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Acts 21:2-40

Context
21:2 We found¹ a ship crossing over to Phoenicia,² went aboard,³ and put out to sea.⁴ 21:3 After we sighted Cyprus⁵ and left it behind on our port side,⁶ we sailed on to Syria and put in⁷ at Tyre,⁸ because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 21:4 After we located⁹ the disciples, we stayed there¹⁰ seven days. They repeatedly told¹¹ Paul through the Spirit¹² not to set foot¹³ in Jerusalem.¹⁴ 21:5 When¹⁵ our time was over,¹⁶ we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied¹⁷ us outside of the city. After¹⁸ kneeling down on the beach and praying,¹⁹ 21:6 we said farewell²⁰ to one another.²¹ Then²² we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes.²³ 21:7 We continued the voyage from Tyre²⁴ and arrived at Ptolemais,²⁵ and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 21:8 On the next day we left²⁶ and came to Caesarea,²⁷ and entered²⁸ the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven,²⁹ and stayed with him. 21:9 (He had four unmarried³⁰ daughters who prophesied.)³¹

21:10 While we remained there for a number of days,³² a prophet named Agabus³³ came down from Judea. 21:11 He came³⁴ to us, took³⁵ Paul’s belt,³⁶ tied³⁷ his own hands and feet with it,³⁸ and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over³⁹ to the Gentiles.’” 21:12 When we heard this, both we and the local people⁴⁰ begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking⁴¹ my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up,⁴² but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded,⁴³ we said no more except,⁴⁴ “The Lord’s will be done.”⁴⁵

21:15 After these days we got ready⁴⁶ and started up⁴⁷ to Jerusalem. 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea⁴⁸ came along with us too, and brought us to the house⁴⁹ of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times,⁵⁰ with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.⁵¹ 21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there.⁵² 21:19 When Paul⁵³ had greeted them, he began to explain⁵⁴ in detail⁵⁵ what God⁵⁶ had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised⁵⁷ God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews⁵⁸ there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers⁵⁹ of the law.⁶⁰ 21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living⁶¹ among the Gentiles to abandon⁶² Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children⁶³ or live⁶⁴ according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt⁶⁵ hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what⁶⁶ we tell you: We have four men⁶⁷ who have taken⁶⁸ a vow;⁶⁹ 21:24 take them and purify⁷⁰ yourself along with them and pay their expenses,⁷¹ so that they may have their heads shaved.⁷² Then⁷³ everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told⁷⁴ about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with⁷⁵ the law.⁷⁶ 21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided⁷⁷ that they should avoid⁷⁸ meat that has been sacrificed to idols⁷⁹ and blood and what has been strangled⁸⁰ and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day,⁸¹ and after he had purified himself⁸² along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice⁸³ of the completion of the days of purification,⁸⁴ when⁸⁵ the sacrifice would be offered for each⁸⁶ of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over,⁸⁷ the Jews from the province of Asia⁸⁸ who had seen him in the temple area⁸⁹ stirred up the whole crowd⁹⁰ and seized⁹¹ him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel,⁹² help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law,⁹³ and this sanctuary!⁹⁴ Furthermore⁹⁵ he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple⁹⁶ and made this holy place ritually unclean!”⁹⁷ 21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and⁹⁸ they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.)⁹⁹ 21:30 The whole city was stirred up,¹⁰⁰ and the people rushed together.¹⁰¹ They seized¹⁰² Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts,¹⁰³ and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying¹⁰⁴ to kill him, a report¹⁰⁵ was sent up¹⁰⁶ to the commanding officer¹⁰⁷ of the cohort¹⁰⁸ that all Jerusalem was in confusion.¹⁰⁹ 21:32 He¹¹⁰ immediately took¹¹¹ soldiers and centurions¹¹² and ran down to the crowd.¹¹³ When they saw¹¹⁴ the commanding officer¹¹⁵ and the soldiers, they stopped beating¹¹⁶ Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer¹¹⁷ came up and arrested¹¹⁸ him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains;¹¹⁹ he¹²⁰ then asked who he was and what¹²¹ he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else,¹²² and when the commanding officer¹²³ was unable¹²⁴ to find out the truth¹²⁵ because of the disturbance,¹²⁶ he ordered Paul¹²⁷ to be brought into the barracks.¹²⁸ 21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul¹²⁹ had to be carried¹³⁰ by the soldiers because of the violence¹³¹ of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people¹³² followed them,¹³³ screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks,¹³⁴ he said¹³⁵ to the commanding officer,¹³⁶ “May I say¹³⁷ something to you?” The officer¹³⁸ replied,¹³⁹ “Do you know Greek?¹⁴⁰ 21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion¹⁴¹ and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’¹⁴² into the wilderness¹⁴³ some time ago?”¹⁴⁴ 21:39 Paul answered,¹⁴⁵ “I am a Jew¹⁴⁶ from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city.¹⁴⁷ Please¹⁴⁸ allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer¹⁴⁹ had given him permission,¹⁵⁰ Paul stood¹⁵¹ on the steps and gestured¹⁵² to the people with his hand. When they had become silent,¹⁵³ he addressed¹⁵⁴ them in Aramaic,¹⁵⁵

