Acts 24:23

Verse

He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.

American Standard Version (1901)

And he gave order to the centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his friends to minister unto him.

Bible in Basic English

And he gave orders to the captain to keep Paul under his control, and to let him have everything he had need of; and not to keep his friends from coming to see him.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And he commanded a centurion to keep him, and that he should be easy, and that he should not prohibit any of his friends to minister unto him.

Free Bible Version

He ordered the centurion to keep Paul in custody but to allow him some measure of freedom and to let Paul's friends care for him without interference.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then hee commanded a Centurion to keepe Paul, and that he should haue ease, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister vnto him, or to come vnto him.

King James (Authorized) Version

And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

Plain English Version

Then he told the boss soldier, “Take Paul back to the jail and make sure that he stays there, but don’t tie him up. And let his friends come to visit him, to look after him.”

Translation for Translators

Then he told the officer who was guarding Paul to take Paul back to the prison and make sure that he was guarded all the time. But he said that Paul was not to be chained {that the officer was not to fasten chains on him}, and if his friends came to visit him, the officer should allow them to help Paul in any way that they wished.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then he commanded the centurion that Paul should be kept under guard, but to have some freedom so that none of his friends would be prevented from attending to his needs.

Noah Webster Bible

And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister, or come to him.

World English Bible

He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.

Young's Literal Translation

having given also a direction to the centurion to keep Paul, to let [him] also have liberty, and to forbid none of his own friends to minister or to come near to him.

Context

The Verdict Postponed

²²Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “When Lysias the commander comes, I will decide your case.”²³He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.

Sermons

The Delays of Life

Warren Wiersbe

4.3K

Summary

In Acts 24:23, we see Governor Felix ordering the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to take care of his needs. This arrangement reflects Felix's desire to appease both the Jews who accused Paul and Paul himself. Despite being imprisoned, Paul is granted certain privileges, indicating God's provision and protection even in difficult circumstances. This verse showcases the complexities of the legal and political environment surrounding Paul's trial, as well as the divine intervention that ensures his well-being and the advancement of the Gospel.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

He commanded a centurion to keep Paul - He gave him into the custody of a captain, by whom he was most likely to be well used: and to let him have liberty; he freed him from the chains with which he was bound to the soldiers, his keepers. See on Act 21:33 (note). And that he should forbid none of his acquaintance, των ιδιων, of his own people, his fellow apostles, and the Christians in general, to minister or come unto him; to furnish him with any of the conveniences and comforts of life, and visit him as often as they pleased. This was an ample proof that Felix found no evil in him; and he would certainly have dismissed him but for two reasons: 1. He wanted to please the Jews, who, he knew, could depose grievous things against his administration. 2. He hoped to get money from the apostle, or his friends, as the purchase of his liberty.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And after certain days,.... Some days after this trial: when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess; to Caesarea, having been to fetch her from some other place, or to meet her: this woman was the daughter of Herod Agrippa, who was eaten by worms, Act 12:23 and sister to King Agrippa, mentioned in the next chapter; but though she was born of Jewish parents, and so a Jewess, as she is here called, yet her name was a Roman name, and is the diminutive of Drusus; the first of which name took it from killing Drausus, an enemy's general, and who was of the Livian family; and the name of the mother of Tiberius Caesar was Livia Drusilla; Caius Caligula, the Roman emperor, had also a sister whose name was Drusilla (a); this name Herod took from the Romans, and gave to his daughter; though the masculine name is often to be met with in Jewish writings; we frequently read of , "Rabbi Drusai" (b); Herod Agrippa (c) left three daughters, born to him of Cypris, Bernice, Mariamne, and Drusilla; and a son by the same, whose name was Agrippa; Agrippa when his father died was seventeen years of age, Bernice was sixteen, and was married to her uncle Herod; Mariamne and Drusilla were virgins, but were promised in marriage by their father; Mariamne to Julius Archelaus, son of Chelcias, and Drusilla to Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus, king of Comagene; but after Herod's death, he refused to marry her, being unwilling to embrace the Jewish religion and relinquish his own, though he had promised her father he would; wherefore her brother Agrippa married her to Azizus king of the Emesenes, who was willing to be circumcised; but this marriage was quickly dissolved; for Felix coming to the government of Judea, seeing Drusilla, was enamoured with her beauty; and by the means of one of his friends, one Simon a Jew, and a native of Cyprus, who pretended to be a magician, he enticed her from her husband, and prevailed upon her to marry him: he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ; which he did, chiefly on account of his wife, who being brought up in the Jewish religion, had some notion of the Messiah the Jews expected, and could better understand what Paul talked of than he did; who at this time doubtless showed, that Christ was come, and that Jesus of Nazareth was he; that he is truly God and man, that he died, and rose again from the dead on the third day, and that he has obtained salvation for sinners, and that whoever believes in him shall be saved; this was the faith in Christ Paul discoursed of, and Felix and his wife heard; but it does not appear that it was attended with the power of God, to the conversion of either of them; it seems to have been merely out of curiosity, and as a diversion to them, and to do his wife a pleasure, that he sent for Paul and heard him. (a) Sueton. in Vita Tiberii, sect. 3, 4, & in Vita Caligulae, sect. 7. (b) Shemot Rabba, sect. 35. fol. 136. 4. & sect. 43. fol. 140. 4. Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 14. 4. & 18. 2. Juchasin, fol. 88. 1. (c) Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 11. sect. 6. Antiqu. l. 19. c. 9. sect. 1. l. 20, c. 6. sect. 1, 2.

Acts 24:23

The Verdict Postponed

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.

American Standard Version (1901)

And he gave order to the centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his friends to minister unto him.

Bible in Basic English

And he gave orders to the captain to keep Paul under his control, and to let him have everything he had need of; and not to keep his friends from coming to see him.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And he commanded a centurion to keep him, and that he should be easy, and that he should not prohibit any of his friends to minister unto him.

Free Bible Version

He ordered the centurion to keep Paul in custody but to allow him some measure of freedom and to let Paul's friends care for him without interference.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then hee commanded a Centurion to keepe Paul, and that he should haue ease, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister vnto him, or to come vnto him.

King James (Authorized) Version

And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

Plain English Version

Then he told the boss soldier, “Take Paul back to the jail and make sure that he stays there, but don’t tie him up. And let his friends come to visit him, to look after him.”

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then he commanded the centurion that Paul should be kept under guard, but to have some freedom so that none of his friends would be prevented from attending to his needs.

Noah Webster Bible

And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister, or come to him.

World English Bible

He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.

Young's Literal Translation

having given also a direction to the centurion to keep Paul, to let [him] also have liberty, and to forbid none of his own friends to minister or to come near to him.

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Acts 24:23

Verse

Context

The Verdict Postponed

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Acts 24:23

The Verdict Postponed

The Delays of Life

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes