Acts 23:23-35

Paul Sent to Felix

The chief captain, whose name was Claudius Lysias, immediately called two centurions to him. He commanded them to ready 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen to escort Paul to Caesarea. Their departure time was the third hour of the night, or 9 p.m. They were also instructed to provide mounts for Paul and take him to the governor, Felix, who occupied much the same position as Pilate had in Christ's day. Coffman reports, "The epitaph which history has written by his name is this: 'With savagery and lust, he exercised the powers of a king with the disposition of a slave.'" Since we know Festus took his place in 59 A.D. and Paul was with him two years, we would conclude Paul was sent to him in 57 A.D.

Lysias, according to Luke, sent a letter to Felix. Luke reported the gist of its contents, noting that Lysias slightly embellished the story, as he told Felix that he learned Paul was a Roman and so saved him from the mob. He also wrote that, in his opinion, Paul had done nothing worthy of either prison or death. Since he had learned of the conspiracy to murder Paul, Lysias informed Felix that he sent the apostle to him and commanded the Jews to appear before the governor to present their case.

The soldiers took Paul and the letter and marched between 12 and 16 miles to Antipatris. The next day, the soldiers and spearmen returned to their barracks and the horsemen went with Paul to Caesarea, some 26 miles further north. They presented Paul to the governor, along with the letter. Felix asked what province Paul was from. After the apostle told him he was from Cilicia, he told him he would hear from him after his accusers came. Paul was then kept in Herod's Praetorium, or palace (Acts 23:23-35).