Acts 23:15

Now therefore ye with the Councill, signifie to the chiefe captaine that he bring him downe vnto you to morrow, as though yee would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or euer he come neere, are ready to kill him. Acts 23:15 (KJV)

The wording presented above is frequently quoted in discussions of the early church, yet it does not correspond to a verbatim passage in the King James Version of the Bible. The text appears to be a paraphrase or summary of the events recorded in the Book of Acts, especially the conspiratorial plot against the Apostle Paul during his trial before the Sanhedrin. The passage captures the essence of the hostile intentions of certain council members who, according to Acts, sought to have Paul taken into custody and then slain before any further inquiry could be made.

Both the second and third drafts affirm that the quoted sentence is not found word‑for‑word in the KJV. Rather, it reflects the spirit of the narrative found in Acts 23:12‑15, where a group of Jews conspire to kill Paul and request that the chief captain bring him before the council the following day, pretending to seek a fuller investigation. The drafts emphasize that the passage is reminiscent of those events, indicating that it is a summary rather than a direct quotation.

Understanding this distinction is important for careful biblical study. When a passage is presented as Scripture, it should be verified against the canonical text. In this case, the quoted sentence serves as a helpful recollection of the plot against Paul, but it should be identified as a paraphrase rather than an exact scriptural citation. Recognizing the difference preserves the integrity of the text and respects the precision required in theological discussion, while still allowing readers to appreciate the historical tension and danger that surrounded Paul’s ministry at that critical moment.