[21:2] ¹tn Grk “and finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun in the translation.

[21:2] ²sn Phoenicia was the name of an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[21:2] ³tn Grk “going aboard, we put out to sea.” The participle ἐπιβάντες (epibante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:2] ⁴tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[21:3] ⁵sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[21:3] ⁶sn The expression left it behind on our port side here means “sailed past to the south of it” since the ship was sailing east.

[21:3] ⁷tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”

[21:3] ⁸sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia. From Patara to Tyre was about 400 mi (640 km). It required a large cargo ship over 100 ft (30 m) long, and was a four to five day voyage.

[21:4] ⁹tn BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνευρίσκω has “look/search for (w. finding presupposed) τινά…τοὺς μαθητάς Ac 21:4.” The English verb “locate,” when used in reference to persons, has the implication of both looking for and finding someone. The participle ἀνευρόντες (aneuronte") has been taken temporally.

[21:4] ¹⁰tn BDAG 154 s.v. αὐτοῦ states, “deictic adv. designating a position relatively near or far…there…Ac 21:4.”

[21:4] ¹¹tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγον (elegon) has been taken iteratively.

[21:4] ¹²sn Although they told this to Paul through the Spirit, it appears Paul had a choice here (see v. 14). Therefore this amounted to a warning: There was risk in going to Jerusalem, so he was urged not to go.

[21:4] ¹³tn BDAG 367 s.v. ἐπιβαίνω places Ac 21:4 under 1, “go up/upon, mount, board…πλοίῳ…Ac 27:2…Abs. go on board, embark…21:1 D, 2. – So perh. also ἐ. εἰς ᾿Ιεροσόλυμα embark for Jerusalem (i.e. to the seaport of Caesarea) vs. 4.” BDAG notes, however, “But this pass. may also belong to 2. to move to an area and be there, set foot in.” Because the message from the disciples to Paul through the Holy Spirit has the character of a warning, the latter meaning has been adopted for this translation.

[21:4] ¹⁴map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:5] ¹³tn Grk “It happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[21:5] ¹⁴tn Grk “When our days were over.” L&N 67.71 has “ὅτε δὲ ἐγένετο ἡμᾶς ἐξαρτίσαι τὰς ἡμέρας ‘when we brought that time to an end’ or ‘when our time with them was over’ Ac 21:5.”

[21:5] ¹⁵tn Grk “accompanying.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation and the participle προπεμπόντων (propempontwn) translated as a finite verb.

[21:5] ¹⁶tn Grk “city, and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[21:5] ¹⁷sn On praying in Acts, see 1:14, 24; 2:47; 4:23; 6:6; 10:2; 12:5, 12; 13:3; 16:25.

