21:33a

The commander came up: Here the phrase came up is an English idiom that means “came near.” It implies that the commander came through the crowd to stand near Paul. Other ways to translate this clause are:

The commander went over (Good News Translation)
-or-
The top/main officer approached

arrested: This word refers to taking hold of someone for the purpose of putting him under the authority of police or others. Other ways to translate this word are:

took hold (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
took…into custody (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
grabbed (God’s Word)

21:33b

ordering that he be bound with two chains: This phrase indicates that the commander ordered his soldiers to fasten a chain around each wrist. The clause he be bound is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

ordered ⌊his soldiers⌋ to bind him with two chains

The verse implies that the soldiers obeyed what the commander told them to do. In some languages this must be explicit. For example:

ordered ⌊soldiers⌋ to bind him with two chains, ⌊and they did⌋

21:33c

Then he asked who he was and what he had done: The commander asked the crowd who Paul was, and what he had done.

In some languages, it will be more natural to use direct speech. For example:

Then he asked, “Who is this man, and what has he done?” (Good News Translation)

asked: The Greek verb probably indicates that he asked these questions more than once. As 21:34 explains, the crowd did not answer him clearly, so he had to ask more than once. For example:

began asking (New American Standard Bible)

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