SEV Biblia, Chapter 23:24
Y que aparejasen cabalgaduras en que poniendo a Pablo, le llevasen a salvo a Flix, el gobernador.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 23:24
Verse 24. Provide them beasts] One for Paul, and some others for his immediate keepers. Felix the governor.] This Felix was a freed man of the Emperor Claudius, and brother of Pallas, chief favourite of the emperor. Tacitus calls him Antonius Felix; and gives us to understand that he governed with all the authority of a king, and the baseness and insolence of a quondam slave. E libertis Antonius Felix per omnem saevitiam ac libidinem jus regium servili ingenio exercuit. Hist. v. 9. He had, according to Suetonius, in his life of Claudius, chap. 28, three queens to his wives; that is, he was married thrice, and each time to the daughter or niece of a king. Drusilla, the sister of Agrippa, was his wife at this time; see chap. xxiv. 24. He was an unrighteous governor; a base, mercenary, and bad man: see chap. xxiv. 2.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 24. And provide them beasts , etc.] Horses or mules; the Syriac version reads in the singular number, a beast: and one being sufficient for Paul, here may be a change of number; the Arabic and Ethiopic versions leave out these words, but the following clause makes them necessary: that they may set Paul on ; on the beast, or on one of the beasts provided; if more than one were provided, they might be for his companions, to go along with him: and bring him safe unto Felix the governor ; this man, of a servant, was made a freed man by Claudius Caesar f1159 , and by him appointed in the room of Cumanus governor of Judea f1160 ; he was the brother of Pallas, who had the chief management of affairs under the emperor; and this Felix married three persons successively, that were of royal families; hence Suetonius calls him the husband of three queens; one of these was Drusilla, afterwards mentioned in ( Acts 24:24) who was sister to King Agrippa. Tacitus calls him Antonius Felix which name he had from Antonia the mother of Claudius, whose servant he was; Josephus calls him Claudius Felix, which name he took from the Emperor Claudius, who from so low and mean condition raised him to such honour and dignity; his name Felix signifies happy: according to Tacitus f1164 , when Felix was first sent into Judea, the government was divided between him and Cumanus; Felix had Samaria, and Cumanus the other part, which was called the nation of the Galilaeans; but Josephus takes no notice of any such division, he says f1165 , that Cumanus was banished; and after that Felix was sent by Caesar, governor of Judea, of Galilee, Samaria, and Peraea; and so he seems to be governor of the whole country at this time; he was now at Caesarea, and it is plain that Judea was under his government, since Paul, a prisoner at Jerusalem, is sent down unto him; and in this his government he continued during the life of Claudius; and when Nero became emperor, and added four cities to the kingdom of Agrippa, he constituted Felix governor of the rest of Judea f1166 ; which character he bore till he thought fit to remove him, and put Festus in his room, of whom mention is made hereafter: after these words the following ones are added, in the Vulgate Latin version, for he was afraid lest perhaps the Jews should take him by force and kill him, and afterwards he should bear the reproach, as if he had took money; but they are not to be found in any Greek copies.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-24 - False religious principles, adopted by carnal men, urge on to suc wickedness, as human nature would hardly be supposed capable of. Ye the Lord readily disappoints the best concerted schemes of iniquity Paul knew that the Divine providence acts by reasonable and pruden means; and that, if he neglected to use the means in his power, he could not expect God's providence to work on his behalf. He who wil not help himself according to his means and power, has neither reaso nor revelation to assure him that he shall receive help from God Believing in the Lord, we and ours shall be kept from every evil work and kept to his kingdom. Heavenly Father, give us by thy Holy Spirit for Christ's sake, this precious faith.
Greek Textus Receptus
κτηνη 2934 N-APN τε 5037 PRT παραστησαι 3936 5658 V-AAN ινα 2443 CONJ επιβιβασαντες 1913 5660 V-AAP-NPM τον 3588 T-ASM παυλον 3972 N-ASM διασωσωσιν 1295 5661 V-AAS-3P προς 4314 PREP φηλικα 5344 N-ASM τον 3588 T-ASM ηγεμονα 2232 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
24. Beasts (kthnh). See on Luke x. 34.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
23:24 {Provide beasts} (ktene parastesai). Change from direct to indirect discourse just the opposite of that in verse #22. {Beasts} (ktene). For riding as here or for baggage. See on Lu 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 dias"s"sin). Final clause with hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of diaswzw, old verb, to save through (dia) to a finish. Eight times in the N.T. (#Mt 14:36; Lu 7:3; Ac 23:24; 27:43,44; 28:1,4; 1Pe 3:20). {Unto Felix the governor} (pros felika ton hegemona). Felix was a brother of Pallas, the notorious favorite 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 favor 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" (hegemwn) means "leader" from hegeomai, to lead, and was applied to leaders of all sorts (emperors, kings, procurators). In the N.T. it is used of Pilate (#Mt 27:2), of Felix, (#Ac 23:24,26,33; 24:1), of Festus (#26:30).
