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Acts 23:17

in Acts 23

Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him.

KJV

Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

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This verse in Acts 23

Commentary

8 notes on this verse
Called one of the centurions - Who might at that time have had special charge of the castle, or been on guard. Paul had the most positive divine assurance that his life would be spared, and that he would yet see Rome; but he always understood the divine promises and purposes as being consistent with his own efforts, and with all proper measures of prudence and diligence in securing his own safety.

This site's exposition

Take this young man

on Acts 23:17-19

From custody Paul summons a centurion to take his nephew to the commander, the chain of command Roman military order required. The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and heard the warning in private.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 49 · Written before 407.

proposed

"Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the tribune: For he hath a certain thing to tell him. So he took him, and brought him to the tribune, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. Then the tribune took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?" Again he is saved by man's forethought. And observe: Paul lets no man learn this, not even the centurion, that the matter might not become known. And the centurion having come, reported to the tribune. And it is well done of the tribune also, that he bids him keep it secret, that it might not become known.

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The chief captain's care of Paul's safety, by which he prevented the execution of the design; he sent him away immediately under a strong guard from Jerusalem to Cæsarea, which was now the residence of Felix, the Roman governor, and there he safely arrived,

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Now here, (1.) Paul owns himself a Pharisee, so far as the Pharisees were in the right. Though as Pharisaism was opposed to Christianity he set himself against it, and against all its traditions that were set up in competition with the law of God or in contradiction to the gospel of Christ, yet, as it was opposed to Sadducism, he adhered to it.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Paul's sister's son--(See on Ac 9:30). If he was at this time residing at Jerusalem for his education, like Paul himself, he may have got at the schools those hints of the conspiracy on which he so promptly acted.
1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Bring this young man unto the chief captain - Though St. Paul had the most positive assurance from Divine authority that he should be preserved, yet he knew that the Divine providence acts by reasonable and prudent means; and that, if he neglected to use the means in his power, he could not expect God’s providence to work in his behalf. He who will not help himself, according to the means and power he possesses, has neither reason nor revelation to assure him that he shall receive any assistance from God.

The words behind it

20 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

12 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Matthew 8:5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came and pleaded with Him,5 worksProverbs 22:3The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.3 worksActs 22:25But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”3 worksActs 22:26On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”2 worksActs 23:23Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.2 worksMatthew 8:8–9The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.2 works
The other 6 cross-references, with their words ▾
Matthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.2 worksActs 27:1When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.2 worksActs 21:31While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil.2 worksLuke 7:8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.”2 worksMatthew 27:54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”2 worksLuke 7:2There a highly valued servant of a centurion was sick and about to die.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 10:16

    Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

    it leads to

    • Philippians 2:15

      so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

    • Luke 10:3

      Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

    • 1 Corinthians 14:20

      Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

    • Colossians 4:5

      Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.

    • Ephesians 5:15–17

      Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

  • Through

    Proverbs 22:3

    The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 27:12

      The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

    • Proverbs 14:16

      A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.

    • Proverbs 29:1

      A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 23 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 49; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.

Read on in Acts 23 →