The Meaning of Acts 23:33 Explained

Acts 23:33

KJV: Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

YLT: those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, did present also Paul to him.

Darby: And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.

ASV: and they, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Who,  when they came  to  Caesarea,  and  delivered  the epistle  to the governor,  presented  Paul  also  before him. 

What does Acts 23:33 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul"s ministry in Caesarea was from prison. Luke devoted about three chapters to Paul"s ministry in Caesarea primarily to reemphasize the legality of Christianity as various Roman officials scrutinized it and to repeat major themes in Paul"s addresses.
The governor (procurator) of Judea at this time was Antonius Felix (A.D52-59). [1] Pontius Pilate occupied this office from A.D26-36. Felix had a reputation for being a harsh ruler who had risen from a lowly background. The Roman historian Tacitus described him as follows.
". . . Antonius Felix, practiced every kind of cruelty and lust, wielding the power of [2] king with all the instincts of a slave." [3]
He was apparently a freed Prayer of Manasseh , someone who had been a bondsman but had received his freedom from an authoritative Roman who in this case was Emperor Claudius" mother, Antonia. He was the first slave ever to become the governor of a Roman province. [4] Felix rose to power as a result of his influential brother, his self-serving political maneuvering, and his three calculating marriages. He normally dealt very severely with Jews, especially the dagger-men, the terrorists who sought to overthrow Roman rule by assassinating key Romans and Proverbs -Roman Jews (cf. Acts 21:38).

Context Summary

Acts 23:25-35 - Sent To A Roman Tribunal
Antipatris was forty-two miles from Jerusalem. The escort and their prisoner made the forced march in a night. Next day the legionaries marched back to Jerusalem while the mounted soldiers rode forward to Caesarea, which was twenty-six miles farther on. The Apostle therefore entered Caesarea in a guise different from that in which he had left it, Acts 21:16. Philip and the other Christians must have been startled to see how soon their forebodings were fulfilled as the great missionary, from whom they had parted with so many tears, rode through the streets surrounded by soldiers.
When Felix read the letter which Lysias had sent explaining the case, he handed Paul over to a soldier to be kept in one of the guard-rooms of the old palace which now formed the stately residence of the governors of Judea. What mingled feelings must have filled that lion heart, as he realized that, while Rome had him in her power, all the artifice of his bitter foes would now be powerless to do him bodily harm. The psalms which he had sung at Philippi would come to mind with added force as he strengthened his soul in God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 23

1  As Paul pleads his cause,
2  Ananias commands them to strike him
7  Dissension among his accusers
11  God encourages him
14  The Jews' vow to kill Paul,
20  is declared unto the chief captain
27  He sends him to Felix the governor

Greek Commentary for Acts 23:33

And they [οιτινες]
Which very ones, the cavalry, the horsemen of Acts 23:31. [source]
Delivered [αναδοντες]
Second aorist active participle of αναδιδωμι — anadidōmi old verb to give up, to hand over, here only in the N.T. Presented Paul also (παρεστησαν και τον Παυλον — parestēsan kai ton Paulon). First aorist active (transitive, not second aorist intransitive) indicative of παριστημι — paristēmi common verb to present or place beside. What would Paul‘s friends in Caesarea (Philip and his daughters) think of the prophecy of Agabus now so quickly come true. [source]
Presented Paul also [παρεστησαν και τον Παυλον]
First aorist active (transitive, not second aorist intransitive) indicative of παριστημι — paristēmi common verb to present or place beside. What would Paul‘s friends in Caesarea (Philip and his daughters) think of the prophecy of Agabus now so quickly come true. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 23:33

