Acts 21:37
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?
Acts 21:37 in other translations
| BSB | As they were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. |
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| WEB | As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, “May I speak to you?” He said, “Do you know Greek? |
| ASV | And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek? |
| YLT | And Paul being about to be led into the castle, saith to the chief captain, ‘Is it permitted to me to say anything unto thee?' and he said, ‘Greek dost thou know? |
| DARBY | But as he was about to be led into the fortress, Paul says to the chiliarch, Is it allowed me to say something to thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek? |
| BBE | And when Paul was about to be taken into the building, he said to the chief captain, May I say something to you? And he said, Have you a knowledge of Greek? |
| Webster | And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? |
What does Acts 21:37 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 21:37-40
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Canst thou speak Greek? Implying that if he could, he might be permitted to speak to him. The Greek language was that which 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, Acts 22:28 that he had obtained the privilege of citizenship by paying a great sum. The language which the Jews spoke was the Syro-Chaldaic; and as he took Paul to be an Egyptian Jew, Acts 21:38, he supposed, from that circumstance also, that he was not able to speak the Greek language.
(*) "chief captain" "Commander"
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
Acts 21:37 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Acts 21:37
- 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.
- Luke 21:15
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
- Matthew 10:18-20
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
- Acts 19:30
And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
- Acts 21:19
And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Acts 21:36
For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
- Acts 21:37
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?
- Acts 21:38
Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
Acts 21:37 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y como comenzaron á meter á Pablo en la fortaleza, dice al tribuno: ¿Me será lícito hablarte algo? Y él dijo: ¿Sabes griego? |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et comme on allait faire entrer Paul dans la forteresse, il dit au chiliarque: M’est-il permis de te dire quelque chose? Et il dit: Tu sais le grec? |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und als Paulus eben in das Lager hineingebracht werden sollte, spricht er zu dem Obersten: Ist es mir erlaubt, dir etwas zu sagen? Er aber sprach: Verstehst du Griechisch? |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Et cum cœpisset induci in castra Paulus, dicit tribuno: Si licet mihi loqui aliquid ad te? Qui dixit: Græce nosti? |