Acts 21:33

Then … took him The last verb implies a formal arrest, therefore the Rev. Ver.rightly gives "laid hold on him." The chief captain did not come with a view to relieve St Paul, but to find out what was the matter, and seeing the Apostle in the hands of the mob, himself arrested him, that he might not be killed without a hearing.

and … two chains (Cp. Acts 12:6.) Evidently, as appears from his language afterwards, regarding him as some desperate criminal. The chief captain would have thought little of any question about Jewish law (see Acts 23:29).

and demanded … done The English word demandhad in early times the sense of "ask," "inquire." Cp. Cymbeline, iii. 6. 92, "We'll mannerly demandthee of thy story." But it has in modern times only the stronger meaning of imperative questioning. Therefore Rev. Ver." and inquired." The inquiry was made of the crowd, not of the Apostle.