Acts 21:31

 Acts 21:31

And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

a. ASV:  And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT:  And they seeking to kill him, a rumour came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem hath been thrown into confusion,

  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified:  Now while they were trying to kill him, word came to the commandant of the regular Roman garrison that the whole of Jerusalem was in a state of ferment.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: And as the mob sought to kill him, the news reached the captain of the company, that all the city was in an uproar.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. NLT:  As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.  [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

1. “And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band…”

a. And [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. [as they] went about [Strong: 2212. zeteo dzay-teh'-o of uncertain affinity; to seek (literally or figuratively); specially, (by Hebraism) to worship (God), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life):--be (go) about, desire, endeavour, enquire (for), require, (X will) seek (after, for, means).

c. [to] kill [Strong: 615. apokteino ap-ok-ti'-no from 575 and kteino (to slay); to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy:--put to death, kill, slay.]

d. him [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

e. tidings [Strong: 5334. phasis fas'-is from 5346 (not the same as "phase", which is from 5316); a saying, i.e. report:--tidings.]

f. came [Strong: 305. anabaino an-ab-ah'-ee-no from 303 and the base of 939; to go up (literally or figuratively):--arise, ascend (up), climb (go, grow, rise, spring) up, come (up).]

g. [unto] the [Strong: 3588. [tō] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ tō] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

h. chief captain [Strong: 5506. chiliarchos khil-ee'-ar-khos from 5507 and 757; the commander of a thousand soldiers ("chiliarch"; i.e. colonel:--(chief, high) captain.]

i. [of] the [Strong: 3588. [tēs] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tēs] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

j. band [Strong: 4686 speîra, spi'-rah; of immediate Latin origin, but ultimately a derivative of G138 in the sense of its cognate G1507; a coil (spira, "spire"), i.e. (figuratively) a mass of men (a Roman military cohort; also (by analogy) a squad of Levitical janitors):—band.]

2. “that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.” 

 

a. that [[Strong: 3754. hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

b. all [Strong: 3650. holos hol'-os a primary word; "whole" or "all", i.e. complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb:--all, altogether, every whit, + throughout, whole.

c. Jerusalem [Strong: 2419. Hierousalem hee-er-oo-sal-ame' of Hebrew origin (3389); Hierusalem (i.e. Jerushalem), the capitol of Palestine:--Jerusalem.]

d. [was in an] uproar [Strong: 4797. sugcheo soong-kheh'-o or sugchuno soong-khoo'-no from 4862 and cheo (to pour) or its alternate; to commingle promiscuously, i.e. (figuratively) to throw (an assembly) into disorder, to perplex (the mind):--confound, confuse, stir up, be in an uproar.]

1). This whole episode in Paul’s life and ministry occurred because of something not true. The whole rest of the book of Acts focuses on the consequences of this one supposed act that never occurred. Notice the text.

a). Acts 21:18-29  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.

21:19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

21:20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

21:22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

21:23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

21:24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

21:27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

21:29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)