King James Version

What Does Acts 23:12 Mean?

“And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together , and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. under a curse: or, with an oath of execration”

Context

And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together , and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. under a curse: or, with an oath of execration

And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

Read full chapter →

Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(12) **Certain of the Jews banded together . . .**—The casuistry of the more fanatic Jews led them to the conclusion that a blasphemer or apostate was an outlaw, and that, in the absence of any judicial condemnation, private persons might take on themselves the execution of the divine sentence. So, they may have argued, Mattathias, the founder of the Maccabean dynasty, had slain the apostate Jew who offered sacrifice at the altar at Modin (1 Maccabees 2:24); so ten Zealots of Jerusalem had conspired to assassinate Herod the Great because he had built an amphi-theatre and held gladiatorial games in the Holy City (Jos. *Ant. xii.* 6, § 2; xv. 8, § 3). It is melancholy but instructive to remember how often the casuistry of Christian theologians has run in the same groove. In this respect the Jesuit teaching, absolving subjects from their allegiance to heretic rulers, and the practical issue of that teaching in the history of the Gunpowder Plot, and of the murders perpetrated by Clement and Ravaillac, present only too painful a parallel. Those who now thus acted were probably of the number of the Zealots, or Sicarii. **Under a curse.**—Literally, *they placed themselves under an anathema.* This was the Jewish *kherem, *and the person or thing on which it fell was regarded as devoted to the wrath of God. (Comp. Notes on 1Corinthians 16:22; Galatians 1:8-9.) So also in the Old Testament we find that Jericho and all that it contained was a *kherem, *or accursed thing, devoted to destruction (Joshua 7:1).

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Acts. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Acts 23:12 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.