Acts 23:18

18 So the officer brought Paul's nephew to the commander and said, "The prisoner, Paul, asked me to bring this young man to you. He wants to tell you something."

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 Paul's nephew heard about this plan and went to the army building and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander. He has a message for him."
18 So the officer brought Paul's nephew to the commander and said, "The prisoner, Paul, asked me to bring this young man to you. He wants to tell you something."
19 The commander took the young man's hand and led him to a place where they could be alone. He asked, "What do you want to tell me?
20 The young man said, "The Jews have decided to ask you to bring Paul down to their council meeting tomorrow. They want you to think they are going to ask him more questions.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.