Acts 23:10
What does Acts 23:10 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 23:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 23:10 means
The dissension becomes so fierce that the chief captain fears Paul might be torn apart by the crowd. He orders soldiers to intervene, seize Paul, and bring him back into the fortress. Humanly, this is simply a security measure to prevent bloodshed. Spiritually, it shows God’s providence at work through civil authority to preserve His servant. Paul is again rescued from the hands of those who cannot judge him fairly. The repeated Roman protection underlines both the volatility of the situation and the innocence of the apostle in the eyes of impartial observers. Safety in the castle prepares the way for divine encouragement to come.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And when the argument became very violent, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be pulled in two by them, gave orders to the armed men to take him by force from among them, and take him into the army building.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and a great dissension having come, the chief captain having been afraid lest Paul may be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiery, having gone down, to take him by force out of the midst of them, and to bring <FI>him<Fi> to the castle.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when there arose a great dissension, the tribune, fearing lest Paul should be pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the castle.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the fortress.
Context
The council’s uproar reaches a breaking point. The Roman officer, who had convened the meeting to identify clear charges, now sees the danger of mob violence returning. He acts decisively, extracting Paul by force and returning him to the barracks. With the Sanhedrin unable to produce a lawful verdict, the narrative pauses the public dispute. That evening, far from the chaos, the Lord Himself will stand by Paul with a promise that reframes the entire ordeal—turning a near-fatal hearing into a stepping-stone toward a larger mission beyond Jerusalem.
v.9And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?
v.10This passage
v.11And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 23:16
But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.
- Psalms 7:2
Lest they tear my soul like a lion, Rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
- Acts 21:30
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together; and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple: and straightway the doors were shut.
- James 1:19
Ye knowthis, my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
- James 3:14
But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth.
- Acts 22:24
the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him.
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