Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
18. he took him, and brought him, &c.] With soldier-like obedience and raising no questions.
Paul the prisoner ] A name which St Paul was often afterwards to apply to himself. Cp. Eph 3:1; Eph 4:1; Phm 1:1; Phm 1:9, &c.
and prayed me ] In the older English the verb “pray” as here used is no more than “ask,” which latter verb is here given by the Rev. Ver., but it is a needless interference with the older diction.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And prayed me – And asked me.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The centurion took Pauls kinsman, and went with him, as he was desired, unto the chief captain, that there might be no mistake, but that he might hear all out of the young mans own mouth, and be the more affected with it.
The prisoner, or, the chained; for it was customary to chain their prisoners for their greater security. And God is now remembering of Paul in his bonds.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16-22. Paul’s sister’s son(Seeon Ac 9:30). If he was at thistime residing at Jerusalem for his education, like Paul himself, hemay have got at the schools those hints of the conspiracy on which heso promptly acted.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Paul the prisoner ( ). Bound () to a soldier, but not with two chains (21:33), and with some freedom to see his friends as later (28:16), in military custody (custodia militaris). This was better than custodia publica (public custody), the common prison, but more confining.
Who hath something to say to thee ( ). Same idiom as in verse Acts 23:17; Acts 23:19, but here instead of .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The prisoner [ ] . From dew, to bind. Paul, as a Roman citizen, was held in custodia militaris, “military custody.” Three kinds of custody were recognized by the Roman law : 1. Custodia publica (public custody); confinement in the public jail. This was the worst kind, the common jails being wretched dungeons. Such was the confinement of Paul and Silas at Philippi. 2. Custodia libera (free custody), confined to men of high rank. The accused was committed to the charge of a magistrate or senator, who became responsible for his appearance on the day of trial. 3. Custodia militaris (military custody). The accused was placed in charge of a soldier, who was responsible with his life for the prisoner ‘s safe – keeping, and whose left hand was secured by a chain to the prisoner ‘s right. The prisoner was usually kept in the barracks, but was sometimes allowed to reside in a private house under charge of his guard.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “So he took him,” (ho men oun paralambanon auton) “Therefore he took him in confidence,” the centurion received him, the young man, Paul’s nephew, in trust, to lead him to and introduce him to Lysias, chief captain of the Roman guard in Jerusalem.
2) “And brought him to the chief captain, and said,” (egagen pros ton chiliarchon kai phesin) “And led him, went with him, to the chief captain and said,” to Lysias, as requested by Paul, Act 23:17.
3) “Paul the prisoner called me unto him,” (ho desmios Paulos proskalesamenos me) “Paul the prisoner (the chained prisoner) calling me to him,” or having called me to him, privately.
4) “And prayed me to bring this young man unto thee,” (erotesen touton ton neaniskon agagein pros se) “Asked, requested, or begged me to bring this young man to you,” for a confidential interview.
5) “Who hath something to say unto thee.” (echonta ti lalesai aoi) “Who has something to tell you,” a report you should be aware of, a private matter that affects your position, honor, integrity, and legal responsibility to Caesar.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(18) Paul the prisoner . . .We may well believe that at the time he little thought how long that name would be used of him, first by others and then by himself, until it became as a title of honour in which he seemed to glory almost more than in that of Apostle. (Comp. Eph. 3:1; Eph. 4:1; Phm. 1:1; Phm. 1:9.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and says, “Paul the prisoner called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to say to you.” ’
So the centurion took Paul’s nephew to the chief captain, and told him how Paul had called him and had requested that the lad be brought as he had important information.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
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.
Ver. 18. Paul the prisoner ] But therein happier than any potentate, Psa 89:27 with all his chains of gold. , , said Ignatius; my chain is my honour, my links pearls. One hour changed Joseph’s fetters into gold chains, his stocks into a chariot, his jail into a palace, Potiphar’s captive to his master’s Lord, the noise of his gyves a into abrech. So and much more than so shall it be with all Christ’s prisoners at his coming: besides their prison comforts in the meanwhile; those divine consolations that Philip Landgrave of Hesse, prisoner to Charles V, for defence of the truth, said that he sensibly felt in the time of his sad captivity, Divinas Martyrum consolationes se sensisse dixit. This made Chrysostom say that he had rather be Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ than Paul rapped up into the third heaven. (Homil. in Eph 3:1 )
a An instrument of torture (invented in the reign of Hen. VIII by Leonard Skevington or Skeffington, Lieutenant of the Tower), which (bringing the head to the knees) so compressed the body as to force the blood from the nose and ears. Also Skevington’s gyves, irons. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 23:18 . .: used by Paul five times of himself in his Epistles, here for the first time in Acts with reference to him.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
So, &c. = He therefore indeed having taken him, brought him.
Paul the prisoner. This was a title the apostle cherished as one of honour. See Eph 3:1; Eph 4:1. 2Ti 1:8. Phm 1:9.
prisoner. Greek. deamios.
prayed = asked. Greek. erotao. App-134.
something. Greek. tis. Same as “a certain thing”, Act 23:17.
say = speak. Greek. laleo App-121.
unto = to.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Paul: Act 16:25, Act 27:1, Act 28:17, Gen 40:14, Gen 40:15, Eph 3:1, Eph 4:1, Phm 1:9
something: Luk 7:40
Reciprocal: Jdg 3:19 – a secret 2Ki 9:6 – he arose
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Act 23:18. Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me, etc. The prisoner; the Greek word signifies one bound. We may conclude, that Paul was fastened by a chain to the arm of a soldier. As a Roman citizen he was in custodia militaris. We may well believe that at this time he little thought how long that name (of the prisoner) would be used of him, first by others and then by himself, until it became as a title of honour in which he seemed to glory almost more than in that of apostle. Comp. Eph 3:1; Eph 4:1; Philem. Act 23:1; Act 23:9 (Plumptre).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 17
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
The commander took the advice of Paul’s nephew seriously. He probably knew Ananias well enough to know that the high priest would go along with this assassination plot.