Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 27th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

Murdock Translation

Acts 21:22

Now, because they have heard that thou hast arrived here,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bigotry;   Diplomacy;   Judaism;   Law;   Meekness;   Opinion, Public;   Paul;   Prudence;   Tact;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Luke;   Nazarite;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - James the brother of jesus;   Jerusalem;   Law;   Paul;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Clean, Unclean;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Syrian Christians;   Worship of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - James;   John;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James;   Peter;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Elder;   Ephesians, Book of;   Luke, Gospel of;   Nazirite;   Paul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Castle;   Certainty (2);   James ;   Law;   Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Apostolic Age;   Law in the New Testament;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you’ve come.
King James Version (1611)
What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will heare that thou art come.
King James Version
What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
English Standard Version
What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
New American Standard Bible
"So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
New Century Version
What should we do? They will learn that you have come.
Amplified Bible
"What then should be done? They will certainly hear that you have arrived.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Legacy Standard Bible
What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Berean Standard Bible
What then should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Contemporary English Version
What should we do now that our people have heard that you are here?
Complete Jewish Bible
"What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Darby Translation
What is it then? a multitude must necessarily come together, for they will hear that thou art come.
Easy-to-Read Version
"What should we do? The Jewish believers here will learn that you have come.
Geneva Bible (1587)
What is then to be done? the multitude must needes come together: for they shall heare that thou art come.
George Lamsa Translation
Now, therefore, they have heard that you have come here.
Good News Translation
They are sure to hear that you have arrived. What should be done, then?
Lexham English Bible
What then is to be done? Doubtless they will all hear that you have come!
Literal Translation
What then is it? At all events, a multitude must come together, for they will hear that you have come.
American Standard Version
What is it therefore? they will certainly hear that thou art come.
Bible in Basic English
What then is the position? They will certainly get news that you have come.
Hebrew Names Version
What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.
International Standard Version
What is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Etheridge Translation
On this account, when they hear that thou art come hither, do that which we tell thee.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
What is it therefore? The multitude must needes come together: For they shall heare that thou art come.
English Revised Version
What is it therefore? they will certainly hear that thou art come.
World English Bible
What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
What is it therefore? The multitude must needs come together; for they will hear that thou art come.
Weymouth's New Testament
What then ought you to do? They are sure to hear that you have come to Jerusalem;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor what is? It bihoueth that the multitude come togidre; for thei schulen here, that thou art come.
Update Bible Version
What is it therefore? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Webster's Bible Translation
What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
New English Translation
What then should we do? They will no doubt hear that you have come.
New King James Version
What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will [fn] hear that you have come.
New Living Translation
What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.
New Life Bible
What should we do about it? They will hear that you have come.
New Revised Standard
What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
What, then, is it? at all events, they will hear that thou hast come.
Douay-Rheims Bible
What is it therefore? The multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Revised Standard Version
What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
What is it therfore? The multitude must nedes come togeder. For they shall heare that thou arte come.
Young's Literal Translation
what then is it? certainly the multitude it behoveth to come together, for they will hear that thou hast come.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
What is it therfore? The multitude must nedes come together, for they shal heare that thou art come.
Mace New Testament (1729)
what then is to be done? they will necessarily be all assembled, for they can't but hear, you are come.
THE MESSAGE
"We're worried about what will happen when they discover you're in town. There's bound to be trouble. So here is what we want you to do: There are four men from our company who have taken a vow involving ritual purification, but have no money to pay the expenses. Join these men in their vows and pay their expenses. Then it will become obvious to everyone that there is nothing to the rumors going around about you and that you are in fact scrupulous in your reverence for the laws of Moses.
Simplified Cowboy Version
What should we do? They will know soon enough you are here. And there's liable to be a squabble.

Contextual Overview

15 And after those days, we prepared ourselves and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some disciples of Caesarea went along with us, taking with them a brother from among the earlier disciples, whose name was Mnason, and who was from Cyprus; that he might entertain us at his house. 17 And when we arrived at Jerusalem, the brethren received us joyfully. 18 And the next day, with Paul, we went unto James, when all the Elders were with him. 19 And we gave them salutation: and Paul narrated to them, with particularity what God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. 20 And when they heard [fn] they glorified God. And they said to him: Our brother, Thou seest how many myriads there are in Judaea who have believed: and these are all zealous for the law. 21 And it hath been told them, of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews that are among the Gentiles to depart from Moses, by telling them not to circumcise their children, and not to observe the rites of the law. 22 Now, because they have heard that thou hast arrived here, 23 do thou what we tell thee. We have four men, who have vowed to purify themselves. 24 Take them, and go and purify thyself with them, and pay the expenses along with them, as they shall shave their heads; that every one may know, that what is said against thee is false, and that thou fulfillest and observest the law.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the multitude: Acts 15:12, Acts 15:22, Acts 19:32

Reciprocal: Acts 6:2 - the twelve Acts 15:30 - and

Cross-References

Matthew 1:23
Behold, a virgin will conceive, and will bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel, which is interpreted, Our God with us.
Romans 8:31
What then shall we say of these things? If God [fn] for us; who [fn] against us?
1 Corinthians 14:25
25 and the secrets of his heart are laid open [fn] : and so he will fall upon his face, and will worship God, and say: Verily, God is in you.
Hebrews 13:5
Let not your mind love money; but let what ye have, satisfy you. For the Lord himself hath said, I will never leave thee, nor slacken the hand towards thee.
Revelation 3:9
Behold, I will give them of the congregation of Satan, who say they are Jews, and are not, but lie, behold I will make them to come and do obeisance before thy feet; and to know that I have loved thee.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

What is it therefore?.... Is it true or not? or what must be done in this case? what method must be taken to remove these objections, and reconcile the minds of the people? the multitude must needs come together; either the whole church at Jerusalem, or the great confluence of people, even of believing Jews, that were come from all parts thither; there is no hindering of their coming together, to see the apostle, and to hear what he has to say to the objections against him, and complaints of him;

for they will hear that thou art come: this can never be kept a secret, and as soon as they hear it, they will flock in great numbers; they will come open mouthed, and be loud in their complaints, and it will be difficult to pacify them; there is danger in the case, the consequence may be bad; and therefore something must be done, to remove the opinion they had formed of the apostle, and the prejudice they had entertained against him; and therefore what follows is advised to.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What is it therefore? - What is to be done? What is it proper to do to avoid the effects of the evil report which has been circulated? What they deemed it proper to do is suggested in the following verses.

The multitude - The multitude of Jews.

Must needs come together - There will be inevitably a tumultuous assemblage. It will be impossible to prevent that. The reasons were, because the minds of the Jews were exceedingly agitated that one of their own countrymen had, as they understood, been advising apostasy from the religion of their fathers; because this had been extensively done in many parts of the world, and with great success; and because Paul, having, as they believed, himself apostatized from the national religion, had become very conspicuous, and his very presence in Jerusalem, as in other places, would be likely to excite a tumult. It was, therefore, the part of friendship to him and to the cause to devise some proper plan to prevent, if possible, the anticipated excitement.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 21:22. The multitude must needs come together — Whether this refers to a regular convocation of the Church, or to a tumult that would infallibly take place when it was heard that the apostle was come, we cannot pretend to say; but it is evident that James and the elders wished some prudent steps to be taken, in order to prevent an evil that they had too much reason to fear.


 
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