The trouble began very soon after Paul had arrived in Jerusalem. He ended up in the custody of the Roman tribune, Lysias, who ordered the council to appear so that he could examine Paul with the council members present as well (Acts 22:30). The high priest was not in charge, yet when Paul began to speak, the high priest ordered those standing near him to strike him on the mouth (23:2). Things would get worse from there, with “a great clamor” and violent dissension in the council meeting, to the point that Lysias ordered his soldiers to use force to bring Paul out of the riot and convey him to the barracks (23:9-10).

The following day forty conspirators made a pact that they would not eat or drink until they had assassinated Paul (23:12-15). As it turned out, Paul’s nephew overheard the plans for the ambush. He brought word of this to Paul, who sent him to Lysias with this information (23:16-22); Lysias responded by sending Paul under armed guard to Caesarea, to Felix the governor (23:23-34).

Felix seems to have been an interesting mix: he already had some significant understanding about the Way (24:22) and had serious interest in hearing more (24:24), but he also found the message frightening (24:25) and kept bringing Paul in for further conversation, hoping for a bribe (24:26). Without any further trial, then, Paul remained imprisoned in Caesarea for the next two years. This is probably the place from which most or all of his “prison epistles” were written.

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Help us to find our courage, Lord. From day to day we do not face threats and violence and murder attempts, yet we remain so hesitant to speak. You have entrusted to us your gospel, but we keep silent. Enable us to lift up our voices, to speak your word to this needy world.