John Calvin Commentary Acts 23:14

"And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul." — Acts 23:14 (ASV)

They came to the chief priests. Since the priests agreed to such a wicked and ungodly conspiracy, this proved that there was in them neither any fear of God nor any humanity. They not only approved what was brought before them concerning the murder of the man by ambush, but they were also ready to be partners in the murder, to deliver him into the hands of the murderers—men whom they wanted to eliminate somehow, not caring how.

For what else was it to take a man from the judge's hands and slay him, than for murderers to rage even in the very place of judgment? The priests surely would never have approved such a wicked purpose if they had possessed any drop of godly and right affection, or of humane feeling.

Moreover, they did what they could to bring destruction upon all the people and themselves as well. But by this means, the Lord disclosed their wicked impiety, which lay hidden under a guise of honor.