Acts 21:37

Acts 21:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
• New International Version (NIV)As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?” He replied, “Can you speak Greek?

Context of Acts 21:37

35When Paul got to the steps, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; 36for the majority of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him! [Kill him!]” Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” And the man replied, “Do you know Greek? 38Then you are not [as I assumed] the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led those 4,000 men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia (Mersin Province, Turkey), a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.”

Acts 21:37 word by word

μέλλων τε εἰσάγεσθαι εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν ὁ Παῦλος λέγει τῷ χιλιάρχῳ· εἰ ἔξεστίν μοι εἰπεῖν τι πρὸς σέ; ὁ δὲ ἔφη· ἑλληνιστὶ γινώσκεις;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andτεte · and/bothG5037
• as PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• wasμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
• to be ledεἰσάγωeisagō · to bring inG1521
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the castleπαρεμβολήparembolē · barracksG3925
• he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto the chief captainχιλίαρχοςchiliarchos · military officerG5506
• ·εἰei · if: is(QUESTION)G1487
• Mayἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• Whoτιςtis · oneG5100
• saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Canst thou speakγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• GreekἙλληνιστί=ἙλληνικόςHellēnisti · GreekG1676

Cross-references for Acts 21:37

• Acts 21:19After greeting them, Paul began to give a detailed account of the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
• Acts 19:30Paul wanted to go into the [pagan] assembly, but the disciples would not let him.
• Matthew 10:18and you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
• Luke 21:15for I will give you [skillful] words and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.

Commentaries on Acts 21:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37Canst thou speak Greek? - Claudius Lysias was not a Roman; he had, as himself informs us, purchased his citizenship of Rome with a great sum of money; (see Acts 22:28;); and it is very likely that he was but imperfectly acquainted with the Latin tongue; and the tumult that was now made, and the discordant noise, prevented him from clearly apprehending what was said; and, as he wished to know the merit of the cause, he accosted Paul with, ̔Ϛ , Dost thou…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37May I speak unto thee? - May I have the privilege of making my defense before thee; or of stating the case truly; the cause of my accusation; of this tumult, etc. Canst thou speak Greek? - Implying that if he could, he might be permitted to speak to him. The Greek language was what was then almost universally spoken, and it is not improbable that it was the native tongue of the chief captain. It is evident that he was not a Roman by birth, for he says…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-40Verses 27-40 In the temple, where Paul should have been protected as in a place of safety, he was violently set upon. They falsely charged him with ill doctrine and ill practice against the Mosaic ceremonies. It is no new thing for those who mean honestly and act regularly, to have things laid to their charge which they know not and never thought of. It is common for the wise and good to have that charged against them by malicious people, with which they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-40The commander had mistaken Paul for an Egyptian false messiah who had planned to seize power from the Romans around AD 54 (roughly three years earlier; see Josephus, War 2.13.5). Paul corrected the mistake, gained permission to speak to the people, and addressed the crowd in Aramaic, the common language of Judea. He gave a strong statement of his faith in Jesus as the Messiah (Acts 22:1–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-4037-40. Art not thou that Egyptian, &c.--The form of the question implies that the answer is to be in the negative, and is matter of some surprise: "Thou art not then?" &c.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 21:37

• Castle
• Claudius Lysius
• Language
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Prisoners

In the dictionaries

• Greek
• Paul
• Greek, Grecian, Hellenist
• Paul, Saul
• Antonia
• Appeal
• Claudius
• Discover
• James
• John

Commentaries on Acts 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings