Acts 23:12 kjv
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.
Acts 23:12 nkjv
And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Acts 23:12 niv
The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
Acts 23:12 esv
When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Acts 23:12 nlt
The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
Acts 23 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 23:13 | Over forty men bound themselves under an oath. | Acts 23:13 |
| Acts 23:14 | They went to the chief priests and elders. | Acts 23:14 |
| Acts 23:15 | They proposed to bring Paul down to the council. | Acts 23:15 |
| Acts 23:16 | Paul’s sister’s son informed him of the plot. | Acts 23:16 |
| Acts 23:17 | Paul called one of the centurions to him. | Acts 23:17 |
| Acts 23:18 | He asked the centurion to take him to the commander. | Acts 23:18 |
| Acts 23:19 | The centurion took him and led him to the commander. | Acts 23:19 |
| Acts 23:20 | Paul informed the commander of the plot. | Acts 23:20 |
| Acts 23:21 | Forty men were ready and had bound themselves by an oath. | Acts 23:21 |
| Acts 23:22 | The commander sent the young man away. | Acts 23:22 |
| Acts 23:31 | The soldiers took Paul and brought him to Antipatris by night. | Acts 23:31 |
| 1 Cor 1:18 | For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. | 1 Cor 1:18 |
| Gal 1:23 | But they had heard only, He who formerly persecuted us now proclaims the faith. | Gal 1:23 |
| 2 Cor 11:23-27 | Paul lists his sufferings for Christ, including danger from his own countrymen. | 2 Cor 11:23-27 |
| Phil 3:6 | As to zeal, he persecuted the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. | Phil 3:6 |
| Acts 9:23-25 | Paul's escape from Damascus in a basket. | Acts 9:23-25 |
| Matt 10:16 | Jesus tells his disciples to be shrewd as serpents, innocent as doves. | Matt 10:16 |
| John 16:2 | Jesus predicts that followers will be expelled from synagogues. | John 16:2 |
| Joshua 1:8 | The importance of meditating on God's word. | Joshua 1:8 |
| Psalm 27:14 | Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage. | Psalm 27:14 |
| Rom 1:16 | The power of God for salvation. | Rom 1:16 |
| 1 Thess 2:16 | Opposing God's message and hindering salvation. | 1 Thess 2:16 |
| Matt 5:37 | Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No' be 'No.' | Matt 5:37 |
Acts 23 verses
Acts 23 12 Meaning
This verse describes a plot by a group of Jews to ambush and kill Paul. Their covenant was a solemn promise, indicating their serious commitment to this plan.
Acts 23 12 Context
Following Paul's arrest and defense before the Jewish council (Sanhedrin) in Jerusalem, as detailed in Acts 23, a volatile situation arose. The disagreement between the Pharisees and Sadducees became so intense that the commander feared for Paul's life and rescued him. Upon returning to the barracks, Paul received a divine reassurance of his future ministry in Rome. This verse, then, reveals a consequence of the turmoil: a determined group of Jews, fueled by their hatred for Paul, took drastic action. They secretly agreed to conspire against him.
Acts 23 12 Word Analysis
And (καὶ - kai): A conjunction connecting the preceding events to the new information.
when (ὅτε - hote): A temporal conjunction introducing the condition for the oath.
it (αὐτῶν - auton): Refers to the group of Jews mentioned implicitly.
was known (ἐγνώσθη - egnosthē): Passive voice, meaning the information became known or revealed.
to Paul (τῷ Παύλῳ - tō Paulō): The recipient of the information about the plot.
that (ὅτι - hoti): Introduces the content of what was known.
more than forty (πλείους τεσσαράκοντα - pleious tessarakonta): A specific, yet potentially approximate, number of conspirators. The number forty in scripture can symbolize a period of trial or testing (e.g., the 40 days of Noah's flood, Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness).
men (ἄνδρες - andres): Masculine gender, referring to men who participated in the conspiracy.
of the Jews (τῶν Ἰουδαίων - tōn Ioudaiōn): Specifies the ethnicity of the plotters.
had bound themselves (συνωμόσαν - synomosant): The verb literally means "swore together" or "conspired by oath." It signifies a solemn and binding agreement.
with an oath (ἀρᾷ - arai): A curse or an oath, indicating a vow made under penalty, perhaps of divine judgment if broken. This shows the seriousness of their intent to kill Paul.
Groups of Words Analysis:
- "more than forty men of the Jews had bound themselves with an oath": This phrase vividly illustrates the organized and deeply committed nature of the opposition against Paul. The oath underscores their lethal intent and their resolve to execute their plan, making the danger to Paul very real. This shows a collective, militant zeal driven by their theological or political objections to Paul's ministry and message.
Acts 23 12 Bonus Section
The intensity of this plot can be viewed as a direct manifestation of the spiritual conflict described in Ephesians 6:12: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." While the agents were physical men, the underlying force driving such hatred and violence was spiritual. Paul's adherence to the principle in Matthew 5:37, letting his "yes" be "yes," stands in stark contrast to the deceitful oaths of the conspirators, revealing a profound difference in ethical commitment rooted in their relationship with Christ. The meticulous detail in reporting this plot also emphasizes Luke's careful historical documentation of Paul's ministry.
Acts 23 12 Commentary
The escalation from theological debate to a murderous plot demonstrates the intense opposition Paul faced. The "more than forty" conspirators' oath reveals a desperate and ruthless attempt to silence the apostle. Their commitment was absolute, showing that "standing for God" for them meant violently eliminating those they perceived as a threat to the law and their traditions. This conspiracy highlights the perilous journey Paul undertook in fulfilling his commission. The Lord's protection, evidenced by Paul being informed, underscores his continued divine safeguard despite immense danger, echoing themes of God's sovereignty and preservation of His servants. This incident also serves as a reminder that genuine faith can be met with violent opposition, and those called by God are often targets.