New King James Version
Acts 21:37
37Then 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?
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 Living Translation (NLT)As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, “May I have a word with you?” “Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised.
Context of Acts 21:37
35When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. 36For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him!” 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? 38Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?” 39But 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.”
Read all of Acts 21Acts 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 21:19When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
- Acts 19:30And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him.
- Matthew 10:18You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
- Luke 21:15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries