Acts 23:11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
When we ended our study yesterday, we noted that Paul was under protective custody, awaiting an appearance before the Jewish leaders. This chapter begins with that appearance, which did not last long. Paul immediately got on the bad side of the High Priest, and when he mentioned the resurrection, the group was divided in a heated debate. Things got so out of hand the tribune once again put Paul back into the prison. When it was discovered that a plot was being made on Paul's life, the Tribune had Paul taken to the provincial capital of Caesarea, where a fair hearing could be had, and a heavier Roman presence felt. The Jewish leaders would have their day in court, but Paul, a Roman Citizen, would be protected. More than that, God was working out His plan for Paul to take the Gospel deep into the Empire through a Roman network. It was something Paul had longed for but had never been able to do by his own planning.
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