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Amplified Bible

Acts 21:40

When the commander had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, gestured with his hand to the people; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect (Jewish Aramaic), saying,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Claudius Lysius;   Hebrew;   Minister, Christian;   Paul;   Prisoners;   Thompson Chain Reference - Hebrew;   Opportunity;   Paul;   Seizing Opportunities;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Antonia;   Lysias;   Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Hellenist;   Mission;   Paul;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Syrian Christians;   Worship of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Claudius;   John;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Arm;   Greece;   Language of the Nt;   Paul the Apostle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Gestures;   Hand;   Hebrews;   Hellenism;   Nation (2);   Science (2);   Temple (2);   Tongue ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Claudius;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Anto'nia;   Paul;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Beck;   Gesture;   Licence;   Tongue;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Antonia;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hebrew;   Saul of Tarsus;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
After he had given permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great hush, he addressed them in Aramaic:
King James Version (1611)
And when he had giuen him licence, Paul stood on the staires, and beckened with the hand vnto the people: and when there was made a great silence, he spake vnto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying.
King James Version
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,
English Standard Version
And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
New American Standard Bible
When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,
New Century Version
The commander gave permission, so Paul stood on the steps and waved his hand to quiet the people. When there was silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,
Legacy Standard Bible
And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Berean Standard Bible
Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Aramaic:
Contemporary English Version
The commander told him he could speak, so Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. When they were quiet, he spoke to them in Aramaic:
Complete Jewish Bible
Having received permission, Sha'ul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When they finally became still, he addressed them in Hebrew:
Darby Translation
And when he had allowed him, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and a great silence having been made, he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
Easy-to-Read Version
The commander told Paul he could speak. So he stood on the steps and waved his hand so that the people would be quiet. The people became quiet and Paul spoke to them in Aramaic.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when he had giuen him licence, Paul stoode on the grieces, & beckened with the hand vnto the people: and when there was made great silence, hee spake vnto them in the Hebrewe tongue, saying,
George Lamsa Translation
And when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and beckoned with his hand to them. And when they were quiet, he spoke to them in the Hebrew (Aramaic) tongue and said to them.
Good News Translation
The commander gave him permission, so Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand for the people to be silent. When they were quiet, Paul spoke to them in Hebrew:
Lexham English Bible
So when he permitted him, Paul, standing there on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he addressed them in the Aramaic language, saying,
Literal Translation
And he allowing him, standing on the stairs, Paul signaled with his hand to the people. And much silence taking place, he spoke in the Hebrew dialect, saying,
American Standard Version
And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Bible in Basic English
And when he let him do so, Paul, from the steps, made a sign with his hand to the people, and when they were all quiet, he said to them in the Hebrew language,
Hebrew Names Version
When he had given him permission, Sha'ul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
International Standard Version
He gave him permission, and Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand for the people to be silent. When everyone had quieted down, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language.Acts 12:17;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And when he had permitted him, Paulos stood upon the stairs, and signed to them with his hand; and when they had ceased, he spoke to them in Hebrew, and said to them,
Murdock Translation
And when he permitted him, Paul stood upon the stairs, and waved to them his hand; and when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew, and said to them:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when he had geuen hym licence, Paul stoode on the stayres, & beckened with ye hande vnto the people: And whe there was made a great scilece, he spake vnto them in the Hebrue tongue, saying:
English Revised Version
And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,
World English Bible
When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And when he had given him leave, Paul standing on the stairs, waved his hand to the people: and a great silence being made, he spake to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
Weymouth's New Testament
So with his permission Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people to be quiet; and when there was perfect silence he addressed them in Hebrew.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne he suffride, Poul stood in the grees, and bikenede with the hoond to the puple. And whanne a greet silence was maad, he spak in Ebrew tunge, and seide,
Update Bible Version
And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand to the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Webster's Bible Translation
And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand to the people. And when there was made entire silence, he spoke to [them] in the Hebrew language, saying,
New English Translation
When the commanding officer had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and gestured to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, he addressed them in Aramaic,
New King James Version
So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
New Living Translation
The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.
New Life Bible
The captain told Paul to speak. So Paul stood on the steps and held up his hand. When there was no more noise, he spoke to them in the language of the Jews.
New Revised Standard
When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people for silence; and when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when he had given leave, Paul, standing upon the stairs, waved with his hand unto the people; and, when great silence was secured, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying -
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he had given him leave, Paul standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. And a great silence being made, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying:
Revised Standard Version
And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying:
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When he had geve him licece Paul stode on ye steppes and beckned with the honde vuto the people and ther was made a greate silence. And he spake vnto the in ye Ebrue tonge sayinge:
Young's Literal Translation
And he having given him leave, Paul having stood upon the stairs, did beckon with the hand to the people, and there having been a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew dialect, saying:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan he had geuen him lycence, Paul stode on the steppes, and beckened with the hande vnto the people. Now whan there was made a greate sylece, he spake vnto them in Hebrue, and sayde:
Mace New Testament (1729)
Paul then standing upon the stairs made a sign with his hand to the people, who being very silent, he rais'd his voice, and thus address'd them in the Hebrew tongue:
THE MESSAGE
Standing on the barracks steps, Paul turned and held his arms up. A hush fell over the crowd as Paul began to speak. He spoke in Hebrew.
Simplified Cowboy Version
The commander shrugged his shoulders and motioned for him to speak. Paul stood up and got everyone's attention. You could have heard a pin drop when Paul started speaking to them in their own language of Aramaic.

