Bible Dictionaries
Centurion

Holman Bible Dictionary

An officer in the Roman army, nominally in command of one hundred soldiers. In Matthew 8:5 , a centurion who lived at Capernaum approached Jesus on behalf of his ailing servant. In Mark 15:39 , a centurion who witnessed the crucifixion identified Jesus as the Son of God. In Acts 10:1 , the conversion of the centurion Cornelius marked the beginning of the church's outreach to the Gentile world. In Acts 27:3 , the centurion Julius treated the apostle Paul with courtesy. These passages illustrate the generally favorable impression made by the centurions who appear in the New Testament. They were usually career soldiers, and they formed the real backbone of the Roman military force.