As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul. Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done. Some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he couldn’t find out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.
When he came to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd; for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him!” As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, “May I speak to you?” He said, “Do you know Greek?
Aren’t you then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?”
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.”
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,
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv31, 32, 34, 37 31. As they sought to kill him. Assuredly the…
31. As they sought to kill him. Assuredly the force of Satan appeareth therein, in that he driveth the people headlong into such rage, that when they have shut the doors of the temple, being not content with mean punishment, they conspire to put Paul to death. We must thus think with ourselves that Satan doth prick forward the enemies of godliness, lest their rage, how cruel and troublesome soever it be, trouble us. On the other side appeareth the wonderful goodness of God, when as he raiseth up the chief captain at a sudden, that he may deliver Paul from death. He himself thought upon no such thing, but he came to appease the tumult which was raised among the people; but the Lord showeth a more evident token of his providence, because Paul’s life was delivered from such present danger without man’s counsel. Thus doth he suffer the faithful not only to labor, but to be almost oppressed, that he may deliver them from death more wonderfully. Luke calleth him the chief captain [tribune] of the band improperly, seeing every chief captain was set over a thousand, which cloth also appear by the text, where he saith that the chief captain took with him under captains?
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.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv31, 38 God findeth some even amongst the wicked and profane…
God findeth some even amongst the wicked and profane themselves, to hinder the endeavors of the rest.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv31–40 31 And as they went about to kill him,…
31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
Ver. 31. And as they went about to kill him] The devil was first a liar and then a murderer. The persecutors ever first belied the Church, and then did their worst against her. Slander is a kind of murder, and makes way for it, Eze 22:9, as in the massacre of Paris. The monks had given out before that the Protestants met for no other purpose but to feast their carcases, and then (the lights being put out) to satisfy their unlawful lusts promiscuously. Thus they prepared and provoked the people to that bloody butchery, and so slew the innocent Huguenots twice; like as it is said of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, that he was thought by the people of England to be doubly murdered, viz. by detraction and deadly practice.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv31–40 The chief captain; the commander-in-chief over all the soldiers…
The chief captain; the commander-in-chief over all the soldiers there; or one that had the command over a thousand. At the three great feasts there was usually a considerable number of soldiers at Jerusalem; the confluence from all parts being then so great, and the Jews so impatient of any yoke or government, the Romans durst not trust such multitudes without some check upon them. Thus at the passover, when they took and crucified our Saviour, these soldiers were made use of, Joh 18:12.
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 On vv31, 37 Note here, 1. How the great and gracious God…
Note here, 1. How the great and gracious God provideth seasonable rescues for his persecuted and perplexed saints and servant: When they went about to kill Paul, God raises him up a deliverer.
Note, 2. The unexpected instrument of the apostle’s deliverance, and that was an heathen governor. The Romans never durst trust such vast multitudes at Jewish festivals without a strong garrison to be a check upon them; accordingly the governor, having tidings of the tumult, brings down a band of soldiers, to see the peace kept; he rescues the injured apostle out of their hands, commands him to be bound with two chains, as Agabas had foretold, and the soldiers bear him up in their arms from the violence of the people.
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Hence we learn, 1. That a bad government, even an heathenish government, is better than anarchy. Under a tyrannical government many may be uneasy, but under popular rage none can be long at rest.
Learn, 2. That heathens are oftentimes the protectors of Christians against the blind rage of those that profess to worship the same God. St. Paul and thest believing Jews worshipped the same God, and yet the heathen soldiers were fain by force to carry and guard the apostle from the fury of the bloody unbelieving Jews.
Thus God raiseth up what instruments he pleaseth to subserve his own gracious ends and designs in the preservation of his people. The barbarous heathen soldiers protect St. Paul, and keep him from being torn in pieces by the Jews, who worshipped the same God with him.
