Acts 21:17
in Acts 21When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
KJV
And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
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This verse in Acts 21
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAnd when we were come to Jerusalem,.... That is, Paul and his companions, attended with the disciples of Caesarea, and Mnason the old disciple with them: the brethren received us gladly; readily, willingly, and cheerfully; they did not treat them with an air of coldness and indifference, or look shy on them, or show any resentment to them, notwithstanding the various reports which had been brought them, concerning the ministry of the apostle among the Gentiles.
This site's exposition
the brothers welcomed us joyfully
In Jerusalem the brothers welcomed Paul’s company joyfully, a warm opening to a scene that turns tense within days. The gladness belongs to the wider church. Luke sets it beside the more guarded reception James and the elders give next.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly." "The brethren," it says, "received us gladly." Affairs among the Jews were now full of peace: there was not much warfare among them. "Bringing us," it says, "to one with whom we should lodge." Paul was the guest he entertained. Perchance some one of you says: Aye, if it were given me to entertain Paul as a guest, I readily and with much eagerness would do this. Lo! it is in thy power to entertain Paul's Master for thy guest, and thou wilt not: for "he that receiveth one of these least," he saith, "receiveth Me." By how much the brother may be least, so much the more does Christ come to thee through him. For he that receives the great, often does it from vainglory also; but he that receives the small, does it purely for Christ's sake.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
As soon as they had notice that he was come to town, they went to his lodgings at Mnason's house, and congratulated him on his safe arrival, and told him they were glad to see him, and invited him to their houses, accounting it an honour to be known to one that was such an eminent servant of Christ.
His compliance with the persuasions of the brethren there, who advised him so far to compliment the Jews as to go and purify that it might appear he was no such enemy to the Mosaic rites and ceremonies as he was reported to be,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The brethren - Christians. Received us gladly - They had been long absent. They had been into distant regions, and had encountered many dangers. It was a matter of joy that they had now returned in safety.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Γενομένων | genomenon | Having arrived | G1096 → | 667 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | we | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| εἰς | eis | at | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Ἱεροσόλυμα | hi'erosoluma | Jerusalem | G2414 → | 62 times |
| ἀσμένως | asmenos | gladly | G780 → | |
| ἀπεδέξαντο | apedexanto | received | G588 → | 7 times |
| ἡμᾶς | hemas | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφοί. | adelphoi | brothers. | G80 → | 343 times |
ΓενομένωνHaving arrived
genomenonG1096 →667 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἡμῶνwe
hemonG3165 →1936 times
εἰςat
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἹεροσόλυμαJerusalem
hi'erosolumaG2414 →62 times
ἀσμένωςgladly
asmenosG780 →
ἀπεδέξαντοreceived
apedexantoG588 →7 times
ἡμᾶςus
hemasG3165 →1936 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφοί.brothers.
adelphoiG80 →343 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
Romans 15:7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God.
it leads to
- Matthew 10:40
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.
- John 13:34
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
- Romans 14:1–3
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.
- Romans 5:2
through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
- Mark 9:37
“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.”
- Matthew 10:40
Through
Acts 15:4On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
it leads to
- Acts 15:12
The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
- Acts 14:27
When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
- Acts 15:12
Through
Acts 21:7When we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:24
Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.
- Hebrews 13:24
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 45; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.