Acts 23:27
in Acts 23This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Acts 23
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Claudius--the Roman name he would take on purchasing his citizenship. Lysias--his Greek family name. the most excellent governor--an honorary title of office.
This site's exposition
he wrote the following letter
on Acts 23:25-27
Lysias writes that he rescued Paul because he had learned that he is a Roman citizen. The claim shades the truth, since 22:25-29 shows Lysias learned this only after nearly having Paul flogged.
This site's exposition
I came with my troops to rescue him
Albert Barnes notes that Paul's life had now been threatened twice, at the temple in Acts 21:30 and before the council in Acts 23:10. John Chrysostom reads the letter as evidence of how set on his death his accusers were. Rome's own report recorded it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"About to have been killed of them:" so set upon his death were they. First, "I came with the army, and rescued him:" then also "I brought him down unto them:" and not even so did they find anything to lay to his charge: and when they ought to have been stricken with fear and shame for the former act, they again attempt to kill him, insomuch that again his cause became all the more clear. "And his accusers," he says, "I have sent unto thee:" that at the tribunal where these things are more strictly examined, he may be proved guiltless.
"And he wrote a letter after this manner: 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, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Fare ye well." See how the letter speaks for him as a defence-for it says, "I found nothing worthy of death," but as accusation against them rather than against him.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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
This man was taken by the Jews,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Should have been killed of them - Was about to be killed by them. The life of Paul had been twice endangered in this manner, Act 21:30; Act 23:10. With an army - With a band of soldiers, Act 23:10.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄνδρα | andra | man | G435 → | 216 times |
| τοῦτον | touton | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| συλλημφθέντα | sullemphthenta | having been seized | G4815 → | 16 times |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαίων | ioudaion | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μέλλοντα | mellonta | being about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| ἀναιρεῖσθαι | anaireisthai | to be executed | G337 → | 24 times |
| ὑπ᾽ | hup᾽ | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| αὐτῶν, | auton | them, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐπιστὰς | epistas | having come up | G2186 → | 21 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στρατεύματι | strateumati | troop | G4753 → | |
| ἐξειλάμην | exeilamen | I rescued | G1807 → | 8 times |
| μαθὼν | mathon | having learned | G3129 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| Ῥωμαῖός | rhomaios | a Roman | G4514 → | 12 times |
| ἐστιν· | estin | he is; | G1510 → | 2333 times |
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἄνδραman
andraG435 →216 times
τοῦτονthis
toutonG3778 →1381 times
συλλημφθένταhaving been seized
sullemphthentaG4815 →16 times
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἸουδαίωνJews
ioudaionG2453 →192 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μέλλονταbeing about
mellontaG3195 →109 times
ἀναιρεῖσθαιto be executed
anaireisthaiG337 →24 times
ὑπ᾽by
hup᾽G5259 →219 times
αὐτῶν,them,
autonG846 →5565 times
ἐπιστὰςhaving come up
epistasG2186 →21 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
στρατεύματιtroop
strateumatiG4753 →
ἐξειλάμηνI rescued
exeilamenG1807 →8 times
μαθὼνhaving learned
mathonG3129 →
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
Ῥωμαῖόςa Roman
rhomaiosG4514 →12 times
ἐστιν·he is;
estinG1510 →2333 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Acts 23:10The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
it leads to
- James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Acts 22:24
the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
- James 3:14
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
- Micah 3:3
You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”
- Acts 23:32
The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.
- James 1:19
Through
Acts 24:6and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.
it leads to
- Acts 24:12
Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city.
- Acts 19:37
For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
- John 19:7–8
“We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God.”
- Acts 24:12
Where this verse is studied
About Acts

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 49; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