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 On vv31–40 And as they went about to kill him,.... In…
And as they went about to kill him,.... In the manner as zealots did, without bringing him before any court of judicature, without any charge, trial, and condemnation:
tidings came unto the chief captain of the band; the Roman band of soldiers, who were placed near the temple, to keep the peace of the city, and persons in order; and who were more especially needful, at such a time as the feast of Pentecost, when there was such a great concourse of people in the city, and indeed always were in arms at such times (b); this chief captain was Claudius Lysias, as appears from Act 23:26 to him the report of the disturbance was brought; or as it is in the Greek text, the "fame ascended" to him; who very likely might be in the tower of Antonia, which joined to the temple:
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that all Jerusalem was in an uproar; or in confusion, and therefore it became him, as a Roman officer, to take care to quell it, lest it should issue in sedition and rebellion.
(b) Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 12. sect. 1. & l. 5. c. 5. sect. 8.
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 On vv31, 33, 35, 37, 38, 40 And as they went about to kill him -…
And as they went about to kill him - It was a rule among the Jews, that any uncircumcised person who came into the inner temple, might be stoned without farther process. And they seemed to think Paul, who brought such in thither, deserved no better treatment. Word came to the tribune - A cohort or detachment of soldiers, belonging to the Roman legion, which lodged in the adjacent castle of Antonia, were stationed on feast days near the temple, to prevent disorders. It is evident, Lysias himself was not present, when the tumult began. Probably he was the oldest Roman tribune (or colonel) then at Jerusalem. And as such he was the commanding officer of the legion quartered at the castle.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 Verse 31. The chief captain of the band] The…
Verse 31. The chief captain of the band] The Roman tribune, who had a troop of soldiers under him, which lodged in general in the castle of Antonia, which was built at the angle where the northern and western porticoes of the outer court of the temple were joined together. This castle was built by John Hyrcanus, high priest of the Jews: it was at first called Baris, and was the royal residence of the Asmoneans, as long as they reigned in Jerusalem. It was beautified by Herod the Great, and called Antonia, in honour of his friend Mark Antony. By this castle the temple was commanded, as it stood on higher ground. Josephus describes this castle, War, b. v. chap. 5, sec. 8, "as having four towers, from one of which the whole temple was overlooked; and that one of the towers was joined to the porticoes of the temple, and had a double pair of stairs from it, by which soldiers in the garrison were used to come down with their arms to the porticoes, on the festival days, to keep the people quiet; for, as the temple was a guard to the city, so this castle was a guard to the temple." "It seems, therefore," says Bp. Pearce, "to me very plain, that the place where the Jews were about to kill Paul was the court of the Gentiles, the porticoes being there; and that the chief captain came down there to his rescue." The name of this chief captain, or tribune, was Claudius Lysias, as we learn from Ac 23:26.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv31, 37 Act 21:31-36. And as they went about to kill…
Act 21:31-36. And as they went about to kill him — It was a rule among the Jews, that any uncircumcised person who came within the separating wall, mentioned above, might be stoned to death without any further process. And they seemed to think Paul, who, as they supposed, had brought such in thither, deserved no better treatment. Tidings came unto the chief captain of the band — Greek, τω χιλιαρχω της σπειρης, to the tribune of the cohort, called Lysias. A cohort, or detachment of soldiers, belonging to the Roman legion which lodged in the adjacent castle of Antonia, were stationed on feast days near the temple, to prevent disorders. It is evident Lysias himself was not present when the tumult began. Probably he was the oldest Roman tribune then at Jerusalem, and, as such, was the commanding officer of the legion quartered at the castle. Who immediately took soldiers, &c. — And ran down unto them, namely, to suppress the riot, knowing how much it was his concern to check such proceedings. And when they saw the chief captain and soldiers, they left beating of Paul — Which it appears they had begun to do in such a manner, that, had he not been thus seasonably rescued in this critical moment, his life must soon have fallen a sacrifice to their rage. Then the chief captain — Having made his way through the multitude, came near and took him — Into his custody. And how many great ends of Providence were answered by this imprisonment! It was not only a means of