Acts 23:23

King James Version

And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Then the commander called over two officers and said, "Y'all gather up two hundred soldiers and take Paul to Caesarea tonight at nine o'clock. Take no chances either. Take two hundred men with spears and seventy mounted cavalry, as well.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And he called to him two of the centurions and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen."

Legacy Standard Bible
And when he called to him two of the centurions, he said, "Make ready two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to proceed to Caesarea by the third hour of the night,

Bible in Basic English
And he sent for two captains and said, Make ready two hundred men, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, to go to Caesarea, at the third hour of the night:

Darby Translation
And having called to [him] certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night.

New King James Version
And 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;

Christian Standard Bible®
He summoned two of his centurions and said, "Get 200 soldiers ready with 70 cavalry and 200 spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight.

World English Bible
He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And having called to him two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, by the third hour of the night.

Weymouth's New Testament
Then, calling to him two of the Captains, he gave his orders. "Get ready two hundred men," he said, "to march to Caesarea, with seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry, starting at nine o'clock to-night."

King James Version (1611)
And he called vnto him two Centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred souldiers to goe to Cesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearemen two hundred, at the third houre of the night.

Literal Translation
And having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, Get two hundred soldiers ready, so that they may go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, from the third hour of the night;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he called vnto him two vndercaptaynes, and sayde: Make redye two hundreth soudyers, that they maye go to Cesarea, and thre score and ten horsmen, and two hundreth speare men at the thirde houre of the nighte,

Mace New Testament (1729)
then calling two of his centurions, draw out, said he, two hundred foot, seventy horse, and two hundred archers, ready to march to Cesarea by the third hour of the night:

THE MESSAGE
The captain called up two centurions. "Get two hundred soldiers ready to go immediately to Caesarea. Also seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry. I want them ready to march by nine o'clock tonight. And you'll need a couple of mules for Paul and his gear. We're going to present this man safe and sound to Governor Felix."

Amplified Bible
Then summoning two of the centurions, he said, "Have two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night (9:00 p.m.) to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen;

American Standard Version
And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:

Revised Standard Version
Then he called two of the centurions and said, "At the third hour of the night get ready two hundred soldiers with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesare'a.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he called vnto him two vnder captaynes sayinge: make redy two hondred soudiers to goo to Cesarea and horsmen threscore and ten and speare men two houndred at the thyrde houre of the nyght.

Update Bible Version
And he called to him two of the captains, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:

Webster's Bible Translation
And he called to [him] two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;

Young's Literal Translation
and having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, `Make ready soldiers two hundred, that they may go on unto Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, from the third hour of the night;

New Century Version
Then the commander called two officers and said, "I need some men to go to Caesarea. Get two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred men with spears ready to leave at nine o'clock tonight.

New English Translation
Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen by nine o'clock tonight,

Berean Standard Bible
Then he called two of his centurions and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.

Contemporary English Version
The commander called in two of his officers and told them, "By nine o'clock tonight have two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea. Take along seventy men on horseback and two hundred foot soldiers with spears.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then he summoned two of the captains and said, "Get two hundred infantry soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight, and seventy mounted cavalry and two hundred spearmen;

English Standard Version
Then he called two of the centurions and said, "Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he called vnto him two certaine Centurions, saying, Make readie two hundred souldiers, that they may go to C?sarea, and horsemen three score and ten, and two hundred with dartes, at the thirde houre of the night.

George Lamsa Translation
And he called to him two centurions, and said, Go and make ready two hundred Roman soldiers to go to Cs-a-re''a and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, to leave at nine o''clock tonight.

Hebrew Names Version
He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night."

International Standard Version
Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight,from the third hour of the night">[fn] along with seventy mounted soldiers and 200 soldiers with spears.

Etheridge Translation
And he called two centurions, and said to them, Go, prepare two hundred Romans to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen and right-handed spearmen two hundred, to go forth at the third hour of the night;

Murdock Translation
And he called two centurions, and said to them: Go and prepare two hundred Romans to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and shooters with the right hand two hundred; and let them set out at the third hour of the night.

New Living Translation
Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, "Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops.

New Life Bible
Then the captain called two soldiers and said, "Get 200 men ready to go to the city of Caesarea by nine o'clock tonight. Also have seventy men ride on horses and 200 men carry spears.

English Revised Version
And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:

New Revised Standard
Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Get ready to leave by nine o'clock tonight for Caesarea with two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And calling certain two of the centurions he said - Make ye ready two hundred soldiers, that they may journey as far as Caesarea, - and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, by the third hour of the night;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then having called two centurions, he said to them: Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea: and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, for the third hour of the night.

Lexham English Bible
And he summoned two of the centurions and said, "Make ready from the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, in order that they may proceed as far as Caesarea.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he called vnto hym two vnder captaynes, saying: Make redy two hundred souldyers, to go to Cesarea, and horsmen threescore and ten, and spearemen two hundred, at the thirde houre of the nyght:

Easy-to-Read Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
And he called to him two of the centurions and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen."

