Handelingen 23:17

17 En Paulus riep tot zich een van de hoofdmannen over honderd, en zeide: Leid dezen jongeling heen tot den overste; want hij heeft hem wat te boodschappen.

Handelingen 23:17 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 23:17

Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him
For under this chief captain there must have been ten of them, if the company of which he was captain consisted of a thousand men, as his title chief captain or chiliarch imports; for a centurion was over an hundred men, as his title signifies; perhaps this might be the same, as in ( Acts 22:25 Acts 22:26 )

and said, bring this young man to the chief captain:
which was a very prudential step, not to let the centurion into the secret, but to desire him to introduce the young man to the chief captain; for had he trusted the centurion with it, he might not have acquainted his officer with it, but have informed the liers in wait of it: now though the apostle was assured by Christ that he should not die at Jerusalem, but should bear witness of him at Rome, and though he did not distrust the truth of Christ's words, but most firmly believed them; yet he thought it his duty to make use of the means, which providence had put in his way, for his preservation and safety; the Ethiopic version reads, "bring this young man by night to the chief captain"; that so he might not be seen, and observed to have carried any intelligence to him:

for he hath a certain thing to tell him;
which was of some moment and importance, and proper for him to know.

Handelingen 23:17 In-Context

15 Gij dan nu, laat den overste weten met den raad, dat hij hem morgen tot u afbrenge, alsof gij nadere kennis zoudt nemen van zijn zaken; en wij zijn bereid hem om te brengen, eer hij bij u komt.

16 En als de zoon van Paulus' zuster deze lage gehoord had, kwam hij daar, en ging in de legerplaats, en boodschapte het Paulus.

17 En Paulus riep tot zich een van de hoofdmannen over honderd, en zeide: Leid dezen jongeling heen tot den overste; want hij heeft hem wat te boodschappen.

18 Deze dan nam hem en bracht hem tot den overste, en zeide: Paulus, de gevangene, heeft mij tot zich geroepen, en begeerd, dat ik dezen jongeling tot u zou brengen, die u wat heeft te zeggen.

19 De overste nu nam hem bij de hand, en bezijden gegaan zijnde, vraagde hij: Wat is het dat gij mij hebt te boodschappen