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Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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THE MESSAGE

Acts 23:16

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."

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.
Easy-to-Read Version
But Paul's nephew heard about this plan. He went to the army building and told 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;
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

12Next day the Jews worked up a plot against Paul. They took a solemn oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed him. Over forty of them ritually bound themselves to this murder pact and presented themselves to the high priests and religious leaders. "We've bound ourselves by a solemn oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. But we need your help. Send a request from the council to the captain to bring Paul back so that you can investigate the charges in more detail. We'll do the rest. Before he gets anywhere near you, we'll have killed him. You won't be involved." 16Paul'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." 18 The centurion brought him to the captain and said, "The prisoner Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He said he has something urgent to tell you." 19 The captain took him by the arm and led him aside privately. "What is it? What do you have to tell me?" 20Paul's nephew said, "The Jews have worked up a plot against Paul. They're going to ask you to bring Paul to the council first thing in the morning on the pretext that they want to investigate the charges against him in more detail. But it's a trick to get him out of your safekeeping so they can murder him. Right now there are more than forty men lying in ambush for him. They've all taken a vow to neither eat nor drink until they've killed him. The ambush is set—all they're waiting for is for you to send him over." 22 The captain dismissed the nephew with a warning: "Don't breathe a word of this to a soul." 23The 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." 25Then he wrote this letter: From Claudius Lysias, to the Most Honorable Governor Felix: Greetings! I rescued this man from a Jewish mob. They had seized him and were about to kill him when I learned that he was a Roman citizen. So I sent in my soldiers. Wanting to know what he had done wrong, I had him brought before their council. It turned out to be a squabble turned vicious over some of their religious differences, but nothing remotely criminal. The next thing I knew, they had cooked up a plot to murder him. I decided that for his own safety I'd better get him out of here in a hurry. So I'm sending him to you. I'm informing his accusers that he's now under your jurisdiction. 31The soldiers, following orders, took Paul that same night to safety in Antipatris. In the morning the soldiers returned to their barracks in Jerusalem, sending Paul on to Caesarea under guard of the cavalry. The cavalry entered Caesarea and handed Paul and the letter over to the governor. 34After reading the letter, the governor asked Paul what province he came from and was told "Cilicia." Then he said, "I'll take up your case when your accusers show up." He ordered him locked up for the meantime in King Herod's official quarters.

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

Jeremiah 32:9
"So I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel. I paid him seventeen silver shekels. I followed all the proper procedures: In the presence of witnesses I wrote out the bill of sale, sealed it, and weighed out the money on the scales. Then I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy that contained the contract and its conditions and also the open copy—and gave them to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah. All this took place in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and the witnesses who had signed the deed, as the Jews who were at the jail that day looked on.
Zechariah 11:12
Then I addressed them: "Pay me what you think I'm worth." They paid me an insulting sum, counting out thirty silver coins.
Matthew 7:12
"Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get.
Romans 13:8
Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don't sleep with another person's spouse, don't take someone's life, don't take what isn't yours, don't always be wanting what you don't have, and any other "don't" you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can't go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love.
Philippians 4:8
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
1 Thessalonians 4:6
Don't run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God's concerns, and he will take care of them. We've warned you about this before. God hasn't invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

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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