Acts 23:18

18 So he took him [and] brought [him] to the military tribune and said, "The prisoner Paul called me [and] asked [me] to bring this young man to you [because he] has something to tell you."

Acts 23:18 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 23:18

So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain
Immediately, without any more to do, without curiously inquiring into the thing, or examining the young man about it; which showed him to be a man of a good disposition, and ready to do a kind office, even to a prisoner:

and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him;
either vocally or by some gesture, beckoned him to him:

and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something
to say unto thee;
in which may be observed the apostle's manner of address to the centurion, on this occasion; it was by way of entreaty; he asked it as a favour of him, to introduce his nephew to the chief captain; and the honour and modesty of the centurion, he did not seek by any methods to get the secret out, either of Paul or the young man; but readily undertakes the affair, honourably performs it, acquaints the captain with the circumstances of it, tells him the young man had something to say to him, he could not tell what, and then departs.

Acts 23:18 In-Context

16 But [when] the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered into the barracks [and] reported [it] to Paul.

17 So Paul called one of the centurions [and] said, "Bring this young man to the military tribune, because he has something to report to him."

18 So he took him [and] brought [him] to the military tribune and said, "The prisoner Paul called me [and] asked [me] to bring this young man to you [because he] has something to tell you."

19 And the military tribune, taking hold of his hand and withdrawing privately, asked, "What is it that you have to report to me?

20 And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you that you bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as [if they] were going to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("took") has been translated as a finite verb
• [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [c]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("called") has been translated as a finite verb
• [d]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [e]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("has") which is understood as causal