preserving his life, (after he had suffered severely for worldly prudence,) but it gave him an opportunity of preaching the gospel safely, in spite of all tumult, Act 22:22; yea, and that in those places to which otherwise he could have had no access, Act 21:40. And commanded him to be bound with two chains — Taking it for granted he was some notorious offender. And thus the prophecy of Agabus was fulfilled, though by the hands of a Roman. And demanded — Of those that seemed most enraged against him; who he was — Against whom such a general outcry was raised; and what he had done — To deserve it. And some cried one thing and some another — So great was the confusion of this riotous assembly, who neither knew one another’s mind, nor their own; though every one pretended to give the sense of the whole body. And when he could not know the certainty for the tumult — For the noise, clamour, and contradictory speeches that were uttered; he commanded him to be carried into the castle — The tower of Antonia, where the Roman soldiers kept garrison. And when he came upon the stairs — Leading to the castle. It was situated on a rock, fifty cubits high, at that corner of the outward temple where the western and northern porticoes joined, to each of which there were stairs descending from it. So it was that he was borne of the soldiers — Up from the ground; for the violence of the people — Who, if they could, would have pulled him limb from limb. And, when they could not reach him with their hands, they pursued him with their clamorous invectives: crying, Away with him — Observe, reader, how the most excellent persons and things are often run down by a popular clamour: Christ himself was so treated, while they cried, Crucify him, crucify him, though they could not mention any evil he had done.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv31–40 And as they went about to kill him -…
And as they went about to kill him - Greek: they seeking to kill him. This was evidently done in a popular tumult, as had been done in the case of Stephen, Acts 7: They could not pretend that they had a right to do it by law.
Tidings came - The news, or rumour came; he was told of it.
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The chief captain of the band - This band or body of Roman soldiers was stationed in the castle Antonia, on the north of the temple. This was built by John Hyrcanus, high priest of the Jews, and was by him called Baris. It was beautified and strengthened by Herod the Great, and was called Antonia in honor of his friend, Mark Antony. Josephus describes this castle as consisting of four towers, one of which overlooked the temple, and which he says was 70 cubits high (Jewish Wars, book 5, chapter 5, section 8). In this castle a guard of Roman soldiers was stationed to secure the temple and to maintain the peace. The commander of this cohort is here called “the chief captain.” Reference is made to this guard several times in the New Testament, Mat 27:65-66; Joh 18:12; Act 5:26. The word translated “chief captain” denotes properly “one who commanded 1,000 men.” The band σπεῖρα speira was the tenth part of a legion, and consisted sometimes of four hundred and twenty-five soldiers, at others of five hundred, and at others of six hundred, according to the size of the legion. The name of this captain was Claudius Lysias, Act 23:26.
In an uproar - That the whole city was in commotion.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40 Two chains, for his hands and feet; or perhaps…
Two chains, for his hands and feet; or perhaps one chain was put on each hand, which was likewise tied to a soldier on each side of him, who led him. This was the Roman custom of binding prisoners. See Seneca, ep. v. et lib. de tranquil. animi. x. See Acts xii. 6, 7.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40 tidings came--literally, "went up," that is, to the fortress…
tidings came--literally, "went up," that is, to the fortress of Antonia, where the commandant resided. See on Act 21:32. This part of the narrative is particularly graphic.
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 On vv31–40 31. Went about to kill him—Were seeking to kill…
31. Went about to kill him—Were seeking to kill him; that is, dragging him to a place where bloodshed was permissible, and beating him. The surprise of some commentators that the Christians did not come to the rescue of Paul is absurd. Nothing could have been more rash than thus to have drawn on their own heads the vengeance of the Jewish government and people.
Tidings came unto—The commotion would be visible to the Roman sentries stationed on the cloisters at the Fort Antonia, and report would be instantly made to the commander. (See note on Mat_21:12.)
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Chief captain of the band—The χιλιαρχος, chiliarch, or commander of a thousand men, nearly equivalent to our colonel. Forthwith a large share of his force (which in full would consist of a thousand soldiers led by ten centurions) is upon the mob in the court of the Gentiles near the gate.