[21:6] ¹⁷tn BDAG 98 s.v. ἀπασπάζομαι has “take leave of, say farewell to τινά someone…ἀπησπασάμεθα ἀλλήλους we said farewell to one another Ac 21:6.”

[21:6] ¹⁸sn These words are part of v. 5 in the standard critical Greek text.

[21:6] ¹⁹tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[21:6] ²⁰tn Grk “to their own”; the word “homes” is implied.

[21:7] ²¹sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[21:7] ²²sn Ptolemais was a seaport on the coast of Palestine about 30 mi (48 km) south of Tyre.

[21:8] ²⁵tn Grk “On the next day leaving, we came.” The participle ἐξελθόντες (exelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:8] ²⁶sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was another 40 mi (65 km).

[21:8] ²⁷tn Grk “and entering…we stayed.” The participle εἰσελθόντες (eiselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:8] ²⁸sn Philip was one of the seven deacons appointed in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1-7).

[21:9] ²⁹tn Grk “virgin.” While the term παρθένος (parqeno") can refer to a woman who has never had sexual relations, the emphasis in this context seems to be on the fact that Philip’s daughters were not married (L&N 9.39).

[21:9] ³⁰sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Luke again noted women who were gifted in the early church (see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.31; 3.39).

[21:10] ³³tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.α has “ἐπὶ ἡμέρας πλείους for a (large) number of days, for many days…Ac 13:31. – 21:10…24:17; 25:14; 27:20.”

[21:10] ³⁴sn Agabus also appeared in Acts 11:28. He was from Jerusalem, so the two churches were still in contact with one another.

[21:11] ³⁷tn Grk “And coming.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11] ³⁸tn Grk “and taking.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. The participle ἄρας (aras) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11] ³⁹sn The belt was a band or sash used to keep money as well as to gird up the tunic (BDAG 431 s.v. ζώνη).

[21:11] ⁴⁰tn The participle δήσας (dhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11] ⁴¹tn The words “with it” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[21:11] ⁴²tn Grk “and will deliver him over into the hands of” (a Semitic idiom).

[21:12] ⁴¹tn Or “the people there.”

[21:13] ⁴⁵tn The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus (Ant. 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a hapax legomenon) it is used figuratively (BDAG 972 s.v. συνθρύπτω).

[21:13] ⁴⁶tn L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together – ‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’” The verb δέω (dew) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.

[21:14] ⁴⁹tn The participle πειθομένου (peiqomenou) in this genitive absolute construction has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[21:14] ⁵⁰tn Grk “we became silent, saying.”

[21:14] ⁵¹sn “The Lord’s will be done.” Since no one knew exactly what would happen, the matter was left in the Lord’s hands.

[21:15] ⁵³tn Or “we made preparations.”

[21:15] ⁵⁴tn Grk “were going up”; the imperfect verb ἀνεβαίνομεν (anebainomen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:16] ⁵⁷sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[21:16] ⁵⁸tn Grk “to Mnason…”; the words “the house of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the verb ξενισθῶμεν (xenisqwmen).

[21:16] ⁵⁹tn Or perhaps, “Mnason of Cyprus, one of the original disciples.” BDAG 137 s.v. ἀρχαῖος 1 has “ἀ. μαθητής a disciple of long standing (perh. original disc.) Ac 21:16.”

[21:17] ⁶¹tn Or “warmly” (see BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσμένως).

[21:18] ⁶⁵tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγίνομαι 1 has this use under the broad category of meaning “draw near, come, arrive, be present.”

[21:19] ⁶⁹tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:19] ⁷⁰tn Or “to report,” “to describe.” The imperfect verb ἐξηγεῖτο (exhgeito) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:19] ⁷¹tn BDAG 293 s.v. εἷς 5.e has “καθ᾿ ἕν one after the other (hence τὸ καθ᾿ ἕν ‘a detailed list’: PLille 11, 8 [III bc]; PTebt. 47, 34; 332, 16) J 21:25. Also καθ᾿ ἕν ἕκαστον…Ac 21:19.”

