Berean Standard Bible
Acts 21:39
39But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
Acts 21:39 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
- New International Version (NIV)Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.”
Context of Acts 21:39
37As they were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the Assassins into the wilderness?” But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.” 40Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:
Read all of Acts 21Acts 21:39 word by word
Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Παῦλος· ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος μέν εἰμι Ἰουδαῖος Ταρσεὺς τῆς Κιλικίας οὐκ ἀσήμου πόλεως πολίτης, δέομαι δέ σου· ἐπίτρεψόν μοι λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν λαόν.Read the interlinear
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
- answeredεἶπονepō · to sayG2036
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
- a JewἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- a Jewἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- from TarsusΤαρσεύςTarseus · of TarsusG5018
- in CiliciaΚιλικία, ΚιλικίαKilikia · CiliciaG2791
- a citizenπολίτηςpolitēs · citizenG4177
- noοὐou · noG3756
- ordinaryἄσημοςasēmos · insignificantG767
- cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
- I begδέομαιdeomai · to prayG1189
- youσύsu · youG4771
- to allowἐπιτρέπωepitrepō · to permitG2010
- to speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
Cross-references for Acts 21:39
- Acts 9:11“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
- Acts 22:3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
- Acts 23:34The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
- Acts 6:9But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They disputed with Stephen,
- Acts 15:23and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
- Acts 16:37But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”
- Acts 22:25But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”
- Acts 23:27This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
- Acts 21:37As they were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied.
- 1 Peter 3:15But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,
- 1 Peter 4:15Indeed, none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or wrongdoer, or even as a meddler.
Commentaries on Acts 21:39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39I am a man which am a Jew - A periphrasis for, I am a Jew. See the note on Acts 7:2. Of Tarsus - no mean city - In the notes on Acts 9:11, I have shown that Tarsus was a city of considerable importance, and in some measure a rival to Rome and Athens; and that, because of the services tendered to the Romans by the inhabitants, Julius Caesar endowed them with all the rights and privileges of Roman citizens. When St. Paul calls it no mean city, he speaks a…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39A Jew of Tarsus - A Jew by birth. Of no mean city - Not obscure, or undistinguished. He could claim an honorable birth, so far as the place of his nativity was concerned. See the notes on Acts 9:11. Tarsus was much celebrated for its learning, and was at one time the rival of Alexandria and Athens. Xenophon calls it a great and flourishing city. Josephus (Antiq., book 2, chapter 6, section 6) says that it was the metropolis, and most renowned city among…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 21:39
In the dictionaries
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
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