Acts 23:20He said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~58 AD. Roman fortress Antonia. Paul's nephew whispers the shocking truth: 40 Jewish zealots have sworn not to eat until they kill Paul, and they need Roman cooperation.
The emotion here: terrified but brave, whispering urgent truth
The original word
epiboulē (ἐπιβουλή) — a plot laid against someone, conspiracy
Why it matters
Jewish zealots often made vows not to eat or drink until completing their mission
Read with care
What most readers miss in Acts 23:20
The phrase 'more accurately' was their cover story to make the request sound reasonable
Common misconceptionPeople think this was just religious persecution, but it was an organized terrorist plot involving 40 men willing to die to kill one person.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Acts 23:20
Bible Genome reading
Acts 23:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Acts 23:20 comes from the book of Acts, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to young_man. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include conspiracy, deception. Notable phrases: The Jews have agreed.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Acts 23:20 mean to you, today?
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