And 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.
Parallel translations
- WEB When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would 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 barracks.
- BSB The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
- NKJV Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
- NASB And when a great dissension occurred, the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, and he ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
- NLT As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
As the dispute grows violent, the commander, fearing Paul will be torn apart, has soldiers rescue him to the barracks. Once more Roman force preserves Paul's life.
Overview
The council session dissolves into physical danger, and Lysias intervenes to save Paul. The repeated rescues underline God's protecting hand over his servant. Through worldly authorities God keeps his promise that Paul must yet bear witness in Rome, which the next verse will make explicit.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Jas 1:19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
- Acts 22:24The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
- Jas 3:14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
- Acts 23:16And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
- Ps 50:22Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
- Acts 19:28–31And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
- Acts 21:30–36And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
- Ps 7:2Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
- Mic 3:3Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
- Acts 23:27This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
- Acts 23:32On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
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Original language
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