Acts 21:39

Amplified Bible

Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia (Mersin Province, Turkey), a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Now I ask you, let me speak to the people.”

King James Version (1611)
But Paul said, I am a man which am a Iew of Tarsus, a citie in Cilicia, a citizen of no meane citie: & I beseech thee suffer me to speake vnto the people.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people."

New American Standard Bible
But Paul said, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

New Century Version
Paul said, "No, I am a Jew from Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I am a citizen of that important city. Please, let me speak to the people."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But Paul said, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

Legacy Standard Bible
But Paul said, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

Berean Standard Bible
But 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."

Contemporary English Version
"No!" Paul replied. "I am a Jew from Tarsus, an important city in Cilicia. Please let me speak to the crowd."

Complete Jewish Bible
Sha'ul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city; and I ask your permission to let me speak to the people."

Darby Translation
But 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.

Easy-to-Read Version
Paul said, "No, I am a Jew from Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I am a citizen of that important city. Please, let me speak to the people."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Paul sayde, Doubtlesse, I am a man which am a Iewe, and citizen of Tarsus, a famous citie of Cilicia, and I beseech thee, suffer mee to speake vnto the people.

George Lamsa Translation
But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cili''cia, a citizen of a well-known city: I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.

Good News Translation
Paul answered, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Please let me speak to the people."

Lexham English Bible
But Paul said, "I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no unimportant city. Now I ask you, allow me to speak to the people."

Literal Translation
But Paul said, Indeed I am a man, a Jew of Tarsus, of Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. And I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.

American Standard Version
But 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.

Bible in Basic English
But 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.

Hebrew Names Version
But Sha'ul said, "I am a Yehudi, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

International Standard Version
Paul replied, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you to let me speak to the people."Acts 9:11; 22:3;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Paulos said to him, I am a man a Jihudoya from Tarsos of Cilicia, an illustrious city in which I was born: I pray you permit me to speak to the people.

Murdock Translation
Paul said to him: I am a Jew, a man of Tarsus, a noted city in Cilicia, in which I was born: I pray thee, suffer me to speak to the people.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But Paul saide: I am a man which am a Iewe, of Tarsus, a citie in Cilicia, a citezin of no vyle citie, and I beseche the suffer me to speake vnto the people.

English Revised Version
But 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.

World English Bible
But 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."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But Paul said, I am a man who am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people.

Weymouth's New Testament
"I am a Jew," replied Paul, "belonging to Tarsus in Cilicia, and am a citizen of no unimportant city. Give me leave, I pray you, to speak to the people."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Poul seide to hym, For Y am a Jew, of Tharse of Cilicie, a citeseyn, which citee is not vnknowun. And Y preye thee, suffre me to speke to the puple.

Update Bible Version
But Paul said, I am a Jewish man, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I urge you, give me leave to speak to the people.

Webster's Bible Translation
But 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.

New English Translation
Paul answered, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Please allow me to speak to the people."

New King James Version
But Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people."

New Living Translation
"No," Paul replied, "I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people."

New Life Bible
Paul said, "No! I am a Jew and a citizen of a large city. I am from Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I ask you to let me speak to the people."

New Revised Standard
Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city; I beg you, let me speak to the people."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Paul said - I, indeed, am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, - a citizen, of no obscure city; but I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people!

Douay-Rheims Bible
But Paul said to him: I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. And I beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people.

Revised Standard Version
Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cili'cia, a citizen of no mean city; I beg you, let me speak to the people."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But Paul sayde: I am a ma which am a Iewe of Tharsus a cite in Cicill a Citesyn of no vyle cite I beseche ye soffre me to speake vnto ye people.

Young's Literal Translation
And 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.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Paull sayde: I am a man which am a Iewe off Tharsis, a citesyn of a famous cite in Celicia: I beseke the, suffre me to speake vnto the people.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Paul replied, I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of that famous city: and I beg you would give me leave to speak to the people: which being granted,

THE MESSAGE
Paul said, "No, I'm a Jew, born in Tarsus. And I'm a citizen still of that influential city. I have a simple request: Let me speak to the crowd."

Simplified Cowboy Version
"No, sir," said Paul. "I'm a Jew from the important city of Tarsus in Cilicia. Please give me just a moment to talk to all these folks."

