English Standard Version
Acts 21:23
23Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Acts 21:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
- New International Version (NIV)so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Here’s what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow.
Context of Acts 21:23
21and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality."
Read all of Acts 21Acts 21:23 word by word
τοῦτο οὖν ποίησον ὅ σοι λέγομεν· εἰσὶν ἡμῖν ἄνδρες τέσσαρες εὐχὴν ἔχοντες ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- we sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- to theeσύsu · youG4771
- Weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- haveεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- menἀνήρanēr · manG435
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- a vowεὐχήeuchē · a vow/prayerG2171
- onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- themἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
Cross-references for Acts 21:23
- Acts 18:18After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.
- Numbers 6:2"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord,
Commentaries on Acts 21:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23We have four men which have a vow - From the shaving of the head, mentioned immediately after, it is evident that the four men in question were under the vow of Nazariteship; and that the days of their vow were nearly at an end, as they were about to shave their heads; for, during the time of the Nazariteship, the hair was permitted to grow, and only shaven off at the termination of the vow. Among the Jews, it was common to make vows to God on…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23We have four men - There are with us four men. It is evident that James and the elders meant to say that these men were connected with them in the Christian church; and the fact shows that the Christians at Jerusalem did not disregard the institutions of Moses, and had not been so far enlightened in the doctrines of Christianity as to forsake yet the ceremonial rites of the Jews. Which have a vow on them - Which have made a vow. See the notes on Acts…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-26Verses 19-26 Paul ascribed all his success to God, and to God they gave the praise. God had honoured him more than any of the apostles, yet they did not envy him; but on the contrary, glorified the Lord. They could not do more to encourage Paul to go on cheerfully in his work. James and the elders of the church at Jerusalem, asked Paul to gratify the believing Jews, by some compliance with the ceremonial law. They thought it was prudent in him to conform…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-25The leaders of the Jerusalem church urged Paul to strengthen his credibility. They encouraged him to demonstrate that he was not teaching Jews to abandon the laws of Moses. Meanwhile, the leaders did not force Jewish rules on Gentile converts. They had determined these terms earlier and would respect them (15:22–29).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2520-25. they glorified the Lord, &c.--constrained to justify his course, notwithstanding the Jewish complexion of the Christianity of Jerusalem.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 21:23
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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Commentaries