Acts 21:13
in Acts 21Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
KJV
Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
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This verse in Acts 21
Commentary
18 notes on this verseThe battering ram of natural affection, which so often shatters faith, must recoil powerless from the wall of the gospel.
This site's exposition
pleaded with Paul not to go
on Acts 21:12-14
Paul answered that he was ready to be bound and also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. When he would not be dissuaded, they prayed that the Lord’s will be done, as Jesus prayed in Gethsemane.
This site's exposition
breaking my heart
Chrysostom observes that the tears grieved Paul more than the chains ahead of him, since love was the one force that could move him. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown see firm resolve and tender feeling held together in one man.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Nay, Paul too, who had submitted to deliverance from persecution by being let down from the wall, as to do so was at this time a matter of command, refused in like manner now at the close of his ministry, and after the injunction had come to an end, to give in to the anxieties of the disciples, eagerly entreating him that he would not risk himself at Jerusalem, because of the sufferings in store for him which Agabus had foretold; but doing the very opposite, it is thus he speaks, "What do ye, weeping and disquieting my heart? For I could wish not only to suffer bonds, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of my Lord Jesus Christ." And so they all said, "Let the will of the Lord be done.
"Then Paul answering, said," etc. While they cried, Paul told them not to be distressed by his bitter plight, since he was ready not only to be bound, but even gladly to be killed for the name of Christ. The disciples said to him, since …
A commentator
Didymus the BlindCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 21.13-14 · Written before 398.
proposed
To this sort of opposition, respond as follows: "Why are you trying to keep me from the way I have set out on by weeping at the mention of the chains and afflictions that await me when I arrive in Jerusalem? Let it be known …
A commentator
John ChrysostomCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 21.13-14 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
Others were crying, but [Paul] was exhorting them as he grieved for their tears. "What are you doing," he says, "crying and breaking my heart?" Nothing was dearer to him than these people. Because he saw them crying, he grieved, while he cared nothing for his own trials. "Let the Lord's will," he said, "be done." You wrong me by doing this, so stop making me grieve. They stopped when he said, "You're breaking my heart." "I weep for you," he says, "not for my sufferings, on behalf of which I am even willing to die." They said, "Don't go into the theatre," and he did not. Again and again they drew him away and he obeyed. He fled through the window, but now, though myriads, so to speak, exhort him, and those in Tyre and Caesarea weep and foretell countless trials, he does not allow it. And yet they were foretelling terrible things for him, and, what is more, through the Holy Spirit. They were not holding him back through the Spirit, and they were not simply announcing terrible events to come his way. No, they were afraid for him because he had to go up to Jerusalem. Since they could not convince him not to go, they cried, and then they settled down. You see the love of wisdom, you see the affection. "The Lord," he says, "will do what is pleasing in his sight." They realized it was God's will. Otherwise Paul, who was constantly having to snatch himself from dangers, would not have been so eager.
A commentator
John ChrysostomCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 21.13-14 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
Tell me, what do you think about that adamant will of Paul? Could weeping break it? "Yes," he says, "for I can hold out against anything except for love, since it is love that has overcome and rules me." In this he is like God, whom an abyss of waters would not break but teardrops could.
10 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?" Do you mark? Lest, having heard that saying, "I go bound in the Spirit," you should imagine it a matter of necessity, or that he fell into it ignorantly, therefore these things are foretold. But they wept, and he comforted them, grieving at their tears. For, "what mean ye," he says, "to weep and to break my heart?" Nothing could be more affectionate: because he saw them weeping, he grieved, he that felt no pain at his own trials. "For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done." Ye do me wrong in doing this: for do I grieve? Then they ceased, when he said, "to break my heart." I weep, he says, for you, not on account of my own sufferings: as for those men, I am willing even to die for them.
And see that when Paul heard that he would suffer countless terrible things, then he was hastening.
