Acts 21 · Verse 39

Acts 21:39

But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
Acts 21:39, King James Version

Acts 21:39 in other translations

BSBBut Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
WEBBut Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.”
ASVBut Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people.
YLTAnd Paul said, ‘I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, of no mean city a citizen; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.'
DARBYBut Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, citizen of no insignificant city of Cilicia, and I beseech of thee, allow me to speak to the people.
BBEBut Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is not an unimportant town: I make a request to you to let me say a word to the people.
WebsterBut Paul said, I am a man who am a Jew of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee suffer me to speak to the people.

What does Acts 21:39 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 21:37-40

37-40. Art not thou that Egyptian, &c.--The form of the question implies that the answer is to be in the negative, and is matter of some surprise: "Thou art not then?" &c.

Read the full comment on Acts 21:37-40 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 39. A Jew of Tarsus. A Jew by birth. Acts 9:11.

Of no mean city. Not obscure, or undistinguished. He could claim an honourable birth, so far as the place of his nativity was concerned. Acts 9:11. Tarsus was much celebrated fro its learning, and was at one time the rival of Alexandria and Athens. Xenophon calls it a great and flourishing city. Anabasis. Josephus (Antiq. b. i. chap vi & 6) says that it was the metropolis and most renowned city among them. [the Cilicians.]

(f) "Paul said" Acts 9:11, 22:3 (g) "a citizen" Acts 22:25

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 39 I am a man which am a Jew - A periphrasis for, I am a Jew. See the note on Act 7:2. Of Tarsus - no mean city - In the notes on Act 9:11, I have shown that Tarsus was a city of considerable importance, and in some measure a rival to Rome and Athens; and that, because of the services tendered to the Romans by the inhabitants, Julius Caesar endowed them with all the rights and privileges of Roman citizens. When St. Paul calls it no mean city, he speaks a language that was common to those who have had occasion to speak of Tarsus. Xenophon, Cyri Anabas. i., calls it, πολιν μεγαλην και ευδαιμονα, a great and flourishing city. Josephus, Ant. lib. i. cap. 6, sec. 6, says that it was παρ' αυτοις των πολεων ἡ αξιολογωτατη μητροπολις ουσα, the metropolis and most renowned city among them (the Cilicians.) And Ammianus Marcellinus, xiv. 8, says, Ciliciam Tarsus nobilitat, urbs perspicabilis: "Tarsus, a very respectable city; adorns Cilicia."

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 21:39 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.

ΕἶπενEipenSaidG2036
δὲdehoweverG1161
ὁho<the>G3588
Παῦλος·PaulosPaul;G3972
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
ἄνθρωποςanthrōposa manG444
μένmenindeedG3303
εἰμιeimiamG1510
ἸουδαῖοςIoudaiosa JewG2453
ΤαρσεὺςTarseusof TarsusG5018
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
ΚιλικίαςKilikiasof CiliciaG2791
οὐκouknot [of an]G3756
ἀσήμουasēmouinsignificantG767
πόλεωςpoleōscityG4172
πολίτης,politēsa citizen,G4177
δέομαιdeomaiI imploreG1189
δέdehoweverG1161
σου·souyou;G4771
ἐπίτρεψόνepitrepsondo allowG2010
μοιmoimeG3165
λαλῆσαιlalēsaito speakG2980
πρὸςprostoG4314
τὸνtontheG3588
λαόν.laonpeople.G2992

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

Cross references for Acts 21:39

  • Acts 22:3

    I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

  • Acts 9:11

    And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

  • Acts 6:9

    Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

  • Acts 23:27

    This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

  • Acts 15:41

    And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

  • 1 Peter 3:15

    But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

  • 1 Peter 4:15-16

    But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

  • 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 23:34

    And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;

  • Acts 22:25-29

    And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. …

  • Acts 16:37

    But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

  • Acts 9:30

    Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I am.
9:11,30; 22:3; 23:34
Cilicia.
6:9; 15:23,41
a citizen.
16:37; 22:25-29; 23:27
suffer.
37; 1Pe 3:15; 4:15,16

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

Context

  • 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 21:39

    But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

  • Acts 21:40

    And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

Read all of Acts 21

Acts 21:39 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces dijo Pablo: Yo de cierto soy hombre Judío, ciudadano de Tarso, ciudad no obscura de Cilicia: empero ruégote que me permitas que hable al pueblo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Paul dit: Je suis Juif, de Tarse, citoyen d’une ville de la Cilicie qui n’est pas sans renom; je te prie, permets-moi de parler au peuple.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Paulus aber sprach: Ich bin ein jüdischer Mann aus Tarsus, Bürger einer nicht unberühmten Stadt in Cilicien; ich bitte dich aber, erlaube mir, zu dem Volke zu reden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et dixit ad eum Paulus: Ego homo sum quidem Judæus a Tarso Ciliciæ, non ignotæ civitatis municeps. Rogo autem te, permitte mihi loqui ad populum.