Contextual Overview

²⁷When the seven days [required to complete the ritual] were almost over, [some] Jews from [the province of] Asia [Minor], caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up the crowd, and they seized him, ²⁸shouting, "Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place." ²⁹For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul, and they assumed that he had brought the man into the temple [beyond the court of the Gentiles]. ³⁰Then the whole city was provoked and confused, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the gates were closed. ³¹Now while they were trying to kill him, word came to the commander of the [Roman] garrison that all Jerusalem was in a state of upheaval. ³²So he immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down among them. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³Then the commander came up and arrested Paul, and ordered that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. ³⁴But some in the crowd were shouting one thing and others something else; and since he could not determine the facts because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken to the barracks [in the tower of Antonia]. ³⁵When Paul got to the steps, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; ³⁶for the majority of the people kept following them, shouting, "Away with him! [Kill him!]"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I am: Acts 9:11, Acts 9:30, Acts 22:3, Acts 23:34

Cilicia: Acts 6:9, Acts 15:23, Acts 15:41

a citizen: Acts 16:37, Acts 22:25-29, Acts 23:27

suffer: Acts 21:37, 1 Peter 3:15, 1 Peter 4:15, 1 Peter 4:16

Reciprocal: Acts 11:25 - to Tarsus Acts 18:14 - when Acts 19:30 - Paul Acts 27:5 - Cilicia Galatians 1:21 - Cilicia

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus,.... And not that Egyptian; he was not of that country, much less that man; but a Jew, both by birth and religion; he was born of Jewish parents, and brought up in the Jewish religion; though his native place was Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, where it is placed by Pliny n, Ptolomy o, and Mela p; and is by some thought to be the same with the Tarshish of the Old Testament:

a citizen of no mean city; Pliny q calls it a free city, and Solinus r says it is the mother, or chief of cities, and Curtius s speaks of it as a very opulent one; which when Alexander drew near to with his army, the inhabitants of it set fire to, that he might not possess their riches; which he understanding, sent Parmenio to prevent it: through this city, as the same historian, in agreement with Pliny and others, observes, ran the river Cydnus; and it being summer time when Alexander was here, and very hot weather, and being covered with dust and sweat, he put off his clothes, and cast himself into the river to wash himself; but as soon as he was in, he was seized with such a numbness of his nerves, that had he not been immediately taken out by his soldiers, and for the extraordinary care of his physician, he had at once expired. Josephus t calls this city the most famous of the cities in Gallicia; and derives it, and the whole country, from Tarshish, the grandson of Japheth, Genesis 10:4 his words are,

"Tharsus gave name to the Tharsians, for so Cilicia was formerly called, of which this is an evidence; for the most famous of the cities with them, and which is the metropolis, is called Tarsus; Theta being changed into Tau for appellation sake.''

Though some say it was built by Perseus, the son of Jupiter and Danae, and called Tharsus, of the hyacinth stone, which is said to be found about it: others think it was so called, παρα το τερσανθηναι, because the places of this country were first dried up after the flood: it was not only a city of stately buildings, as it was repaired by Sardanapalus, and increased after the times of Alexander; but there was a famous academy in it, which, for men of learning, exceeded Athens and Alexandria u; though these exceeded that in number of philosophers: here it is thought lived Aratus the poet, from whom the apostle cites a passage, in Acts 17:28 and of this place was the famous Chrysippus, who is called ταρσευς, "a Tarsian" w, as the apostle is here. Hermogenes, a very celebrated rhetorician, some of whose works are still extant, came from hence x. Jerom y reports it as a tradition, that the parents of the Apostle Paul were of Giscalis, a town in Judea; which with the whole province being destroyed by the Romans, they removed to Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, whither Paul when a young man followed them; but certain it is, that the apostle was born there, as he himself says, in Acts 22:3. Ignatius, in z the "second" century, writing to the church at Tarsus, calls them citizens and disciples of Paul; citizens, because he was of this city; and disciples, because of the same faith with him; and very likely the first materials of the church in this place were converts of his; since it is evident that he went hither after he was a preacher; see Acts 9:30.

And I beseech thee suffer me to speak unto the people; first he desired to speak with the captain, and that was in order to obtain leave to speak to the people; and which he asks in a very handsome and submissive manner, and hopes to have his request granted him, since he was not the person he took him for, but was a Jew by birth, and a citizen of a very considerable Roman city; and was not a mean, sordid, vagabond creature, nor need he fear that he would sow any discord and sedition among the people.

n Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 27. o Geograph. l. 5. c. 8. p De orbis situ, l. 1. c. 13. q Ib. ut supra. (Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 27.) r Polyhist. c. 51. s Hist. l. 3. c. 4. t Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1. u Strabo, Geograph. l. 14. w Laert. Vit. Philosoph. l. 7. x Vid. Fabricii Bibl. Graec. l. 4. c. 31. sect. 4. 5. y Catalog. Script. Eccles. sect. 15. fol. 90. G. & Comment. in Philemon. ver. 23. Tom. 9. fol. 116. L. z Ep. ad Tarsenses, p. 75.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A Jew of Tarsus - A Jew by birth.

Of no mean city - Not obscure, or undistinguished. He could claim an honorable birth, so far as the place of his nativity was concerned. See the notes on Acts 9:11. Tarsus was much celebrated for its learning, and was at one time the rival of Alexandria and Athens. Xenophon calls it a great and flourishing city. Josephus (Antiq., book 2, chapter 6, section 6) says that it was the metropolis, and most renowned city among them (the Cilicians).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 21:39. I am a man which am a Jew — A periphrasis for, I am a Jew. Acts 7:2.

Of Tarsus - no mean city — In Clarke's notes on "Acts 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."