Acts 23:18
in Acts 23So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee.
KJV
So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, 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.
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This verse in Acts 23
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
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.
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.
This site's exposition
Paul the prisoner
Henry credits the centurion with helping to save Paul's life by a simple courtesy. He cites the call of Proverbs 31:8 to speak for those who cannot speak.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"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
This centurion helped to save Paul's life by this piece of civility, which should engage us to be ready to do the like when there is occasion. Open thy mouth for the dumb, Prov. xxxi.
So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain,....
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,
The words behind it
27 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| παραλαβὼν | paralabon | having taken | G3880 → | 49 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἤγαγεν | egagen | he brought [him] | G71 → | 68 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χιλίαρχον | chiliarchon | commander | G5506 → | 21 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| φησίν· | phesin | he says; | G5346 → | 66 times |
| ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δέσμιος | desmios | prisoner | G1198 → | 16 times |
| Παῦλος | paulos | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| προσκαλεσάμενός | proskalesamenos | having called to | G4341 → | 28 times |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἠρώτησεν | erotesen | he asked [me] | G2065 → | 62 times |
| τοῦτον | touton | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νεανίσκον | neaniskon | young man | G3495 → | 11 times |
| ἀγαγεῖν | agagein | to lead | G71 → | 68 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| σὲ | se | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἔχοντά | echonta | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τι | ti | something | G5100 → | 528 times |
| λαλῆσαί | lalesai | to say | G2980 → | 294 times |
| σοι. | soi | to you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ὁThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
παραλαβὼνhaving taken
paralabonG3880 →49 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἤγαγενhe brought [him]
egagenG71 →68 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
χιλίαρχονcommander
chiliarchonG5506 →21 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
φησίν·he says;
phesinG5346 →66 times
ὁThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
δέσμιοςprisoner
desmiosG1198 →16 times
ΠαῦλοςPaul
paulosG3972 →158 times
προσκαλεσάμενόςhaving called to
proskalesamenosG4341 →28 times
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
ἠρώτησενhe asked [me]
erotesenG2065 →62 times
τοῦτονthis
toutonG3778 →1381 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
νεανίσκονyoung man
neaniskonG3495 →11 times
ἀγαγεῖνto lead
agageinG71 →68 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
σὲyou
seG4771 →2973 times
ἔχοντάhaving
echontaG2192 →707 times
τιsomething
tiG5100 →528 times
λαλῆσαίto say
lalesaiG2980 →294 times
σοι.to you.
soiG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Ephesians 4:1As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
it leads to
- Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
- Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm…
- 1 Thessalonians 2:12
encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2
Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live,…
- 2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
- Colossians 1:10
Through
Ephesians 3:1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:1
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
- Ephesians 4:1
Through
Acts 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.
it leads to
- Acts 25:25
But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
- Acts 25:25
Where this verse is studied
About Acts

This page draws on 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.
