Acts 23 · Verse 17

Acts 23:17

Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

Acts 23:17, King James Version

Acts 23:17 in other translations

BSB	Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
WEB	Paul summoned one of the centurions and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”
ASV	And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him.
YLT	and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, ‘This young man lead unto the chief captain, for he hath something to tell him.'
DARBY	And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him.
BBE	And Paul sent for a captain and said, Take this young man to your chief, for he has news for him.
Webster	Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, Bring this young man to the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

What does Acts 23:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 23:16-22

16-22. 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.

Read the full comment on Acts 23:16-22 →

Barnes' Notes

Verse 17. Called one of the centurions. Who might at that time have had special charge of the castle, or been on guard. Paul had the most positive assurance that his life would be spared, and that he would yet see Rome; but he always understood the Divine promises and purposes as being consistent with his own efforts, and with all proper measures of prudence and diligence in securing his own safety. He did not rest merely on the Divine promise without any effort of his own; but he took encouragement from those promises to put forth his own exertions for security and for salvation.

(b) "Paul called" Prov 22:3, Mt 10:16 (*) "chief captain" "commander"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 17 Bring this young man unto the chief captain - Though St. Paul had the most positive assurance from Divine authority that he should be preserved, yet he knew that the Divine providence acts by reasonable and prudent means; and that, if he neglected to use the means in his power, he could not expect God's providence to work in his behalf. He who will not help himself, according to the means and power he possesses, has neither reason nor revelation to assure him that he shall receive any assistance from God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 23:12-24

False religious principles, adopted by carnal men, urge on to such wickedness, as human nature would hardly be supposed capable of. Yet the Lord readily disappoints the best concerted schemes of iniquity. Paul knew that the Divine providence acts by reasonable and prudent means; and that, if he neglected to use the means in his power, he could not expect God's providence to work on his behalf. He who will not help…

Read the full comment on Acts 23:12-24 →

Acts 23:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

προσκαλεσάμενοςproskalesamenosHaving called to [him]G4341

δὲdethenG1161

ὁho<the>G3588

ΠαῦλοςPaulosPaulG3972

ἕναhenaoneG1520

τῶνtōnof theG3588

ἑκατονταρχῶνhekatontarchōncenturionsG1543

ἔφη·ephēhe was saying;G5346

τὸνton<the>G3588

νεανίανneanianyoung manG3494

τοῦτονtoutonthisG3778

ἀπάγαγεapagagedo takeG520

πρὸςprostoG4314

τὸνtontheG3588

χιλίαρχον·chiliarchoncommander;G5506

ἔχειecheihe hasG2192

γὰρgarforG1063

ἀπαγγεῖλαίapangeilaito reportG518

τιtisomethingG5100

αὐτῷ.autōto him.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 23:17

Proverbs 22:3
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Matthew 8:8-9
The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Acts 22:26
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
Acts 23:23
And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
Matthew 10:16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

one.
23; 22:26; Pr 22:3; Mt 8:8,9; 10:16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Acts 23:16
And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
Acts 23:17
Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
Acts 23:18
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.

Read all of Acts 23

Acts 23:17 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y Pablo, llamando á uno de los centuriones, dice: Lleva á este mancebo al tribuno, porque tiene cierto aviso que darle.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et Paul, ayant appelé l’un des centurions, dit: Conduis ce jeune homme au chiliarque, car il a quelque chose à lui rapporter.
German Elberfelder 1871	Paulus aber rief einen von den Hauptleuten zu sich und sagte: Führe diesen Jüngling zu dem Obersten, denn er hat ihm etwas zu melden.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Vocans autem Paulus ad se unum ex centurionibus, ait: Adolescentem hunc perduc ad tribunum, habet enim aliquid indicare illi.