Acts 21 · Verse 33

Acts 21:33

Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
Acts 21:33, King James Version

Acts 21:33 in other translations

BSBThe commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
WEBThen the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.
ASVThen the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done.
YLTThen the chief captain, having come nigh, took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and was inquiring who he may be, and what it is he hath been doing,
DARBYThen the chiliarch came up and laid hold upon him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he might be, and what he had done.
BBEThen the chief captain came near and took him, and gave orders for him to be put in chains, questioning them as to who he was and what he had done.
WebsterThen the chief captain came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains: and inquired who he was, and what he had done.

What does Acts 21:33 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
33. commanded him to be bound with two chains--(See on Ac 12:6).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 33. To be bound with two chains. To show to the enraged multitude that he did not intend to rescue any one from justice, but to keep the peace. Paul's being thus bound would convince them of his determination that justice should be done in the case. Probably he was bound between two soldiers--his right arm to the left arm of the one, and his left arm to the right arm of the other. Acts 12:6. Or, if his hands and feet were bound, it is evident that it was so done that he was able still to walk, Acts 21:37,38. This was in accordance with the prediction of Agabus, Acts 21:11.

(*) "chief captain" "Commander" (b) "bound with two chains" Acts 21:11, 20:23, Eph 6:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 33 And took him - With great violence, according to Act 24:7, probably meaning an armed force. To be bound with two chains - To be bound between two soldiers; his right hand chained to the left hand of the one, and his left hand to the right of the other. See the note on Act 12:6.

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 21:33 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
ἐγγίσαςengisashaving drawn nearG1448
ὁhotheG3588
χιλίαρχοςchiliarchoscommanderG5506
ἐπελάβετοepelabetolaid holdG1949
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐκέλευσενekeleusenhe commanded [him]G2753
δεθῆναιdethēnaito be boundG1210
ἁλύσεσινhalusesinwith chainsG254
δυσὶνdusintwoG1417
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐπυνθάνετοepunthanetohe was inquiringG4441
τίςtiswhoG5101
εἴηeiēhe would beG1510
καὶkaiandG2532
τίtiwhatG5101
ἐστινestinit isG1510
πεποιηκώς.pepoiēkōshe having done.G4160

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

Cross references for Acts 21:33

  • Ephesians 6:20

    For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

  • Acts 21:11

    And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

  • Acts 20:23

    Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

  • Acts 12:6

    And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

  • Acts 28:20

    For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

  • Acts 22:29

    Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

  • 2 Timothy 2:9

    Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

  • 2 Timothy 1:16

    The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

  • Judges 16:12

    Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

  • Judges 15:13

    And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.

  • Judges 16:21

    But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

  • Acts 25:16

    To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
be.
11; 12:6; 20:23; 22:25,29; 28:20; Jud 15:13; 16:8,12,21; Eph 6:20
and demanded.
22:24; 25:16; Joh 18:29,30

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Acts 21:33

    Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

  • Acts 21:34

    And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.

Read all of Acts 21

Acts 21:33 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces llegando el tribuno, le prendió, y le mandó atar con dos cadenas; y preguntó quién era, y qué había hecho.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors le chiliarque s’étant approché, se saisit de lui et donna l’ordre de le lier de deux chaînes, et demanda qui il était et ce qu’il avait fait.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Dann näherte sich der Oberste, ergriff ihn und befahl, ihn mit zwei Ketten zu binden, und erkundigte sich, wer er denn sei und was er getan habe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc accedens tribunus apprehendit eum, et jussit eum alligari catenis duabus: et interrogabat quis esset, et quid fecisset.