and this was an instance both of duty and affection to his uncle, and worthy of imitation, whether it proceeded from natural relation, or from religion, or both.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Paul’s sister’s son - This is all that we know of the family of Paul. Nor do we know for what purpose he was at Jerusalem. It is possible that Paul might have a sister residing there; though, as Paul himself had been sent there formerly for his education, it seems more probable that this young man was sent there for the same purpose.

Entered into the castle - Paul had the privileges of a Roman citizen, and as no well-founded charge had been laid against him, it is probable that he was not very closely confined, and that his friends might have free access to him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 23:16. Paul's sister's son — This is all we know of Paul's family. And we know not how this young man got to Jerusalem; the family, no doubt, still resided at Tarsus.


 
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