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

on: Acts 21:35, 2 Kings 9:13

and beckoned: Acts 12:17, Acts 13:16, Acts 19:33

a great: Acts 22:2

Hebrew: Acts 6:1, Acts 26:14, Luke 23:38, John 5:2, John 19:13, John 19:17, John 19:20, Revelation 9:11, Revelation 16:16

Reciprocal: Luke 1:22 - for John 13:24 - beckoned Acts 18:14 - when Acts 24:10 - had Romans 1:1 - Paul 1 Peter 3:15 - and be

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he had given him licence,.... To speak to the people, which he could not well deny him, after he had so freely declared who he was, and in so courteous a manner addressed him, and asked leave of him:

Paul stood on the stairs; on the steps of the ascent to the castle, on the top of them:

and beckoned with the hand unto the people; to desire silence, which he might be able to do, notwithstanding his chains; for his being bound with a chain to a soldier, did not hinder the moving and lifting up of his hand:

and when there was made a great silence; either through the authority of the captain, who might command it, or through the desire of the people, to hear what he could say for himself:

he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue; which the people he spoke to best understood, and was his own mother tongue; the Alexandrian copy reads, "in his own dialect"; this was not pure Hebrew that was spoke in common in those times, but the Syro-Chaldean language:

saying; as in the following chapter.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Licence - Liberty; permission.

On the stairs - See the notes on Acts 21:35.

Beckoned with the hand - Waving the hand as a sign that he was about to address them, and to produce silence and attention. See Acts 12:17.

In the Hebrew tongue - The language which was spoken by the Jews, which was then a mixture of the Chaldee and Syriac, called Syro-Chaldaic. This language he doubtless used on this occasion in preference to the Greek, because it was understood better by the multitude, and would tend to conciliate them if they heard him address them in their own tongue. The following chapter should have been connected with this. The division here is unnatural.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 21:40. Paul stood on the stairs — Where he was out of the reach of the mob, and was surrounded by the Roman soldiers.

Beckoned with the handWaving the hand, which was the sign that he was about to address the people. So VIRGIL says of Turnus, when he wished, by single combat between himself and AEneas, to put an end to the war:-

Significatque manu, et magno simul incipit ore:

Parcite jam, Rutuli; et vos tela inhibete, Latini.

He beckoned with his hand, and cried out with a loud voice,

Desist, ye Rutulians; and, ye Latins, cease from throwing

your javelins.


He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue — What was called then the Hebrew, viz. the Chaldalo-Syriac; very well expressed by the Codex Bezae, τῃ ιδιᾳ διαλεκτῳ, in their own dialect.

Never was there a more unnatural division than that in this chapter: it ends with a single comma! The best division would have been at the end of the 25th verse.

PAUL'S embarkation at Tyre is very remarkable. The simple manner in which he was escorted to the ship by the disciples of Tyre, men, women, and children, and their affectionate and pious parting, kneeling down on the shore and commending each other to God, are both impressive and edifying. Nothing but Christianity could have produced such a spirit in persons who now, perhaps for the first time, saw each other in the flesh. Every true Christian is a child of God; and, consequently, all children of God have a spiritual affinity. They are all partakers of the same Spirit, are united to the same Head, are actuated with the same hope, and are going to the same heaven. These love one another with pure hearts fervently; and these alone are capable of disinterested and lasting friendship. Though this kind of friendship cannot fail, yet it may err; and with officious affection endeavour to prevent us from bearing a necessary and most honourable cross. See Acts 21:12-13. It should, therefore, be kept within Scriptural bounds.


 
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