[21:19] ⁷²sn Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.

[21:20] ⁷³tn Or “glorified.”

[21:20] ⁷⁴tn Grk “how many thousands there are among the Jews.”

[21:20] ⁷⁵tn Or “are all zealous for the law.” BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.β has “of thing…τοῦ νόμου an ardent observer of the law Ac 21:20.”

[21:20] ⁷⁶sn That is, the law of Moses. These Jewish Christians had remained close to their Jewish practices after becoming believers (1 Cor 7:18-19; Acts 16:3).

[21:21] ⁷⁷tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.a has “τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη ᾿Ιουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21.” The Jews in view are not those in Palestine, but those who are scattered throughout the Gentile world.

[21:21] ⁷⁸tn Or “to forsake,” “to rebel against.” BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποστασία has “ἀποστασίαν διδάσκεις ἀπὸ Μωϋσέως you teach (Judeans) to abandon Moses Ac 21:21.”

[21:21] ⁷⁹sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.

[21:21] ⁸⁰tn Grk “or walk.”

[21:22] ⁸¹tn L&N 71.16 has “pertaining to being in every respect certain – ‘certainly, really, doubtless, no doubt.’…‘they will no doubt hear that you have come’ Ac 21:22.”

[21:23] ⁸⁵tn Grk “do this that.”

[21:23] ⁸⁶tn Grk “There are four men here.”

[21:23] ⁸⁷tn L&N 33.469 has “‘there are four men here who have taken a vow’ or ‘we have four men who…’ Ac 21:23.”

[21:23] ⁸⁸tn On the term for “vow,” see BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχή 2.

[21:24] ⁸⁹sn That is, undergo ritual cleansing. Paul’s cleansing would be necessary because of his travels in “unclean” Gentile territory. This act would represent a conciliatory gesture. Paul would have supported a “law-free” mission to the Gentiles as an option, but this gesture would represent an attempt to be sensitive to the Jews (1 Cor 9:15-22).

[21:24] ⁹⁰tn L&N 57.146 has “δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ‘pay their expenses’ Ac 21:24.”

[21:24] ⁹¹tn The future middle indicative has causative force here. BDAG 686 s.v. ξυράω has “mid. have oneself shaved…τὴν κεφαλήν have one’s head shaved…Ac 21:24.”

[21:24] ⁹²tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[21:24] ⁹³tn The verb here describes a report or some type of information (BDAG 534 s.v. κατηχέω 1).

[21:24] ⁹⁴tn Grk “adhere to the keeping of the law.” L&N 41.12 has “στοιχέω: to live in conformity with some presumed standard or set of customs – ‘to live, to behave in accordance with.’”

[21:24] ⁹⁵sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:25] ⁹³tn L&N 13.154 has “‘having decided that they must keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from an animal that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality’ Ac 21:25.”

[21:25] ⁹⁴tn This is a different Greek word than the one used in Acts 15:20, 29. BDAG 1068 s.v. φυλάσσω 3 has “to be on one’s guard against, look out for, avoid…w. acc. of pers. or thing avoided…Ac 21:25.” The Greek word used in Acts 15:20, 29 is ἀπέχω (apecw). The difference in meaning, although slight, has been maintained in the translation.

[21:25] ⁹⁵tn There is no specific semantic component in the Greek word εἰδωλόθυτος that means “meat” (see BDAG 280 s.v. εἰδωλόθυτος; L&N 5.15). The stem –θυτος means “sacrifice” (referring to an animal sacrificially killed) and thereby implies meat.

[21:25] ⁹⁶sn What has been strangled. That is, to refrain from eating animals that had been killed without having the blood drained from them. According to the Mosaic law (Lev 17:13-14) Jews were forbidden to eat flesh with the blood still in it (note the preceding provision in this verse, and blood).