Good News Translation
Then the commander called two of his officers and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, together with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, and be ready to leave by nine o'clock tonight.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he clepide togidre twei centuriens, and he seide to hem, Make ye redi twei hundrid knyytis, that thei go to Cesarie, and horse men seuenti, and spere men twey hundrid, fro the thridde our of the nyyt.

Contextual Overview

¹² And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. ¹⁴ And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. ¹⁵ Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. ¹⁶ And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. ¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him. ¹⁸ So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. ¹⁹ Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? ²⁰ And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. ²¹ But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

two centurions: Acts 23:17

at: About nine o'clock in the evening, for the greater secrecy, and to elude the cunning, active malice of the Jews. Matthew 14:25, Luke 12:38

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 16:13 - cast dust Proverbs 24:11 - General Proverbs 27:10 - better Matthew 8:5 - a centurion Matthew 27:54 - the centurion Luke 7:8 - under Acts 8:40 - Caesarea Acts 10:1 - in Acts 17:10 - the brethren Acts 18:22 - Caesarea Acts 21:8 - Caesarea Acts 21:32 - took Acts 23:31 - as Acts 24:7 - the chief Acts 24:11 - but

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he called to him two centurions,.... Who had each of them an hundred soldiers under them:

saying, make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea; which was formerly called Strato's tower, a sea port town, where Felix the Roman governor now was; it was six hundred furlongs, or seventy five miles f from Jerusalem: these two hundred soldiers were foot soldiers, as appears by their being distinguished from horsemen in the next clause, and were just the number that the two centurions had the command of; the making of them ready, was their seeing to it, that they were properly clothed, and accoutred with arms and ammunition, and with sufficient provision for their journey:

and horsemen threescore and ten; the Ethiopic version reads, "a hundred"; but without support from any copy: "and spearmen two hundred"; who carried spears in their right hand; the word used signifies such who receive, lay hold on, or hold anything in their right hand: some think it designs such who were employed in the militia, to lay hold on guilty persons, and hold them; the Alexandrian copy reads, δεξιοβολους, "those that cast with the right hand"; and so reads the Syriac version, to which the Arabic agrees, which renders it "darters"; such as carried darts in their hands, and did not shoot out of a bow, but cast darts with their hands: now these being got ready, were ordered to march,

at the third hour of the night; at nine o'clock at night, that they might go out unobserved, and before the petition from the sanhedrim was presented to him.

f Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 3. sect. 5. Egesip de Excid. urb. l. 1. c. 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he called unto him two centurions ... - Each centurion had under him 100 men. The chief captain resolved to place Paul beyond the power of the Jews, and to protect him as became a Roman citizen.

Two hundred soldiers - These foot soldiers were designed only to guard Paul until he was safely out of Jerusalem. The horsemen only were intended to accompany him to Caesarea. See Acts 23:32.

And horsemen - These were commonly attached to foot soldiers. In this case, however, they were designed to attend Paul to Caesarea.

And spearmen - δεξιολάβους dexiolabous.” This word is found nowhere else in the New Testament, and occurs in no Classical writer. It properly means those who take, or apprehend by the right hand; and might be applied to those who apprehend prisoners, or to those who hold a spear or dart in the right hand for the purpose of throwing it. Some have conjectured that it should be read δεξιοβόλους dexiobolous - those who cast or throw (a spear) with the right hand. So the Vulgate, the Syriac, and the Arabic understand it. They were probably those who were armed with spears or darts, and who attended on the tribune as a guard.

At the third hour of the night - At nine o’clock. This was in order that it might be done with secrecy, and to elude the band of desperadoes that had resolved to murder Paul. If it should seem that this guard was very numerous for one man, it should be remembered:

1. That the number of those who had conspired against him was also large; and,
2. That they were men accustomed to scenes of blood; men of desperate characters who had solemnly sworn that they would take his life.

In order, therefore, to deter them effectually from attacking the guard, it was made very numerous and strong. Nearly 500 men were appointed to guard Paul as he left Jerusalem.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 23:23. Two hundred soldiers — στρατιωτας, Infantry or foot soldiers.

Horsemen threescore and ten — There was always a certain number of horse, or cavalry, attached to the foot.

Spearmen — δεξιολαβους, Persons who held a spear or javelin in their hand; from εν τῃ δεξιᾳ λαβειν taking or holding a thing in the right hand. But the Codex Alexandrinus reads δεξιοβολους, from δεξια, the right hand, and βαλλειν, to cast or dart, persons who threw javelins. But both words seem to mean nearly the same thing.

The third hour of the night — About nine o'clock P.M., for the greater secrecy, and to elude the cunning, active malice of the Jews.