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 On vv31–40 31. And as they went about (Rev. Ver. “were…
31. And as they went about (Rev. Ver. “were seeking”) to kill him] The object of the mob was clearly, now that they had the Apostle in their power, to beat him to death in the crowd, and thus avoid a charge of murder against any individual.
tidings came unto (Better with Rev. Ver. up to) the chief captain of the band] The chief military officer of the Romans in Jerusalem was stationed in the tower of Antonia, which was situate on the N.W. of the Temple on the hill Acra. It had been built by Herod and was so close to the scene of the tumult that news would be brought at once. The military officer (probably a tribune) is called in the Greek, chiliarch, that is, officer over a thousand men. On the word “band” for a Roman cohort, or troop of soldiers, cf. Act_10:1. The verb “came up to” shews that the writer was familiar with the locality and had the whole scene in his mind.
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that all Jerusalem was in an uproar] Rev. Ver. “in confusion.” At the time of the feast religious party feeling would run very high, and the multitudes of strangers visiting the city would think to shew their zeal for the temple and the law by their eagerness to avenge any supposed profanation.
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 On vv31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 (31) The chief captain of the band.—On the word…
(31) The chief captain of the band.—On the word “band,” and its relation to the Latin “cohort,” see Notes on Act_10:1; Mat_27:27. On the word for “chief captain” (literally, chiliarch, or “captain of a thousand men,” the cohort being the sixth part of the legion, which consisted of 6, 000), see Note on Mat_8:29. They were stationed in the tower known as Antonia, built by Herod the Great, and named in honour of the Triumvir, which stood on the north-west side of the Temple area, on a rock, with a turret at each corner, and two flights of stairs leading to the arcades on the northern and western sides of the Temple. The Roman garrison was obviously stationed there to command the crowds of pilgrims, and was likely to be on the alert at a time like the Pentecost Feast. The Procurator Felix, however, was for the time at Cæsarea. The next verse shows that their appearance was sufficient at once to strike some kind of awe into the turbulent mob. Once again the Apostle owed his safety from violence to the interposition of the civil power, (See Notes on Act_18:14-17.) The “beating” would seem to have been rough treatment with the fists rather than any regular punishment.
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 On vv31–40 Were seeking for went about, A.V.; up to for…
Were seeking for went about, A.V.; up to for unto, A.V.; confusion for an uproar, A.V. Tidings; fasiv, only here in the New Testament. The legal use of the word in Greek is an "information" against any one laid before a magistrate. Here it is the information conveyed to the tribune by the sentinels on guard (Lange; see Hist. of Susanna 55). Came up; viz. to the castle of Antonia, to which steps led up from the temple area on the north-west side (see vers. 32 and 35). The chief captain; the chiliarch, or tribune; literally, the commander of a thousand men. (see Joh_18:12) The band (thv speirhv); the cohort which formed the Roman garrison of Antonia (see Act_10:1, note; also vers. 32, 33, etc.; Act_22:24, Act_22:26, etc.)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv39–40 Paul said, I am a man which am ……
Act_21:39
Paul said, I am a man which am … a citizen of no mean city.
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Citizenship
1. Paul might well be proud of his birthplace, for historically, geographically, intellectually, and commercially it was no mean city. All that could be said about Tarsus can be said of many a modern town, and if as much cannot be said about that in which we live, still surely there are some features which may fill us with honourable pride. If this pride is at times chastened by the thought of its evils, let it be no fault of ours that we cannot claim to be citizens of no mean city.
2. This love of city has characterised and been the inspiration of some of the noblest of minds. Think how Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, were loved, and what this love wrought in their citizens--not to speak of modern instances.