[21:26] ⁹⁷tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 11.b.β has “temporal, to be next, immediately following…τῇ ἐχομένῃ…on the next day Lk 13:33…Ac 20:15; w. ἡμέρᾳ added…21:26.”

[21:26] ⁹⁸tn That is, after he had undergone ritual cleansing. The aorist passive participle ἁγνισθείς (Jagnisqei") has been taken temporally of antecedent action.

[21:26] ⁹⁹tn Grk “entered the temple, giving notice.” The participle διαγγέλλων (diangellwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:26] ¹⁰⁰sn The days of purification refers to the days of ritual cleansing.

[21:26] ¹⁰¹tn Grk “until” (BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.β.א), but since in English it is somewhat awkward to say “the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice would be offered,” the temporal clause was translated “when the sacrifice would be offered.” The point is that the sacrifice would be offered when the days were completed. Paul honored the request of the Jewish Christian leadership completely. As the following verse makes clear, the vow was made for seven days.

[21:26] ¹⁰²tn Grk “for each one.”

[21:27] ¹⁰¹tn BDAG 975 s.v. συντελέω 4 has “to come to an end of a duration, come to an end, be over…Ac 21:27.”

[21:27] ¹⁰²tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[21:27] ¹⁰³tn Grk “in the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:27] ¹⁰⁴tn Or “threw the whole crowd into consternation.” L&N 25.221 has “συνέχεον πάντα τὸν ὄχλον ‘they threw the whole crowd into consternation’ Ac 21:27. It is also possible to render the expression in Ac 21:27 as ‘they stirred up the whole crowd.’”

[21:27] ¹⁰⁵tn Grk “and laid hands on.”

[21:28] ¹⁰⁵tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage since “the whole crowd” is mentioned in v. 27, although it can also be argued that these remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[21:28] ¹⁰⁶sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:28] ¹⁰⁷tn Grk “this place.”

[21:28] ¹⁰⁸tn BDAG 400 s.v. ἔτι 2.b has “ἔ. δὲ καί furthermore…al. ἔ. τε καί…Lk 14:26; Ac 21:28.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek, but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[21:28] ¹⁰⁹tn Grk “into the temple.” The specific reference is to the Court of the Sons of Israel (see the note following the term “unclean” at the end of this verse). To avoid giving the modern reader the impression that they entered the temple building itself, the phrase “the inner courts of the temple” has been used in the translation.

[21:28] ¹¹⁰tn Or “and has defiled this holy place.”

[21:29] ¹⁰⁹tn Grk “whom.”

[21:29] ¹¹⁰tn On the phrase “inner temple courts” see the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:30] ¹¹³tn On this term see BDAG 545 s.v. κινέω 2.b.

[21:30] ¹¹⁴tn Or “the people formed a mob.” BDAG 967 s.v. συνδρομή has “formation of a mob by pers. running together, running together…ἐγένετο σ. τοῦ λαοῦ the people rushed together Ac 21:30.”

[21:30] ¹¹⁵tn Grk “and seizing.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[21:30] ¹¹⁶tn Grk “out of the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:31] ¹¹⁷tn Grk “seeking.”

[21:31] ¹¹⁸tn Or “information” (originally concerning a crime; BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσις).

[21:31] ¹¹⁹tn Grk “went up”; this verb is used because the report went up to the Antonia Fortress where the Roman garrison was stationed.

[21:31] ¹²⁰tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.

[21:31] ¹²¹sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.

[21:31] ¹²²tn BDAG 953 s.v. συγχέω has “Pass. w. act.force be in confusion…ὅλη συγχύννεται ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ 21:31.”

[21:32] ¹²¹tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated as a pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[21:32] ¹²²tn Grk “taking…ran down.” The participle κατέδραμεν (katedramen) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:32] ¹²³sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[21:32] ¹²⁴tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:32] ¹²⁵tn Grk “seeing.” The participle ἰδόντες (idonte") has been taken temporally.

