Acts 23:15 Meaning and Explanation
“Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The plan is set: the council will ask the commander to bring Paul down for further examination, and the assassins will kill him on the way.
What Does Acts 23:15 Mean?
The plot takes shape: the council is to request another hearing, "as though ye would enquire something more perfectly," and the forty will strike before Paul ever arrives — "or ever he come near" means before he comes near. The ambush will wear the clothing of due process.
Deceit borrows the language of careful inquiry; evil rarely announces itself, preferring procedure and piety for cover. But schemes hatched in secret must still pass under the eyes of God, and the next verse begins the quiet unraveling. What is plotted in darkness cannot bind what heaven has promised in the night.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 23:15
What does Acts 23:15 mean?
The plan is set: the council will ask the commander to bring Paul down for further examination, and the assassins will kill him on the way.