3. We owe much to our city. It provides us with a home, means of subsistence, society, culture; all its trade, thought, and activity, in one way or another make for our good. Let us pay our debt--
I. By knowing our city. The crass ignorance of the average citizen of the place in which he lives is proverbial. Features which strike a stranger at once, names which challenge curiosity, historical facts which have contributed to the making of the nation, the great men who have lived or died in the vicinity--of all this he usually knows next to nothing. Of facts which have transpired, men who have flourished, things which command attention elsewhere, he has read and perhaps has seen in his travels. He can tell you what is worth seeing and what has happened in a continental city--but you inquire in vain about these if they lie within a few yards of his own door. This is not fair to our city, nor ourselves, nor our friends who come to visit us. Let us explore our city, study its history, inspect its ecclesiastical or secular monuments or institutions, examine into its relations past and present with other places, trace the origin of its customs, and thus many an evening will, without much effort, be spent in a pleasant and profitable way.
II. By working for our city.
1. By industry in our own business. Every article we sell enlarges by so much the area of its trade. This may not be a very powerful motive, since there is already one sufficiently strong. But it is an elevating one, and will lift trade out of the sordid selfishness into which it is so prone to sink.
2. By encouraging its trade. The habit of sending for nearly everything elsewhere is not a commendable one. Our fellow citizens have to live, and it is only by dealing with them that they can live. But things are dearer. Let there be more buyers at home and that will make them cheaper.
3. By interesting ourselves in its government. The number of citizens who fail here is appalling. No wonder, then, that the management of our towns falls into incompetent or unworthy hands. Not everyone, of course, can aspire to civic honours, but everyone can help to prevent those honours falling where they will be abused. Just think what depends on apathy or interest, on an unintelligent or enlightened public opinion--disease or health through bad or good drainage and water supply; inconvenience or comfort through the state of the roads, domestic appointments, etc.; heavy or light rates through waste or economy in finance.
4. By the support of intellectual or humanitarian institutions. Libraries, art galleries, baths, hospitals, etc.
III. By promoting religion in our city. This is the salt without which every other improvement will be but as a covering for corruption. We may promote this--
1. By personal piety, without which all religious effort will be deprived of a good deal of its value. The mere example which a Christian citizen sets at home, behind the counter, in the council chamber or elsewhere, is of incalculable worth.
2. By the godly upbringing of the citizens of the future. What is seen and heard in the nursery today will determine the character of our town five-and-twenty years hence.
3. By cordial support of and cooperation, with our own Church. Here principles are inculcated, the adoption of which makes our city mean or noble; and here bad citizens may be influenced for good.
4. By generous union with other Churches. It is the combined force of Christianity in any given town that tells. There should be no isolated or discordant voices when flagrant wrong is to be rectified, or obvious good to be encouraged. (J. W. Burn.)
Pauls birthplace
Caesar boasted of his native Rome; Lycurgus of Sparta; Virgil of Andes; Demosthenes of Athens; Archimedes of Syracuse; and Paul of Tarsus. I should suspect a man of base heartedness who had no feeling of complacency in regard to the place of his residence; who gloried not in its arts, behaviour, prosperity, embellishments, and its scientific attainments. Men never like a place where they have not behaved well. Swarthout did not like New York; nor Dr. Webster, Boston. Men who have free rides in prison vans never like the city that furnishes the vehicle. When I see in history Argos, Rhodes, Smyrna, Chios, Colophon, and several other cities claiming Homer, I conclude that Homer behaved well. (T. De Witt Talmage.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain On v31 31-38. Lysias, the Roman kiliarch, commander-in-chief at Castle Antonia…
31-38. Lysias, the Roman kiliarch, commander-in-chief at Castle Antonia on Mt. Moriah near the temple, the Roman citadel for the protection of Jerusalem, in all of his treatment of Paul shows up a very beautiful character of sterling integrity, fidelity and magnanimity, especially for a heathen. If he had not fortunately been present at the castle and run with all his might when he heard the uproar, they would have killed Paul on the spot, so Lysias was sent of God to prolong his life. Having secured the prisoner, and unable, amid the heterogeneous clamor of the mob, to ascertain the crime with which he is charged, he orders the soldiers to carry him into the castle, transporting him in their arms to save his life. The kiliarch is surprised when Paul speaks to him in Greek, thinking that he is a notable Egyptian robber chief who had recently caused great trouble. Of this impression, however, Lysias is relieved when he hears him speak Greek. Consequently he permits the soldiers to stand him on the threshold of the castle, while he proceeds to address the people in Hebrew, which was not only the better understood by the Jews, but calculated to soften their animosities.
