Acts 21 · Verse 13

Acts 21:13

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 21:13, King James Version

Acts 21:13 in other translations

BSBThen Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
WEBThen Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
ASVThen Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
YLTand Paul answered, ‘What do ye--weeping, and crushing mine heart? for I, not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, am ready, for the name of the Lord Jesus;'
DARBYBut Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
BBEThen Paul said, What are you doing, weeping and wounding my heart? for I am ready, not only to be a prisoner, but to be put to death at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
WebsterThen Paul answered, What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

What does Acts 21:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 21:11-14

11-14. So shall the Jews bind the man that owneth this girdle, &c.--For though the Romans did it, it was at the Jews' instigation (Ac 21:33; Ac 28:17). Such dramatic methods of announcing important future events would bring the old prophets to remembrance. (Compare Is 20:2, &c.; Jr 13:1, and Eze 5:1, &c.). This prediction and that at Tyre (Ac 21:4) were intended, not to prohibit him from going, but to put his…

Read the full comment on Acts 21:11-14 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. What mean ye. Greek, What do ye. A tender and affectionate, but firm reproach.

To weep and to break mine heart? To afflict me, and distract my mind by alarms, and by the expressions of tenderness. His mind was fixed on going to Jerusalem; and he felt that he was prepared for whatever awaited him. Expressions of tenderness among friends are proper. Tears may be inevitable at parting from those whom we love; but such expressions of tenderness and love ought not to be allowed to interfere with the convictions of duty in their minds. If they have made up their minds that a certain course is proper, and have resolved to pursue it, we ought neither to attempt to divert them from it, nor to distract their minds by our remonstrances or our tears. We should resign them to their convictions of what is demanded of them, with affection and prayer, but with cheerfulness. We should lend them all the aid in our power, and then commend them to the blessing and protection of God. These remarks apply especially to those who are engaged in the missionary enterprise. It is trying to part with a son, a daughter, or a beloved friend, in order that they may go to proclaim the gospel to the benighted and dying heathen. The act of parting--for life-- and the apprehension of the perils which they may encounter on the ocean, and in heathen lands, may be painful; but if they, like Paul, have looked at it calmly, candidly, and with much prayer--if they have come to the deliberate conclusion that it is the will of God that they should devote their lives to this service--we ought not to weep, and to break their hearts. We should cheerfully and confidently commit them to the protection of the God whom they serve, and remember that they are seeking his glory, and that the parting of Christians, though for life, will be short. Soon, in a better world, they will be united again, to part no more; and the blessedness of that future meeting will be greatly heightened by all the sorrows and self-denials of separation here, and by all the benefits which such a separation may be the means of conveying to a dying world. That mother will meet with joy, in heaven, the son from whom, with many tears, she was sundered, when he entered on a missionary life; and surrounded with many ransomed heathen, heaven will be made more blessed, and all eternity more happy.

But also to die. This was the true spirit of a martyr. This spirit reigned in the hearts of all the early Christians.

For the name of the Lord Jesus. For his sake; in making his name known.

(i) "ready" 2Ti 4:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 I am ready, not to be bound only - He was resolute and determined; but was under no constraining necessity. See the note on Act 21:4.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 21:8-18

Paul had express warning of his troubles, that when they came, they might be no surprise or terror to him. The general notice given us, that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God, should be of the same use to us. Their weeping began to weaken and slacken his resolution Has not our Master told us to take up our cross? It was a trouble to him, that they should so earnestly press him to do that…

Read the full comment on Acts 21:8-18 →

Acts 21:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

τότεtoteThenG5119
ἀπεκρίθηapekrithēansweredG611
ὁho<the>G3588
Παῦλος·PaulosPaul;G3972
τίtiWhatG5101
ποιεῖτεpoieiteare you doingG4160
κλαίοντεςklaiontesweepingG2799
καὶkaiandG2532
συνθρύπτοντέςsunthruptontesbreakingG4919
μουmoumyG3165
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
καρδίαν;kardianheart?G2588
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
γὰρgarforG1063
οὐounotG3756
μόνονmonononlyG3441
δεθῆναιdethēnaito be boundG1210
ἀλλὰallabutG235
καὶkaialsoG2532
ἀποθανεῖνapothaneinto dieG599
εἰςeisatG1519
ἸερουσαλὴμIerousalēmJerusalemG2419
ἑτοίμωςhetoimōsreadinessG2093
ἔχωechōhaveG2192
ὑπὲρhuperforG5228
τοῦtoutheG3588
ὀνόματοςonomatosnameG3686
τοῦtouof theG3588
κυρίουkuriouLordG2962
Ἰησοῦ.IēsouJesus.G2424

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 21:13

  • Acts 20:24

    But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

  • Philippians 1:20-21

    According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

  • Philippians 2:17

    Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

  • Romans 8:35-37

    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

  • Colossians 1:24

    Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

  • 2 Timothy 4:6

    For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

  • 2 Timothy 2:4-6

    No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

  • Acts 20:37

    And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,

  • 2 Corinthians 4:10-17

    Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; …

  • Revelation 12:11

    And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

  • Acts 9:16

    For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

  • 2 Peter 1:14

    Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
What.
1Sa 15:14; Isa 3:15; Eze 18:2; Jon 1:6
to weep.
20:37; 1Sa 1:8; Php 2:26; 2Ti 1:4
for.
20:24; Ro 8:35-37; 1Co 15:31; 2Co 4:10-17; 11:23-27; Php 1:20,21
Php 2:17; Col 1:24; 2Ti 2:4-6; 4:6; 2Pe 1:14; Re 3:10; 12:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 21:12

    And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

  • Acts 21:13

    Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

  • Acts 21:14

    And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Read all of Acts 21

Acts 21:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Pablo respondió: ¿Qué hacéis llorando y afligiéndome el corazón? porque yo no sólo estoy presto á ser atado, mas aun á morir en Jerusalem por el nombre del Señor Jesús.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais Paul répondit: Que faites-vous en pleurant et en brisant mon cœur? Car pour moi, je suis prêt, non seulement à être lié, mais encore à mourir à Jérusalem pour le nom du seigneur Jésus.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Paulus aber antwortete: Was machet ihr, daß ihr weinet und mir das Herz brechet? Denn ich bin bereit, nicht allein gebunden zu werden, sondern auch in Jerusalem für den Namen des Herrn Jesu zu sterben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc respondit Paulus, et dixit: Quid facitis flentes, et affligentes cor meum? Ego enim non solum alligari, sed et mori in Jerusalem paratus sum propter nomen Domini Jesu.