Acts 23:19 (KJV)

What does Acts 23:19 mean?

Acts 23:19 describes a Roman officer giving Paul’s nephew a private chance to speak. The officer takes the young man by the hand, leads him away from others, and asks what he wants to report. The verse prepares the reader for the warning that follows.

The chief captain is the officer in charge of the Roman soldiers holding Paul. After the young man has been brought to him in verse 18, the captain himself asks the question. Taking him by the hand makes the encounter personal, while moving aside gives the young man room to speak privately.

The Greek behind Acts 23:19

• “captain” — χιλίαρχος (chiliarchos): The Greek word refers to a military officer traditionally associated with command of a thousand soldiers. It identifies the man as an officer with authority, rather than an ordinary soldier.
• “took” — ἐπιλαμβάνομαι (epilambanomai): The Greek carries the sense of taking hold of someone or something. Here it describes the captain taking hold of the young man’s hand as he leads him aside.
• “asked” — πυνθάνομαι (pynthanomai): The word carries the sense of asking for information or finding something out. The captain’s question invites the young man to give the report himself.

Why Acts 23:19 matters

• The captain hears the warning directly from its source. His question, “What is that thou hast to tell me?” gives Paul’s nephew the opportunity to explain the planned attack in his own words.
• The private setting fits the danger in the report. In verse 21, the young man warns that men are waiting to kill Paul; in verse 22, the captain tells him not to reveal that he has reported the plot.