The Medieval Church1 voice
I weep for you, he says, and not for the sufferings that await me, because for the sake of the Lord Jesus I am ready even to die.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
But observe, These Christians at Cæsarea, if they could have foreseen the particulars of that event, the general notice of which they received with so much heaviness, would have been better reconciled to it for their own sakes; for, when Paul was made a prisoner at Jerusalem, he was presently sent to Cæsarea, the very place where he now was ( ch. xxiii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Breaking my heart - For the apostles themselves were not void of human affections. I am ready not only to be bound, but to die - And to him that is ready for it, the burden is light.
Then Paul answered, what mean ye to weep,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
What mean ye - Greek: What do ye. A tender and affectionate, but firm reproach. To weep and to break mine heart? - To afflict me, and distract my mind by alarms, and by the expressions of tenderness. His mind was fixed on going to Jerusalem; and he felt that he was prepared for whatever awaited him. Expressions of tenderness among friends are proper. Tears may be inevitable at parting from those whom we love. But such expressions of love ought not to be allowed to interfere with the convictions of duty in their minds.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart--Beautiful union of manly resoluteness and womanly tenderness, alike removed from mawkishness and stoicism! I am ready not to be bound only--"If that is all, let it come." but to die, &c.--It was well he could add this, for he had that also to do.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
So shall the Jews bind the man that owneth this girdle, &c.--For though the Romans did it, it was at the Jews' instigation (Ac 21:33; Such dramatic methods of announcing important future events would bring the old prophets to remembrance.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
I am ready, not to be bound only - He was resolute and determined; but was under no constraining necessity. See the note on Act 21:4.
The words behind it
30 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τότε | tote | Then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ἀπεκρίθη | apekrithe | answered | G611 → | 231 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλος· | paulos | Paul; | G3972 → | 158 times |
| τί | ti | What | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ποιεῖτε | poieite | are you doing | G4160 → | 569 times |
| κλαίοντες | klaiontes | weeping | G2799 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| συνθρύπτοντές | sunthruptontes | breaking | G4919 → | |
| μου | mou | my | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδίαν; | kardian | heart? | G2588 → | 156 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| μόνον | monon | only | G3441 → | 110 times |
| δεθῆναι | dethenai | to be bound | G1210 → | 43 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀποθανεῖν | apothanein | to die | G599 → | 110 times |
| εἰς | eis | at | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Ἰερουσαλὴμ | ierousalem | Jerusalem | G2419 → | 76 times |
| ἑτοίμως | hetoimos | readiness | G2093 → | |
| ἔχω | echo | have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀνόματος | onomatos | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| Ἰησοῦ. | iesou | Jesus. | G2424 → | 908 times |
τότεThen
toteG5119 →160 times
ἀπεκρίθηanswered
apekritheG611 →231 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
Παῦλος·Paul;
paulosG3972 →158 times
τίWhat
tiG5101 →563 times
ποιεῖτεare you doing
poieiteG4160 →569 times
κλαίοντεςweeping
klaiontesG2799 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
συνθρύπτοντέςbreaking
sunthruptontesG4919 →
μουmy
mouG3165 →1936 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
καρδίαν;heart?
kardianG2588 →156 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
μόνονonly
mononG3441 →110 times
δεθῆναιto be bound
dethenaiG1210 →43 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀποθανεῖνto die
apothaneinG599 →110 times
εἰςat
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἸερουσαλὴμJerusalem
ierousalemG2419 →76 times
ἑτοίμωςreadiness
hetoimosG2093 →
ἔχωhave
echoG2192 →707 times
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ὀνόματοςname
onomatosG3686 →227 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
κυρίουLord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
Ἰησοῦ.Jesus.
iesouG2424 →908 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 20:24But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good…
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:6–8
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
- 2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- 2 Corinthians 4:1
Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- 2 Corinthians 4:16–18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.
- 2 Timothy 4:6–8
Through
2 Timothy 4:6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
it leads to
- Philippians 1:23
I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.
- Philippians 2:17
But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
- Philippians 1:23
Through
Philippians 2:17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:6
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
- 2 Timothy 4:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; Didymus the Blind, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 21.13-14; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, LETTER 14.3; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 21.13-14; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 45; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Tertullian, On Flight in Persecution and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.