Acts 23 33

Acts 23:33 kjv

Who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

Acts 23:33 nkjv

When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

Acts 23:33 niv

When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.

Acts 23:33 esv

When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.

Acts 23:33 nlt

When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix.

Acts 23 verses

Acts 23 33 Meaning

Acts 23:33 describes the successful and protective arrival of Paul, under heavy Roman guard, in Caesarea. Upon reaching the provincial capital, the contingent of soldiers entrusted with Paul's safety fulfilled their orders by delivering the accompanying official letter from the chiliarch Claudius Lysias to the governor Felix. Concurrently, Paul himself was presented before the governor, marking the commencement of the formal legal proceedings against him in Caesarea, a pivotal moment in his apostolic journey under divine sovereignty.

Acts 23 33 Context

Acts chapter 23 immediately precedes this verse with a revelation of God's providential care for Paul. After being saved from a Jewish mob in the Jerusalem temple and then facing the Sanhedrin where a conspiracy against him arose, a plot was formed by over forty Jews to ambush and murder Paul. Informed by Paul's nephew, the chiliarch (military commander) Claudius Lysias, took swift and decisive action to thwart this plot. He arranged a formidable military escort – two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen – to safely transport Paul from Jerusalem to Caesarea by night. This large escort underscored the seriousness with which Rome viewed maintaining order and protecting a Roman citizen. Acts 23:33 describes the successful culmination of this extraordinary transfer, placing Paul into the jurisdiction of the highest Roman authority in Judea, Governor Felix, setting the stage for prolonged legal proceedings in Caesarea. This move was crucial as Jerusalem was no longer a safe place for Paul to achieve God's plan for him to bear witness even to kings and in Rome.

Acts 23 33 Word analysis

• When they came to Caesarea (εἰσελθόντες εἰς Καισάρειαν - eiselthontes eis Kaisareian):
  • εἰσελθόντες (eiselthontes - having gone in/entered): A participle denoting the completion of the arduous journey. It signifies the soldiers and Paul successfully arriving at and entering the city. This implies the prior successful negotiation of the night journey from Jerusalem, bypassing dangers.
  • Καισάρειαν (Kaisareian - Caesarea): Caesarea Maritima was the Roman administrative capital of Judea, founded by Herod the Great. It served as the residence of the Roman procurator (governor) and was a vital port city. Moving Paul here signifies a transfer from local Jewish religious jurisdiction to imperial Roman legal authority. It was a strategic, relatively safer location than Jerusalem, crucial for Paul's future defense.
• and delivered (καὶ ἐπιδόντες - kai epidontes):
  • καὶ (kai - and): Connects the arrival with the primary task.
  • ἐπιδόντες (epidontes - having handed over/presented): From epididomi, meaning "to give upon, present, deliver." It emphasizes the formal act of entrusting something or someone. Here, it refers specifically to the formal handover of the letter, an official protocol.
• the letter (τὴν ἐπιστολὴν - tēn epistolēn):
  • ἐπιστολὴν (epistolēn - letter): A formal, usually official, written communication. This was the critical document from Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:25-30), which detailed the circumstances of Paul's arrest, the Jewish plot, and affirmed Paul's Roman citizenship and lack of crime, requesting the governor to take up the case. It provided the governor with the context for Paul's arrest and transfer.
• to the governor (τῷ ἡγεμόνι - tō hēgemoni):
  • ἡγεμόνι (hēgemoni - governor/prefect/procurator): Referring to Antonius Felix, the Roman procurator of Judea (Acts 23:24, 24:10). This term denotes the chief administrative and judicial officer of the province, holding considerable authority. Presenting to the hēgemōn elevates the case to the highest Roman judicial level within the province.
• they also presented (παρέστησαν καὶ - parestēsan kai):
  • παρέστησαν (parestēsan - they presented/stood beside): From paristēmi, meaning "to cause to stand near, to present for judgment, to bring before." This term carries a formal and official connotation, indicating Paul was brought before the governor in an official capacity, likely as a prisoner awaiting trial or preliminary hearing. It highlights the formality of the judicial process.
• Paul before him (τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ - ton Paulon autō):
  • τὸν Παῦλον (ton Paulon - Paul): The Apostle Paul, the central figure. His presence is the culmination of the journey and the purpose of the escort.
  • αὐτῷ (autō - him): Refers to the governor, Felix. This indicates the direct presentation, putting Paul physically under the governor's immediate authority.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor": This phrase emphasizes the logistical success and procedural correctness of the Roman military's actions. The precise execution of Lysias's orders, involving a substantial armed escort and proper documentation, highlights Rome's efficiency and legal process, even if applied here to an innocent man. It demonstrates God's use of even pagan authorities to further His plans for His servant.
  • "they also presented Paul before him": This clause signifies the shift from journey to legal proceedings. The focus moves from the letter's contents to the person of Paul himself, whose testimony and suffering were divinely orchestrated to reach kings and rulers, fulfilling Acts 9:15 and Mark 13:9-11. His physical presentation before Felix is the beginning of a new phase of his ministry and trials, ultimately leading to Rome.

Acts 23 33 Bonus section

The massive escort (470 soldiers for one man) accompanying Paul to Caesarea was not merely for Paul's protection but also to impress the Jews plotting against him with the might of Roman authority. This display served as a strong deterrent against any further attempts at ambushing Paul en route. The chiliarch Lysias's primary motivation was to ensure a Roman citizen's safety and adhere to protocol, yet his actions inadvertently protected Paul for his higher divine mission. This showcases a pattern in Acts where human actions, sometimes driven by worldly concerns, are integrated into God's overarching plan for the spread of His kingdom. The subsequent prolonged trials in Caesarea also provided extended periods for Paul to continue influencing others and deepen his own trust in God's faithfulness amidst waiting.

Acts 23 33 Commentary

Acts 23:33 marks a crucial juncture in Paul's life and ministry, orchestrated by divine providence. The seemingly secular act of delivering a letter and a prisoner to a Roman governor is saturated with theological significance. God used the Roman military's diligence, protocol, and protection to rescue Paul from deadly plots in Jerusalem and transition him to Caesarea, a safer and strategically vital location. This wasn't merely a relocation; it was a divine redirecting. Paul's imprisonment in Caesarea for the next two years provided him with opportunities to witness to Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa, directly fulfilling the Lord's prophetic words that Paul would "bear My name before Gentiles and kings" (Acts 9:15).

The precision in "delivered the letter" and "presented Paul" underlines the formality of Roman law, a system that, despite its imperfections, became an instrument for God's purposes. Paul, despite being an innocent prisoner, was treated with procedural adherence, ironically securing his survival and onward journey to Rome, the epicenter of the Empire, just as the Lord promised (Acts 23:11). The meticulousness of the transfer signifies God's absolute control over every detail of Paul's life, even through hostile plots and the machinery of worldly powers, all bending toward the advance of the gospel.