Acts 23:24 Beasts [κτηνη]
For riding as here or for baggage. See note on Luke 10:34. Asses or horses, but not war-horses. Since Paul was chained to a soldier, another animal would be required for baggage. It was also seventy miles and a change of horses might be needed. The extreme precaution of Lysias is explained in some Latin MSS. as due to fear of a night attack with the result that he might be accused to Felix of bribery. Luke also probably accompanied Paul. To bring safe (hina diasōsōsin). Final clause with hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of ινα διασωσωσιν — diasōzō old verb, to save through (ινα — dia) to a finish. Eight times in the N.T. (Matthew 14:36; Luke 7:3; Acts 23:24; Acts 27:43, Acts 27:44; Acts 28:1, Acts 28:4; 1 Peter 3:20). Unto Felix the governor Felix was a brother of Pallas, the notorious favourite of Claudius. Both had been slaves and were now freedmen. Felix was made procurator of Judea by Claudius a.d. 52. He held the position till Festus succeeded him after complaints by the Jews to Nero. He married Drusilla the daughter of Herod Agrippa I with the hope of winning the favour of the Jews. He was one of the most depraved men of his time. Tacitus says of him that “with all cruelty and lust he exercised the power of a king with the spirit of a slave.” The term “governor” In the N.T. it is used of Pilate (Matthew 27:2), of Felix, (Acts 23:24, Acts 23:26, Acts 23:33; Acts 24:1), of Festus (Acts 26:30). [source]
Acts 23:24 Unto Felix the governor [διασωζω]
Felix was a brother of Pallas, the notorious favourite of Claudius. Both had been slaves and were now freedmen. Felix was made procurator of Judea by Claudius a.d. 52. He held the position till Festus succeeded him after complaints by the Jews to Nero. He married Drusilla the daughter of Herod Agrippa I with the hope of winning the favour of the Jews. He was one of the most depraved men of his time. Tacitus says of him that “with all cruelty and lust he exercised the power of a king with the spirit of a slave.” The term “governor” In the N.T. it is used of Pilate (Matthew 27:2), of Felix, (Acts 23:24, Acts 23:26, Acts 23:33; Acts 24:1), of Festus (Acts 26:30). [source]
Colossians 1:22 Hath he reconciled [αποκατηλλαχεν]
First aorist (effective, timeless) active indicative (a sort of parenthetical anacoluthon). Here B reads αποκαταλλαγητε — apokatallagēte be ye reconciled like καταλλαγητε — katallagēte in 2 Corinthians 5:20 while D has αποκαταλλαγεντες — apokatallagentes Lightfoot prefers to follow B here (the hard reading), though Westcott and Hort only put it in the margin. On the word see Colossians 1:20. In the body of his flesh (εν τωι σωματι της σαρκος αυτου — en tōi sōmati tēs sarkos autou). See the same combination in Colossians 2:11 though in Ephesians 2:14 only σαρκι — sarki (flesh). Apparently Paul combines both σωμα — sōma and σαρχ — sarx to make plain the actual humanity of Jesus against incipient Docetic Gnostics who denied it. Through death The reconciliation was accomplished by means of Christ‘s death on the cross (Colossians 1:20) and not just by the Incarnation (the body of his flesh) in which the death took place. To present (παραστησαι — parastēsai). First aorist active (transitive) infinitive (of purpose) of παριστημι — paristēmi old verb, to place beside in many connections. See it used of presenting Paul and the letter from Lysias to Felix (Acts 23:33). Repeated in Colossians 1:28. See also 2 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Corinthians 4:14. Paul has the same idea of his responsibility in rendering an account for those under his influence seen in Hebrews 13:17. See note on Romans 12:1 for use of living sacrifice. Holy Positively consecrated, separated unto God. Common in N.T. for believers. Haupt holds that all these terms have a religious and forensic sense here. Without blemish (αμωμους — amōmous). Without spot (Philemon 2:15). Old word α — a privative and μωμος — mōmos (blemish). Common in the lxx for ceremonial purifications. Unreproveable Old verbal adjective from α — a privative and εγκαλεω — egkaleō to call to account, to pick flaws in. These three adjectives give a marvellous picture of complete purity (positive and negative, internal and external). This is Paul‘s ideal when he presents the Colossians “before him” (κατενωπιον αυτου — katenōpion autou), right down in the eye of Christ the Judge of all. [source]
Colossians 1:22 Through death [δια του τανατου]
The reconciliation was accomplished by means of Christ‘s death on the cross (Colossians 1:20) and not just by the Incarnation (the body of his flesh) in which the death took place. To present (παραστησαι — parastēsai). First aorist active (transitive) infinitive (of purpose) of παριστημι — paristēmi old verb, to place beside in many connections. See it used of presenting Paul and the letter from Lysias to Felix (Acts 23:33). Repeated in Colossians 1:28. See also 2 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Corinthians 4:14. Paul has the same idea of his responsibility in rendering an account for those under his influence seen in Hebrews 13:17. See note on Romans 12:1 for use of living sacrifice. Holy Positively consecrated, separated unto God. Common in N.T. for believers. Haupt holds that all these terms have a religious and forensic sense here. Without blemish (αμωμους — amōmous). Without spot (Philemon 2:15). Old word α — a privative and μωμος — mōmos (blemish). Common in the lxx for ceremonial purifications. Unreproveable Old verbal adjective from α — a privative and εγκαλεω — egkaleō to call to account, to pick flaws in. These three adjectives give a marvellous picture of complete purity (positive and negative, internal and external). This is Paul‘s ideal when he presents the Colossians “before him” (κατενωπιον αυτου — katenōpion autou), right down in the eye of Christ the Judge of all. [source]
Colossians 1:22 To present [παραστησαι]
First aorist active (transitive) infinitive (of purpose) of παριστημι — paristēmi old verb, to place beside in many connections. See it used of presenting Paul and the letter from Lysias to Felix (Acts 23:33). Repeated in Colossians 1:28. See also 2 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Corinthians 4:14. Paul has the same idea of his responsibility in rendering an account for those under his influence seen in Hebrews 13:17. See note on Romans 12:1 for use of living sacrifice. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 23:33 mean?

who having entered into - Caesarea and having delivered the letter to the governor presented also - Paul to him
οἵτινες εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν Καισάρειαν καὶ ἀναδόντες τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῷ ἡγεμόνι παρέστησαν καὶ τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ

εἰσελθόντες  having  entered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Καισάρειαν  Caesarea 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Καισάρεια  
Sense: Caesarea of Philippi was situated at the foot of Lebanon near the sources of the Jordan in Gaulanitis, and formerly called Paneas; but afterward being rebuilt by Philip the tetrarch, it was called by him Caesarea, in honour of Tiberias Caesar; subsequently called Neronias by Agrippa II, in honour of Nero.
ἀναδόντες  having  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀναδίδωμι  
Sense: to give forth, send up, so the earth producing plants, yielding fruit etc.
ἐπιστολὴν  letter 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐπιστολή  
Sense: a letter, epistle.
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἡγεμόνι  governor 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἡγεμών  
Sense: a leader of any kind, a guide, ruler, prefect, president, chief, general, commander, sovereign.
παρέστησαν  presented 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: παριστάνω 
Sense: to place beside or near.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Παῦλον  Paul 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Παῦλος  
Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 23:33?

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