But God interposed to save the life of His servant.Paul's sister's son, hearing of the "lying in wait" of the assassins, "went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.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.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."Claudius Lysias received the youth kindly, and taking him aside, asked, "What is that thou hast to tell me?" The youth replied: "The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.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.""The chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me."Lysias at once decided to transfer Paul from his jurisdiction to that of Felix the procurator.As a people, the Jews were in a state of excitement and irritation, and tumults were of frequent occurrence.The continued presence of the apostle in Jerusalem might lead to consequences dangerous to the city and even to the commandant himself.He therefore "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; and provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor."No time was to be lost in sending Paul away."The soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris." From that place the horsemen went on with the prisoner to Caesarea, while the four hundred soldiers returned to Jerusalem.
The officer in charge of the detachment delivered his prisoner to Felix, also presenting a letter with which he had been entrusted by the chief captain:
"Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council: whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, Isent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him.
Farewell."
