And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy.
And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him.
But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him.
So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee.
And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that thou hast to tell me?
And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow unto the council, as though thou wouldest inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him.
Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee.
So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified these things to me.
And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:
and (he bade them) provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
And he wrote a letter after this form:
Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.
This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him down unto their council:
whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way.