Paul’s Nephew

“But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.” — Acts 23:16

Paul was being kept in the Roman army barracks in Jerusalem. The leaders who hated him were furious that he was still alive.

So the next morning, more than forty men made a secret plan. They made a promise to each other: they wouldn’t eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul!

They went to the chief priests and leaders. “Ask the commander to bring Paul to you tomorrow,” they said, “as if you want to ask him some more questions. We’ll be waiting on the way, ready to kill him before he gets there.”

It was a wicked plan. And it might have worked.

But somebody heard about it. Paul’s nephew, the son of Paul’s sister, found out about the plot. And he went straight to the barracks and told Paul.

Paul called one of the officers. “Take this young man to the commander,” he said. “He has something to tell him.”

So the officer took Paul’s nephew to the commander. And the commander took him by the hand, led him to one side, and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

“The leaders have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to their council tomorrow,” the young man said, “pretending they want to find out more about him. Don’t believe them! More than forty men are hiding, waiting for him. They’ve promised not to eat or drink anything until they’ve killed him. They’re ready now, just waiting for you to say yes.”

The commander sent the young man away. “Don’t tell anyone that you’ve told me this,” he said.

Then the commander called two of his officers. “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to the city of Caesarea tonight, at nine o’clock,” he said, “with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen. And get horses for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix.”

So that night, Paul rode out of Jerusalem in the dark, surrounded by almost five hundred soldiers! He arrived safely in Caesarea.

The forty men who had promised not to eat until they killed Paul were left waiting. They never got their chance.

We don’t know the name of Paul’s nephew. We don’t know how old he was. The Bible calls him a “young man”. But we do know he was brave. He could have stayed quiet. Instead, he went into a Roman army fort and spoke to the commander. And because he did, Paul’s life was saved.

God used a young person to protect Paul. And God can use young people today too.

Read it in your Bible: Acts 23:12–24

Dear God, thank you that you protected Paul through his brave nephew. Please make me brave to speak up when I know something is wrong. Thank you that you can use young people. Amen.