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Acts 24:23

in Acts 24

He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And he gave order to the centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his friends to minister unto him.

KJV

And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

This verse in Acts 24

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
And he commanded ... - It is evident from this verse that Felix was disposed to show Paul all the favors that were consistent with his safe keeping. He esteemed him to be a persecuted man, and doubtless regarded the charges against him as entirely malicious. What was Felix’s motive in this cannot be certainly known. It is not improbable, however, that he detained him: (1) To gratify the Jews by keeping him in custody as if he were guilty, and, (2) That he hoped the friends of Paul would give him money to release him.

This site's exposition

well informed about the Way

on Acts 24:22-23

Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourns the hearing until Lysias comes. The delay also spares him a decision that would displease one side.

This site's exposition

allow him some freedom

Clarke reads the freedom as release from the chain that bound Paul to a soldier. He and Chrysostom both take it as a sign that Felix found him innocent.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 51 · Written before 407.

proposed

See how much close investigation is made by the many in a long course of time, that it should not be said that the trial was hurried over. For, as the orator had made mention of Lysias, that he took him away with violence, Felix, he says, deferred them. "Having knowledge of that way:" that is, he put them off on purpose: not because he wanted to learn, but as wishing to get rid of the Jews. On their account, he did not like to let him go: to punish him was not possible; that would have been too barefaced. "And to let him have liberty, and to forbid none of his acquaintance to minister to him." So entirely did he too acquit him of the charges. Howbeit, to gratify them, he detained him, and besides, expecting to receive money, he called for Paul.

The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

He commanded the centurion to let him have liberty - To be only a prisoner at large. Hereby the Gospel was spread more and more; not to the satisfaction of the Jews.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

He also gave orders that none of his friends should be hindered from coming to him; the centurion must not forbid any of his acquaintances from ministering to him; and a man's prison is as it were his own house if he has but his friends about him.
And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The private conversation that was between the prisoner and the judge, by which the prisoner hoped to do good to the judge and the judge thought to get money by the prisoner, but both in vain,
1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

He commanded a centurion to keep Paul - He gave him into the custody of a captain, by whom he was most likely to be well used: and to let him have liberty; he freed him from the chains with which he was bound to the soldiers, his keepers. See on Act 21:33 (note). And that he should forbid none of his acquaintance, των ιδιων, of his own people, his fellow apostles, and the Christians in general, to minister or come unto him; to furnish him with any of the conveniences and comforts of life, and visit him as often as they pleased. This was an ample proof that Felix found no evil in him; and he would certainly have dismissed him but for two reasons: 1. He wanted to please the Jews, who, he knew, could depose grievous things against his administration. 2. He hoped to get money from the apostle, or his friends, as the purchase of his liberty.

The words behind it

16 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.

  • διαταξάμενοςhaving commanded

    diataxamenosG1299 →16 times

  • τῷto the

    toG3588 →19766 times

  • ἑκατοντάρχῃcenturion

    hekatontarcheG1543 →20 times

  • τηρεῖσθαιto keep

    tereisthaiG5083 →70 times

  • αὐτὸν,him,

    autonG846 →5565 times

  • ἔχεινto [let him] have

    echeinG2192 →707 times

  • τεthen

    teG5037 →213 times

  • ἄνεσινease

    anesinG425 →

  • καὶand

    kaiG2532 →9120 times

  • μηδέναnot

    medenaG3367 →90 times

  • κωλύεινto forbid

    kolueinG2967 →23 times

  • τῶνthe

    tonG3588 →19766 times

  • ἰδίωνprivate [friends]

    idionG2398 →114 times

  • αὐτοῦof him

    autouG846 →5565 times

  • ὑπηρετεῖνto minister

    hupereteinG5256 →3 times

  • αὐτῷ.¶to him.

    autoG846 →5565 times

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

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

    Proverbs 16:7

    When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.

    it leads to

    • Romans 8:31

      What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

    • 1 John 3:22

      and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.

    • 2 Chronicles 17:10

      And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.

    • 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,

    • Jeremiah 15:11

      The LORD said: “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will intercede with your enemy in your time of trouble, in your time of distress.

  • Through

    Acts 23:35

    he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.

    it leads to

    • Acts 23:30

      When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.

    • Acts 25:16

      I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.

  • Through

    Acts 28:16

    When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

    it leads to

    • Acts 27:3

      The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.

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; J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 51; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.