And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
The Roman commander Lysias brought Paul before the Jewish council to discover the cause of the accusations against him. The inquiry showed the accusation concerned questions of Jewish law, not any offense deserving death or imprisonment under Roman law. Afterward he had Paul sent under heavy guard to Felix at Caesarea, both to protect Paul from the plot to kill him and to escape the danger and responsibility arising from the unrest in Jerusalem.
The appearance before the council belongs to the sequence leading to Paul's trial before Felix, where the facts Paul had stated helped show the Jewish charges of sedition and treason were unjust. Felix understood Paul was innocent yet postponed decision until the commander arrived, because fear of offending the Jews and self-interest kept him from rendering full justice.
The Roman commander Lysias brought Paul before the Jewish council to discover the cause of the accusations against him. The inquiry showed the accusation concerned questions of Jewish law, not any offense deserving death or imprisonment under Roman law. Afterward he had Paul sent under heavy guard to Felix at Caesarea, both to protect Paul from the plot to kill him and to escape the danger and responsibility arising from the unrest in Jerusalem.
The appearance before the council belongs to the sequence leading to Paul's trial before Felix, where the facts Paul had stated helped show the Jewish charges of sedition and treason were unjust. Felix understood Paul was innocent yet postponed decision until the commander arrived, because fear of offending the Jews and self-interest kept him from rendering full justice.