When we heard these things, both we and the people of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
Parallel Translations
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When we heard these things, both we and the people of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
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When we hearde this both we and other of the same place besought him that he wolde not goo vp to Ierusalem.
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And when we had heard these things, both we and other of the same place besought him that he would not go vp to Hierusalem.
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Acts 21:12 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Matthew 16:21-23 From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you.” But he turned, and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.”
- Acts 20:22 Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there;
- Acts 21:4 Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 12. Both we. Because they had not all one…
12. Both we. Because they had not all one revelation, it is no marvel if their judgments were diverse. For seeing these holy men knew that there consisted much in the life or death of one man, they would not have him to come in danger rashly. And their desire is worthy [of] praise, in that they desired to provide for the common safety of the Church by keeping back Paul. But, on the other side, Paul’s constancy deserveth so much the more praise, when as he continueth so steadfast in the calling of God. For he was not ignorant what great trouble he should suffer by reason of his bands. But because he knoweth the will of God, which was his only rule in taking counsel, he maketh no account of all other things, that he may follow it. And, assuredly, we must be so subject to the will and pleasure of God, that no profit, no kind of reason may remove us from obeying him. When Paul doth reprehend the brethren, because they afflict his heart with weeping, he doth sufficiently declare that he was not hardened, but that he was brought unto some feeling and suffering together with them. Therefore, the tears of the godly did wound his heart; but that softness did not turn him out of the way, but that he proceeded to follow God with a straight course. Therefore, we must use such courtesy toward our brethren, that the beck or will of God have always the upper hand. Now Paul doth again declare by his answer, that the servants of Christ cannot be prepared to do their duty, unless they despise death; and that none can ever be well encouraged to live to the Lord, but those who will willingly lay down their lives for the testimony of the truth.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain They of that place; the converts or believers that…
They of that place; the converts or believers that were in Caesarea, pitying him, and having a tender affection for him: See Poole on "Act 21:4".
Besought him with tears, so earnest were they, as in the following verse. {see Act 21:13}
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Observe here, 1. The entire affection of the disciples…
Observe here, 1. The entire affection of the disciples to the holy apostles; Both we and they of that place besought him, that he would not go up to Jerusalem.
Learn, That the lives and liberties of those who are eminent instruments of God’s glory, are very dear and precious to the faithful servants of God. Who can blame St. Paul’s companions or the disciples here, for desiring and endeavouring the preservation of so precious an instrument as the apostle was? and yet it is not improbable but Satan might have a hand in this matter, and endeavour by the apostle’s friends’ persuasion to weaken his resolution; for the devil oft endeavoureth to take us off from our duty by the entreaties of our friends, who mean well in what they say.
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Thus when St. Peter lovingly advised our Saviour against his sufferings, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee, Mat 16:22.
Get thee behind me, Satan, says Christ. It was Peter’s tongue, but Satan tuned it. Who would have thought that Christ’s disciples would have been Satan’s instruments? We must not measure our friends’ counsel by their good meaning, but by God’s word; we must be deaf to all relations, that we may discharge our duty to God.
Thus we find the apostle here, He would not be persuaded, but expostulates with them, What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart?
Observe, 2. St. Paul’s entire affection to God, and his firm resolution for his duty: He would not be persuaded. But did the apostle do well in this, to withstand all the importunities, and reject the unanimous advice, of all his friends? How doth this carriage agree with that character of heavenly wisdom, That it is easy to be entreated? Jas 3:17
I answer, To the practice of our duty, it is praise-worthy to be easy to be entreated; but not from our duty. St. Paul knew his duty, and understood the will of God: and therefoe his friends might sooner break his heart, than break his purpose.
Learn hence, That no persuasions of friends, no apprehensions of danger, should ever be able to turn us out of the way of our duty. When Peter dissuaded Christ from suffering, our Saviour rebuked him with the same indignation as he did the devil tempting him to idolatry.
Observe, 3. How the apostle lovingly and gently rebukes their fond and inordinate sorrow for his departure: What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart? As if he had said, "What mean these passionate tears and entreaties? Alas! whether you think it so or not, they are but so many snares and temptations of Satan, to turn my feet out of the way of obedience: you do as much as in you lies to break my heart; but, by the grace of God, nothing shall break me off from my purpose, nor weaken my courage and resolution for God." When a saint is once satisfied in the call and command of God to any duty, he fears neither impending nor approaching dangers in the way of duty.
Observe, 4. The apostle’s quieting and calming arguments, with which he labours to charm their unruly passions: I am ready both to be bound, and to die for Christ.
I am ready, 1. That is, God hath fitted me for suffer-work; flesh and blood is overruled in me by the Spirit of God; I am prepared for whatever God pleaseth; be it a prison, be it a scaffold, be it life, be it death, I am provided for both.
Liberty is dear, and life is dear, but Christ is dearer than either: therefore what mean you to work against the design of God, who hath fitted and prepared my heart for suffering-service?
I am ready, 2. That is, my will and resolution stands in a full bent: my heart is fixed,-- my friends, my heart is fixed; do not therefore disorder and discompose my spirits, by casting such temptations and stumbling-blocks in my way; for I am come to a point, nothing shall divert me from this noble enterprise for God.
I am ready, 3. That is, fully determined to comply with the call and command of God; whatever befalls me, I am not so solicitous about that: my Captain that leads me on, I am sure, will bring me off safe, either dead or alive. Therefore all your tears and entreaties are but cast away upon me; ye had better be quiet, and cheerfully resign me up to the will of God; for I am ready both to be bound and to die.
