Acts 23- Courage in Chaos
Acts 23 is one of those chapters where you can feel the tension rising like a storm cloud… yet you also see the sovereignty of God shining through every dark corner. Paul is now standing before the Sanhedrin — the religious council of Israel — and everything about this moment tells us it could go terribly wrong. But God has already gone ahead of him.
Paul begins by explaining that he has lived his life with a clear conscience before God. Before he can even finish, the high priest Ananias commands someone to strike Paul on the mouth (Acts 23:2). This wasn’t just rude — it was illegal (Lev. 19:15). No wonder Paul responds, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!” (Acts 23:3). Like Jesus in Matthew 23:27, Paul uses “whitewashed” to describe hypocrisy — something beautiful on the outside but rotten underneath. And honestly, Ananias fits that description perfectly in history. He was known for greed, corruption, and brutality.
But then, something so humbling happens. When Paul is told the man he rebuked is actually the high priest, he immediately softens:
“I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest” (Acts 23:5).
Whether it was because Paul had poor eyesight (see Galatians 4:15) or simply didn’t recognize someone he hadn’t seen in many years — it shows his heart. He wasn’t lashing out from the flesh. His intention was truth, not disrespect.
Once Paul realizes the room is divided between Pharisees and Sadducees, he speaks with wisdom:
“It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
Instantly, chaos erupts. The Sadducees deny any resurrection (Acts 23:8) and the Pharisees affirm it — so suddenly Paul is no longer the enemy. They actually stand up and defend him! It was brilliant, but it also shows us something deeper: Paul understood the people in front of him, and he understood the moment.
But here’s my favorite part of the entire chapter — what happens after the riot.
Paul is sitting alone in the barracks, probably exhausted, bruised, discouraged, and wondering, “Did I even do the right thing?”
And then — Jesus comes to him.
Not an angel.
Not a dream.
Jesus Himself stands beside him.
And He says the words every weary servant longs to hear:
“Take courage…” (Acts 23:11)
“Just as you testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
Beloved, this is the heart of Acts 23:
Jesus shows up in the middle of chaos and reassures His servant that the mission isn’t over.
The next morning, more than 40 men swear an oath — a death pact — that they will not eat or drink until they kill Paul (Acts 23:12). Can you imagine? That level of hatred? But God already has the provision in place. Paul’s nephew overhears the plot and reports it (Acts 23:16). We didn’t even know Paul had a nephew — God had a hidden helper the whole time.
The Roman commander responds with shockingly high-level protection:
470 Roman soldiers escort Paul out of Jerusalem under cover of night (Acts 23:23–24).
This is not “barely surviving.”
This is God turning Paul — a prisoner — into the most protected man in the region.
And when Paul arrives in Caesarea, Governor Felix receives him and orders him to be kept in Herod’s palace (Acts 23:35). Imagine that — God’s servant kept safe in a governor’s royal residence while awaiting what comes next.
Acts 23 reminds us: You can be surrounded by enemies and still be right in the center of God’s will.
Acts 23 shows us a Paul who is courageous, discerning, and deeply human — navigating conflict, danger, and injustice. Yet through every moment, God is weaving protection around him. Even when people plotted to kill him, God used unexpected people — a nephew, a Roman commander, hundreds of soldiers — to carry Paul safely into the next stage of his assignment.
This chapter whispers to us:
Your calling may be costly, but God never leaves you alone in it.
If Jesus stood by Paul in the barracks, He will stand by you in your season too.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for being the God who stands beside us in every storm. Strengthen our hearts the way You strengthened Paul. Give us courage when the road is hard and wisdom when the moment requires clarity. Help us trust You when opposition rises, knowing You are already ahead of us, orchestrating provision in ways we cannot see. Keep our consciences clean, our hearts soft, and our devotion firm. Lead us with Your presence, and make us faithful in every season, just as Paul was. Amen.