Acts 21:23 BSB — MannaFest

Acts 21:23

Therefore do what we advise you. There are four men with us who have taken a vow.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow on them;

KJV

Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

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Commentary

3 voices

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book V (220)

He therefore made some concession, as was necessary, for a time; and this was the reason why he had Timothy circumcised, and the Nazarites introduced into the temple, which incidents are described in the Acts.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

Do therefore this that we say to thee,.... This is said not as commanding, but as advising; and not to what was a duty, and necessary to be done as such, but as a point of prudence: we have four men which have a vow on them; that is, there were four men who were of the church at Jerusalem, believers in Christ, but weak ones, who were zealous of the law, and bigots to it, and who had voluntarily vowed a vow of the Nazarites; see Num 6:2.

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Therefore - To obviate their prejudice against thee: do this that we say to thee - Doubtless they meant this advice well: but could Paul follow it in godly sincerity? Was not the yielding so far to the judgment of others too great a deference to be paid to any mere men?

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

We have four men - There are with us four men. It is evident that James and the elders meant to say that these men were connected with them in the Christian church; and the fact shows that the Christians at Jerusalem did not disregard the institutions of Moses, and had not been so far enlightened in the doctrines of Christianity as to forsake yet the ceremonial rites of the Jews. Which have a vow on them - Which have made a vow. See the notes on Act 18:

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

14 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
τοῦτο	touto	This	G3778 →
οὖν	oun	therefore	G3767 →
ποίησον	poiēson	do you	G4160 →
ὅ	ho	what	G3739 →
σοι	soi	to you	G4771 →
λέγομεν·	legomen	we say;	G3004 →
εἰσὶν	eisin	There are	G1510 →
ἡμῖν	hēmin	with us	G3165 →
ἄνδρες	andres	men	G435 →
τέσσαρες	tessares	four	G5064 →
εὐχὴν	euchēn	a vow	G2171 →
ἔχοντες	echontes	having	G2192 →
ἐφ᾽	eph᾽	on	G1909 →
ἑαυτῶν·	he'autōn	themselves;	G1438 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk5

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Acts 18:18
Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria,…
leads to
- Acts 21:24
  Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is no truth to these rumors about you, but…
- Numbers 6:18
  Then at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Nazirite is to shave his consecrated head, take the hair, and put it on the fire under the peace offering.
- Numbers 6:5–9
  For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head. He must be holy until the time of his separation to the LORD is complete; he must let…
- Romans 16:1
  I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.
- 1 Corinthians 9:20
  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win…

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About Acts

The Ascension — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Acts: the study guide →Read chapter 21 →The featured study →

Continue: Acts 21 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Acts

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Acts