24:23a

centurion: The centurion was an officer in the Roman army who usually led one hundred soldiers. Translate this word as you did in 10:1 or 23:23.

to keep Paul under guard: The centurion was responsible to keep Paul there as a prisoner. His soldiers would guard Paul, to make sure that he did not escape and also to protect him from those who wanted to kill him. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

that he should be kept in custody (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
to guard Paul (God’s Word)
-or-
that soldiers should guard Paul

Scholars have two opinions about what this phrase indicates:

(1) The soldiers chained and guarded him.

(2) The soldiers guarded Paul but did not chain him.

Either interpretation is possible because both customs were practiced under Roman custody. Lysias, the Roman commander, probably did not have authority to chain a Roman citizen (22:29–30), but higher ranking officials like a governor could put chains on a Roman citizen (26:29). If possible, translate in a way that allows both interpretations.

24:23b

to allow him some freedom: This phrase indicates that the centurion was to allow Paul to do things as long as those things did not interfere with guarding him. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

should have some liberty (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
to allow him to do reasonable things

24:23c

permit his friends to minister to his needs: This phrase refers to allowing Paul’s friends to visit him and to bring him things that he might need. It probably included bringing food. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
not…to stop his friends from helping him (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
to let his friends bring what he needed (New Century Version)

General Comment on 24:23a–c

The centurion did as Felix had ordered. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly imply that the centurion did not do those things. If so, indicate that the centurion obeyed in your translation. For example:

He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs. ⌊And the centurion did so.⌋

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