Acts 21:37

Paul asks Leave to address the Crowd

37. And as Paul was to be led into the castle More clearly (with Rev. Ver.) "was about to be brought, &c." This must have been when Paul with the soldiers had reached some place where he could be allowed to stand.

he said[Gk. saith] … May I speak unto thee? Literally, (with Rev. Ver.), "May I say something unto thee?"

Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? More closely, as Rev. Ver. "And he said, Dost thou know Greek?" The chief captain had evidently come down with a preconceived notion who the offender was about whom the disturbance had arisen. And from some source or other he appears to have known that the Egyptian, whom he supposed St Paul to be, could not speak Greek.