Acts 23:12

οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι with אABCE. Vulg. ‘quidam ex Judæis.’

12. γενομένης δὲ ἡμέρας, and when it was day. While Paul was receiving comfort from the Lord, the Jews were plotting to secure his destruction, and they let no time be wasted; their plans were ready by the next day, and as soon as it arrived they set about their execution.

ποιήσαντες συστροφὴν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, the Jews having banded together. To form such a compact is quite in the spirit of the time. The men who did so were probably belonging to the Zealots of whose fanaticism Josephus gives several instances.

ἀνεθεμάτισαν ἑαυτούς, bound themselves under a curse. Lit. ‘placed themselves under an anathema.’ The noun is used in very solemn language twice over by St Paul (Galatians 1:8-9), ‘Let him be accursed.’ It was an invocation of God’s vengeance upon themselves, if they failed to do the work which they undertook.

μήτε φαγεῖν μήτε πιεῖν, neither to eat nor drink. So that there was no time to be lost. Their work most be promptly executed.