Acts 23:34

And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia; And when the governor - or, 'when he' [ho (G3588) heegemoon (G2232 ) BEING INSUFFICIENTLY ATTESTED] Had read the letter, he asked of what province he was - the letter having described him simply as a Roman citizen. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;...

25-35 God has instruments for every work. The natural abilities and moral virtues of the heathens often have been employed to protect his persecuted servants. Even the men of the world can discern between the conscientious conduct of upright believers, and the zeal of false professors, though they disregard or understand not their doctrinal principles. All hearts are in God's hand, and those are blessed who put their trust in him, and commit their ways unto him....

OF WHAT PROVINCE HE WAS - Greek: of what heparchy ἐπαρχίας eparchias he was. He knew from the letter of Lysias that he was a Roman, but he was not informed of what place or province he was. This he doubtless did in order to ascertain whether he properly belonged to his jurisdiction. Roman provinces were districts of country which were entrusted to the jurisdiction of procurators. How far the jurisdiction of Felix extended is not certainly known. It appears, however, that it included Cilicia. WAS OF CILICIA - Tarsus, the birthplace of Paul, was in this province, Acts 21:39....

EXPOSITION ACTS 23:1 _Looking steadfastly on _for _earnestly beholding, _A.V.; _brethren _for _men and brethren, _A.V._; I have lived before God, _etc., for _I have lived, _etc., _before God, _A.V. LOOKING STEADFASTLY; ἀτενίσας, as in Acts 1:10; Acts 3:4, Acts 3:12; Acts 6:15; Acts 7:55; Acts 10:4;...

AND WHEN THE GOVERNOR, HAD READ THE LETTER,.... Which he doubtless opened and read as soon as he had received it, not knowing what important business might be contained in it, or of what dangerous consequence a neglect of reading it might be; this showed care and diligence in him: HE ASKED OF WHAT PROVINCE HE WAS; since he perceived by the letter he was a Roman, and that he might know whether he was under his jurisdiction, and whether the hearing of his case belonged to him; and it should seem that it rather belonged to the governor of Syria; but that the crimes he was charged with were committed in Judea, particularly that of profaning the temple. AND WHEN HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS OF CILICIA; which was a Roman province, in which Tarsus was, where Paul was born free; Acts 21:39....

ACTS 23:34 The Western text, which transforms the indirect discourse into direct, is reconstructed by A. C. Clark from 383 614 itgig syrhmg copsa, avnagnou.j de. th.n evpistolh.n evphrw,thsen\ VEk poi,aj evparci,aj ei=* e;fh( Ki,lix\ kai. puqo,menoj e;fh…(“And when he had read _the letter,_ he asked Paul, ‘From what province are you?’ _He said,_ ‘_A Cilician_.’ And when he understood this, he said …”)....

ARRIVAL AT CÆ SAREA. Antipatris (p. 28), a Greek town even the name of which has disappeared, was where Ras-el-Ain is now, on the road from Lydda to Cæ sarea, 40 miles from Jerusalem, 25 from Cæ sarea. 40 miles are more than a night's march for infantry. The procurator asks the necessary question as to the province of the prisoner (_cf._ Luke 23:6 f.), and undertakes to hear the case when the prosecutors arrive. Of the præ torium (_mg.)_ of Herod at Cæ sarea nothing is known....

THE STRATEGY OF PAUL (Acts 23:1-10)...

WHEN, &C. The texts read "when he had read it". ASKED. questioned. Greek. _eperotao._ See note on Acts 1:6. PROVINCE. Greek. _eparchia._ Only here and Acts 25:1. UNDERSTOOD. learnt by enquiry. Greek. _punthanomai._ See verses: Acts 23:19; Acts 23:20. of. from. Greek. _apo_. App-104. CILICIA. Cilicia was included in the province of Syria, and therefore in the jurisdiction of Felix....

_And when the governor had read the letter_ The oldest MSS. have nothing either for "the governor" or "the letter." Read (with _Rev. Ver._) "And when he had read it." _of what province he was_ Cilicia had been at one time, and perhaps still was, attached to the province of Syria. It was so in the time of Quirinus. This will explain why at once Felix without question decided that, at the proper time, he would hear the cause....