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On vv31–40 31-34. For the second time in his history the…
31-34. For the second time in his history the Roman authorities came to Paul's rescue from the hands of his countrymen. (31) " And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the chiliarch of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar, (32) who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them. And when they saw the chiliarch and the soldiers, they quit striking Paul. (33) Then the chiliarch drew near and seized him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was, and what he had done. (34) But some of the multitude cried out one thing, and some another; and not being able to know the certainty on account of the tumult, he commanded him to be led into the castle. " The inability of the mob to agree upon any charge against him shows the precipitancy with which they had rushed upon him, while the multiplicity of charges which they vociferated shows the intensity of their hatred. The chiliarch was indifferent through total ignorance of the case, and desired to act prudently; hence he determined to protect the prisoner, and hold him for examination under more favorable circumstances.
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.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v37 (Greek - χιλίαρχος, the Roman tribune). There were six…
chief
(Greek - χιλίαρχος, the Roman tribune). There were six such "chief captains" in each legion of 6000 men.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv31, 35, 40 The captain of the Roman band interferes:
The captain of the Roman band interferes:
v. 31. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
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v. 32. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them; and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
v. 33. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was and what he had done.
v. 34. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude; and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.
It was a typical mob, without reason and sense, that was surging back and forth in the Court of the Gentiles, every one trying to lay hold on the prisoner and do violence to him, all of them eager to kill him. But now someone brought the report to the Roman officer in the Tower of Antonia, which overlooked the Temple and its courts, that the entire city of Jerusalem was in confusion, that a riot had taken hold of all the inhabitants. And this officer, the military tribune, or chiliarch, having a thousand men under his command in the garrison, lost no time, but took several hundred men with their centurions, or officers, with him and ran down upon the seething mob, from the castle to the lower platform of the court, where the center of the riot was situated. This quick action probably saved Paul’s life; for when the people saw the tribune, they stopped beating their prisoner. As the commanding officer then came nearer, he saw that Paul was the center and, in some way, the occasion of the disturbance, and therefore very naturally concluded that he was a criminal upon whom the Jews were inflicting speedy punishment. Since this was not the time to make inquiry, he took the prisoner in charge and gave command that he be bound with two chains. Having secured him thus and shielding him at least in part against the furious onslaught of the mob, the chiliarch now tried to determine who he was and what he had done. But, as usual with mobs, there no longer was any clear notion of what it was all about; one yelled one thing, someone else another, and it soon became clear to the officer that it was impossible to learn the facts on account of the tumult. So he commanded that Paul be led to the barracks of the Tower Antonia. Thus God had once more saved the life of His servant, since He wanted him to give testimony of the Gospel before some of the mighty ones of this earth.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv32, 34, 37, 39 General Information:
General Information:
The first word "he" and the word "He" refer to the chief captain of the guard mentioned in Acts 21:31.
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ran down
From the fortress, there are stairs going down into the court.
the chief captain
a Roman military officer or leader of about 600 soldiers
laid hold of Paul
"took hold of Paul" or "arrested Paul"
commanded him to be bound
This can be stated in active form. AT: "commanded his soldiers to bind him" (See: Active or Passive)
with two chains
This means they bound Paul to two Roman soldiers, one on each side of him.
he asked who he was and what he had done.
This can be stated as a direct quotation. AT: "He asked, 'Who is this man? What has he done?'" (See: Direct and Indirect Quotations)
he asked who he was
The chief captain is speaking to the crowd, not to Paul.
translationWords
soldier
centurion
Paul
command
bind
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv31, 34, 37 21:31 commander: Or tribune, a Roman officer who commanded…
21:31 commander: Or tribune, a Roman officer who commanded 1,000 men.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.