Acts 21 · Verse 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.

Acts 21:31, King James Version

Acts 21:31 in other translations

BSB	While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil.
WEB	As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
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.
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,
DARBY	And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult;
BBE	And while they were attempting to put him to death, news came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem was out of control.
Webster	And as they went about to kill him, tidings came to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

What does Acts 21:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

31. tidings came--literally, "went up," that is, to the fortress of Antonia, where the commandant resided. See on Ac 21:32. This part of the narrative is particularly graphic.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 31. And as they were about to kill him. Gr., They seeking to kill him. This was evidently done in a popular tumult, as had been done in the case of Stephen, Acts 7. They could not pretend that they had a right to do it by law.

Tidings came. The news, or rumour came; he was told of it.

The chief captain of the band. This band or body of Roman soldiers was stationed in the tower Antonia, on the north of the temple. This tower was built by John Hyrcanus, high priest of the Jews, and was by him called Baris. It was beautified and strengthened by Herod the Great, and was called Antonia, in honour of his friend Mark Antony. Josephus describes this castle as consisting of four towers, one of which overlooked the temple, and which he says was seventy cubits high. Jewish Wars, b. v. chap. 5, 8. In this tower a guard of Roman soldiers was stationed, to secure the temple, and to maintain the peace. The commander of this cohort is here called "the chief captain." Reference is made to this guard several times in the New Testament, Mt 27:65,66, Jn 18:12, Acts 5:26. The word translated" chief captain"--χιλιαρχω--denotes, properly, one who commanded a thousand men. The band--σπειρης--was the tenth part of a legion, and consisted sometimes of four hundred and twenty-five soldiers, at others of five hundred, and at others of six hundred, according to the size of the legion. The name of this captain was Claudius Lysias, Acts 23:26.

In an uproar. That the whole city was in commotion.

(g) "kill" 2Cor 11:23 (++) "tidings" "A report" (&) "chief captain" "Commander"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 31 The chief captain of the band - The Roman tribune, who had a troop of soldiers under him, which lodged in general in the castle of Antonia, which was built at the angle where the northern and western porticoes of the outer court of the temple were joined together. This castle was built by John Hyrcanus, high priest of the Jews: it was at first called Baris, and was the royal residence of the Asmoneans, as long as they reigned in Jerusalem. It was beautified by Herod the Great, and called Antonia, in honor of his friend Mark Antony. By this castle the temple was commanded, as it stood on higher ground. Josephus describes this castle, War, b. v. chap. 5, sec. 8, "as having four towers, from one of which the whole temple was overlooked; and that one of the towers was joined to the porticoes of the temple, and had a double pair of stairs from it, by which soldiers in the garrison were used to come down with their arms to the porticoes, on the festival days, to keep the people quiet; for, as the temple was a guard to the city, so this castle was a guard to the temple." "It seems, therefore," says Bp. Pearce, "to me very plain, that the place where the Jews were about to kill Paul was the court of the Gentiles, the porticoes being there; and that the chief captain came down there to his rescue." The name of this chief captain, or tribune, was Claudius Lysias, as we learn from Act 23:26.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 21:27-40

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…

Read the full comment on Acts 21:27-40 →

Acts 21:31 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.

ζητούντωνzētountōnOf them seekingG2212

τεtethenG5037

αὐτὸνautonhimG846

ἀποκτεῖναιapokteinaito killG615

ἀνέβηanebēthere cameG305

φάσιςphasisa reportG5334

τῷtōto theG3588

χιλιάρχῳchiliarchōcommanderG5506

τῆςtēsof theG3588

σπείρηςspeirēscohortG4686

ὅτιhotithatG3754

ὅληholēallG3650

συγχύννεταιsugchunnetaiare in an uproarG4797

Ἰερουσαλήμ·IerousalēmJerusalem;G2419

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

Cross references for Acts 21:31

2 Corinthians 11:23-33
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; …
Acts 26:9-10
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
Acts 17:5
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
Acts 25:23
And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
Acts 23:17
Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
1 Kings 1:41
And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
Acts 24:22
And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
Mark 14:2
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
Acts 22:22
And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
John 16:2
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
Acts 10:1
There was a certain man in Cesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
Acts 24:6
Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

as.
22:22; 26:9,10; Joh 16:2; 2Co 11:23-33
chief.
23:17; 24:7,22; 25:23; Joh 18:12
that all.
38; 17:5; 19:40; 1Ki 1:41; Mt 26:5; Mr 14:2

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

Context

Acts 21:30
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
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.
Acts 21:32
Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.

Read all of Acts 21

Acts 21:31 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y procurando ellos matarle, fué dado aviso al tribuno de la compañía, que toda la ciudad de Jerusalem estaba alborotada;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et comme ils cherchaient à le tuer, le bruit vint au chiliarque de la cohorte, que tout Jérusalem était en confusion;
German Elberfelder 1871	Während sie ihn aber zu töten suchten, kam an den Obersten der Schar die Anzeige, daß ganz Jerusalem in Aufregung sei.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quærentibus autem eum occidere, nuntiatum est tribuno cohortis quia tota confunditur Jerusalem.