[21:32] ¹²⁶tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:32] ¹²⁷sn The mob stopped beating Paul because they feared the Romans would arrest them for disturbing the peace and for mob violence. They would let the Roman officials take care of the matter from this point on.

[21:33] ¹²⁵tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:33] ¹²⁶tn Grk “seized.”

[21:33] ¹²⁷tn The two chains would be something like handcuffs (BDAG 48 s.v. ἅλυσις and compare Acts 28:20).

[21:33] ¹²⁸tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been replaced with a semicolon. “Then” has been supplied after “he” to clarify the logical sequence.

[21:33] ¹²⁹tn Grk “and what it is”; this has been simplified to “what.”

[21:34] ¹²⁹tn L&N 33.77 has “ἄλλοι δὲ ἄλλο τι ἐπεφώνουν ἐν τῷ ὄχλῳ ‘some in the crowd shouted one thing; others, something else’ Ac 21:34.”

[21:34] ¹³⁰tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34] ¹³¹tn This genitive absolute construction has been translated temporally; it could also be taken causally: “and since the commanding officer was unable to find out the truth.”

[21:34] ¹³²tn Or “find out what had happened”; Grk “the certainty” (BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2).

[21:34] ¹³³tn Or “clamor,” “uproar” (BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος).

[21:34] ¹³⁴tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34] ¹³⁵tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[21:35] ¹³³tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:35] ¹³⁴sn Paul had to be carried. Note how the arrest really ended up protecting Paul. The crowd is portrayed as irrational at this point.

[21:35] ¹³⁵tn This refers to mob violence (BDAG 175 s.v. βία b).

[21:36] ¹³⁷tn Grk “the multitude of people.” While πλῆθος (plhqo") is articular, it has been translated “a crowd” since it was probably a subset of the larger mob that gathered in v. 30.

[21:36] ¹³⁸tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[21:37] ¹⁴¹tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[21:37] ¹⁴²tn Grk “says” (a historical present).

[21:37] ¹⁴³tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:37] ¹⁴⁴tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).

[21:37] ¹⁴⁵tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:37] ¹⁴⁶tn Grk “said.”

[21:37] ¹⁴⁷sn “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.

[21:38] ¹⁴⁵tn L&N 39.41 has “οὐκ ἄρα σὺ εἶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ὁ πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀναστατώσας ‘then you are not that Egyptian who some time ago started a rebellion’ Ac 21:38.”

[21:38] ¹⁴⁶tn Grk “of the Sicarii.”

[21:38] ¹⁴⁷tn Or “desert.”

[21:38] ¹⁴⁸tn Grk “before these days.”

[21:39] ¹⁴⁹tn Grk “said.”

[21:39] ¹⁵⁰tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[21:39] ¹⁵¹tn Grk “of a not insignificant city.” The double negative, common in Greek, is awkward in English and has been replaced by a corresponding positive expression (BDAG 142 s.v. ἄσημος 1).

[21:39] ¹⁵²tn Grk “I beg you.”

[21:40] ¹⁵³tn The referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[21:40] ¹⁵⁴tn Grk “Giving him permission.” The participle ἐπιτρέψαντος (epitreyanto") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:40] ¹⁵⁵tn Grk “standing.” The participle ἑστώς (Jestws) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:40] ¹⁵⁶tn Or “motioned.”

[21:40] ¹⁵⁷tn γενομένης (genomenhs) has been taken temporally. BDAG 922 s.v. σιγή has “πολλῆς σιγῆς γενομένης when a great silence had fallen = when they had become silent Ac 21:40.”

[21:40] ¹⁵⁸tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”

[21:40] ¹⁵⁹tn Grk “in the Hebrew dialect, saying.” This refers to the Aramaic spoken in Palestine in the 1st century (BDAG 270 s.v. ῾Εβραΐς). The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.