From whence learn, That it is a blessed and excellent frame of spirit, when the servants of God are prepared and ready for the hardest services and sharpest sufferings, to which the Lord may at any time call them: I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Observe, 5. The disciple’s discretion: When he would not be persuaded they ceased; that is, they gave over their importunities, and urged him no farther beyond his own inclinations and resolutions.
It is the disposition of humble spirits to submit to those that are wiser than themselves, and not to be too stiff and peremtory in their own opinions and conceits; a lesson which most men have great need to learn.
Observe, 6. The pious ground of this their discretion; namely, acquiescence in the divine will: The will of the Lord be done. They refer the event to God’s determination, and submit all to his sovereign pleasure.
Thence learn, That it is the duty and desire, and ought to be the care and endeavour, of all the children of God, to be willing to submit themselves and theirs to the dispensation of God’s providence, in whatever befalls either them or theirs.
For this we have Christ’s example, Father, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Mat 26:39
The example of David, Here I am, let him do what seemeth good in his sight. 2Sa 15:26
The example of Eli, It is the Lord, let him do whatsoever he pleaseth. 1Sa 3:18
Such is his justice and righteousness, that he can do his children no wrong; and such is his tender mercy and loving kindness, that he will do them no harm. The absolute sovereignty of God over us, and the sight of God in all his providential dispensations towards us, influences at once our judgments, our wills, and our affections, our expressions and actions, that we neither dare to think, speak, or act any thing in contradiction to, or in opposition against, the wisdom and will of God.
That which is oft against our will, is not always against our interest; but if we belong to God, all afflictions upon us are federal dispensations and covenant blessings to us, and either are good or shall work for good; therefore it is both our duty and interest to submit to the wisdom of Providence, and say with these disciples, The will of the Lord be done.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And when we heard these things,.... These prophecies, concerning…
And when we heard these things,.... These prophecies, concerning the binding of the apostle by the Jews, and the delivery of him to the Romans, and saw the symbolical representations of these things:
both we; the companions of the apostle, Luke and the rest:
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and they of that place; of Caesarea, Philip and his daughters, and the disciples that lived there:
besought him not to go up to Jerusalem; which was an instance of weakness in them, though an expression of their affection to the apostle; in the disciples of Caesarea it might arise from pure love to him, and a concern for his safety, and the continuance of his useful life; and in his companions it might be owing partly to their sincere love to him, and partly to the fear of danger which they themselves might conclude they should be exposed to; and this request was made with tears, as is evident from what follows.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Both we, (his fellow travelers,) and they of the…
Both we, (his fellow travelers,) and they of the place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem - St. Paul knew that this prediction had the force of a command. They did not know this.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 12. Besought him not to go up to…
Verse 12. Besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.] For they all understood the prophecy to be conditional and contingent; and that it was in Paul's power to turn the scale.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain we and they at that place--the Cæsarean Christians.
we and they at that place--the Cæsarean Christians.
besought him--even with tears, Act 21:13.
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not to go to Jerusalem.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 12. We—Luke and the other attendants of Paul, joined…
12. We—Luke and the other attendants of Paul, joined by the Cesarean Christians. Philip and his inspired daughters, in lovely and loving human weakness, joined in the grief and the entreaties that Paul would avoid Jerusalem.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 12. we, and they of that place] We (i.e.…
12. we, and they of that place] We (i.e. St Luke and the rest who were his fellow-travellers) and the Christians of Cæsarea. The act of Agabus was in all probability done with some publicity.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (12) Both we, and they of that place .…
(12) Both we, and they of that place . . .—For the first time the courage even of the Apostle’s companions began to fail, and St. Luke admits that he himself had joined in the entreaty. Could not they, who were less known, and therefore in less danger, go up without him, pay over the fund that had been collected among the Gentiles to St. James and the elders, and return to him at Cæsarea? “They of that place” would of course include Philip and his daughters, and possibly, if he were still there, Cornelius and his friends, or, at any rate, those of the latter who were still residing in the city. They besought him, it will be noted, even with tears.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain They of that place; oiJ ejntopioi, a word found…
They of that place; oiJ ejntopioi, a word found only here in the New Testament, and not found in the LXX or the Apocrypha, but good classical Greek (for the sentiment, see ver. 4).
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain See notes on verse 10
See notes on verse 10
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Here the word "we" refers to Luke and the other believers but does not include the reader. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive "We")
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What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart
Paul asks this question to show the believers they should stop trying to persuade him. AT: "Stop what you are doing. Your weeping is breaking my heart" (See: Rhetorical Question)
breaking my heart
To make someone sad or to discourage someone is spoken of as if it were a heart being broken. Here "heart" stands for a person's emotions. AT: "discouraging me" or "making me very sad" (See: Metaphor and Metonymy)
not only to be tied up
This can be stated in active form. AT: "not only for them to tie me up" (See: Active or Passive)
for the name of the Lord Jesus
Here "name" refers to the person of Jesus. AT: "for the sake of the Lord Jesus" or "because I believe in the Lord Jesus" (See: Metonymy)
did not wish to be persuaded
This can be stated in active form. AT: "did not want us to try to persuade him not to go to Jerusalem" (See: Active or Passive)
May the will of the Lord be done
This can be stated in active form. AT: "May everything happen as the Lord has planned it" (See: Active or Passive)
translationWords
Paul
Jerusalem
die
name
lord
Jesus
will of God
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.