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Acts 23:24

in Acts 23

Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

and he bade them provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

KJV

And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

This verse in Acts 23

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Provide them beasts - One for Paul, and some others for his immediate keepers. Felix the governor - This Felix was a freed man of the Emperor Claudius, and brother of Pallas, chief favourite of the emperor. Tacitus calls him Antonius Felix; and gives us to understand that he governed with all the authority of a king, and the baseness and insolence of a quondam slave. E libertis Antonius Felix per omnem saevitiam ac libidinem jus regium servili ingenio exercuit. Hist. v.

This site's exposition

Make ready two hundred soldiers

on Acts 23:23-24

Lysias assembles a genuinely large escort, two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, roughly half the garrison's strength, to move one prisoner nine miles by night. The scale of the force measures how seriously Rome takes both the threat and its own responsibility for a citizen in its custody, and it provides mounts so Paul travels rather than walks the distance to Felix. Historians of the Roman army count the numbers realistic for a cohort stationed in Jerusalem, another mark of Luke's precision with military detail running through the whole book.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 49 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"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; and provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor." See how he becomes a minister to him, insomuch that without risk he is carried off safe with so large a force.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Now that Paul was brought before them he thought to have faced them down, but could not, such was their wicked impudence. However, now was fulfilled in him what God promised to Ezekiel ( ch. iii.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

And provide them beasts,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

And provide them beasts - One for Paul, and one for each of his attendants. The word translated “beasts” κτήνη ktēnē is of a general character, and may be applied either to horses, camels, or donkeys. The latter were most commonly employed in Judea. Unto Felix the governor - The governor of Judea. His place of residence was Caesarea, about 60 miles from Jerusalem. See the notes on Act 8:40. His name was Antonius Felix. He was a freedman of Antonia, the mother of the Emperor Claudius. He was high in the favor of Claudius, and was made by him governor of Judea. Josephus calls him Claudius Felix. He had married three wives in succession that were of royal families, one of whom was Drusilla, afterward mentioned in Act 24:24, who was sister to King Agrippa. Tacitus (History, v. 9) says that he governed with all the authority of a king, and the baseness and insolence of a slave. “He was an unrighteous governor, a base, mercenary, and bad man” (Clarke). See his character further described in the notes on Act 24:25.

The words behind it

12 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 27:2

    They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 20:19

      and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”

    • Acts 3:13

      The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.

  • Through

    Acts 25:14

    Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix left in prison.

    it leads to

    • Acts 24:27

      After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

  • Through

    Acts 23:26

    Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.

    it leads to

    • Acts 15:23

      and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

    • Luke 1:3

      Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

    • Acts 24:3

      In every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with all gratitude.

    • Acts 26:25

      But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

  • Through

    Acts 24:10

    When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense.

    it leads to

    • 1 Peter 3:15

      But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and…

Where this verse is studied

What the record shows

1 entry
  • Marcus Antonius Felix — attested outside the Biblewell-supported

    Josephus; Tacitus; coins

    Biblical figure (Procurator of Judea, AD 52-ca. 59) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.

    Counterpoint: Felix is well attested, but by literature rather than epigraphy: Josephus, Tacitus (Annals 12.54), and Suetonius. The coins struck in Judea during his years do not carry his name — procuratorial small change named the emperor and his family, not the governor. The length of his term is also debated, and the date of his recall matters for dating Paul's imprisonment.

About Acts

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 49; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.