Acts 21:4
in Acts 21We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.
KJV
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
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This verse in Acts 21
Commentary
10 notes on this verseIf the Spirit commanded Paul, then why did he resist? For the disciples spoke, knowing from the Spirit about the dangers threatening him. Yes, they did not persuade him "by the prompting of the Spirit," they did not directly predict the dangers awaiting him, but, …
This site's exposition
not to go up to Jerusalem
The company sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem, as Agabus foretells later in the chapter. Paul, moved by the same Spirit, went on.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"For there the ship was to unlade her burden. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem." They too prophesy of the afflictions. It is so ordered that they should be spoken by them also, that none might imagine that Paul said those things without cause, and only by way of boasting. "We landed at Tyre." Then they tarry with the brethren seven days. Now that they were come near to Jerusalem, they no longer run. "Who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem." Observe how, when the Spirit does not forbid, he complies. "By the Spirit," that is, they knowing "by the Spirit" what would be the consequences, said to him: for of course it does not mean that the exhortation they made was by the Spirit. For they did not simply foretell to him the dangers through the Spirit, but added of themselves that it behooved him not to go up - sparing him.
He does not say that he made the urging through the Spirit, but that, being guided by the Spirit, they knew. For he did not merely foretell dangers to him, but that he must not go up, sparing him. [CHRYSOSTOM]
The Reformation1 voice
And here, as in other places going before, Luke calleth Christians disciples, that we may know that those alone are numbered in the flock of Christ who have embraced his doctrine by faith. For that is a vain and false profession for a man to give his name to Christ, and not to understand what he teacheth or speaketh.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days - ln order to spend a Sabbath with them. Who told Paul by the Spirit - That afflictions awaited him at Jerusalem. This was properly what they said by the Spirit.
And finding disciples,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Who said to Paul through the Spirit - We cannot understand this as a command from the Holy Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem, else Paul must have been highly criminal to have disobeyed it. Through the Spirit, must either refer to their own great earnestness to dissuade him from taking a journey which they plainly saw would be injurious to him - and so Bp. Pearce understands this place; or, if it refer to the Holy Spirit, it must mean that if he regarded his personal safety he must not, at this time, go up to Jerusalem.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
finding disciples--finding out the disciples, implying some search. They would expect such, from what is recorded, Ac 11:19. Perhaps they were not many; yet there were gifted ones among them. who said to Paul . . . that he should not go up to Jerusalem--(See on Ac 20:23; also see on Ac 21:11-14).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And finding disciples - Christians. This is the first mention of there being Christians at Tyre, but there is no improbability in supposing that the gospel had been preached there, though it is not expressly recorded by Luke. Who said to Paul - Compare Act 21:12. Their deep interest in his welfare, and their apprehension of his danger, was the reason why they admonished him not to go. Through the Spirit - There is some difficulty in understanding this. In solving this difficulty, we may remark: (1) That it is evident that the Holy Spirit is meant, and that Luke means to say that this was spoken by his inspiration. The Holy Spirit was bestowed on Christians at that time in large measures, and many appear to have been under his inspiring guidance. (2) It was not understood by Paul as a positive command that he should not go up to Jerusalem; for had it been, it would not have been disobeyed. He evidently understood it as expressive of their earnest wish that he should not go, as apprising him of danger, and as a kind expression in regard to his own welfare and safety. Compare Act 21:13. Paul was in better circumstances to understand this than we are, and his interpretation was doubtless correct. (3) It is to be understood, therefore, simply as an inspired prophetic warning, that if he went, he went at the risk of his life a prophetic warning, joined with their individual personal wishes that he would not expose himself to this danger. The meaning evidently is that they said by inspiration of the Spirit that he should not go unless he was willing to encounter danger, for they foresaw that the journey would be attended with the hazard of his life. […]
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀνευρόντες | aneurontes | Having sought out | G429 → | |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαθητὰς | mathetas | disciples | G3101 → | 260 times |
| ἐπεμείναμεν | epemeinamen | we remained | G1961 → | 15 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | there | G847 → | |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | days | G2250 → | 389 times |
| ἑπτά, | hepta | seven, | G2033 → | 86 times |
| οἵτινες | oitines | who | G3748 → | 144 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παύλῳ | paulo | to Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| ἔλεγον | elegon | were telling | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πνεύματος | pneumatos | Spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐπιβαίνειν | epibainein | to go up | G1910 → | 6 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Ἱεροσόλυμα. | hi'erosoluma | Jerusalem. | G2414 → | 62 times |
ἈνευρόντεςHaving sought out
aneurontesG429 →
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
μαθητὰςdisciples
mathetasG3101 →260 times
ἐπεμείναμενwe remained
epemeinamenG1961 →15 times
αὐτοῦthere
autouG847 →
ἡμέραςdays
hemerasG2250 →389 times
ἑπτά,seven,
heptaG2033 →86 times
οἵτινεςwho
oitinesG3748 →144 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
Παύλῳto Paul
pauloG3972 →158 times
ἔλεγονwere telling
elegonG3004 →1325 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
πνεύματοςSpirit
pneumatosG4151 →378 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐπιβαίνεινto go up
epibaineinG1910 →6 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
Ἱεροσόλυμα.Jerusalem.
hi'erosolumaG2414 →62 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
Matthew 10:11Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on.
it leads to
- Luke 10:7–8
Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
- Acts 18:1–3
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
- 1 Kings 17:9–24
“Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
- Job 31:32
but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
- Luke 10:7–8
Through
Acts 19:1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 16:12
Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was not at all inclined to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
- Acts 18:23–28
After Paul had spent some time in Antioch, he traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
- Acts 18:1
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
- Acts 18:19–21
When they reached Ephesus, Paul parted ways with Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews.
- 1 Corinthians 16:12
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Calvin, Commentaries; 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 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.