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Selected Verse: Acts 21:40 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ac 21:40	Strong Concordance	And [1161] when he had given [2010] him [846] licence [2010], Paul [3972] stood [2476] on [1909] the stairs [304], and beckoned [2678] with the hand [5495] unto the people [2992]. And [1161] when there was made [1096] a great [4183] silence [4602], he spake [4377] unto them in the Hebrew [1446] tongue [1258], saying [3004],
	King James	And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
stood on the stairs--"What nobler spectacle than that of Paul at this moment! There he stood, bound with two chains, ready to make his defense to the people. The Roman commander sits by, to enforce order by his presence. An enraged populace look up to him from below. Yet in the midst of so many dangers, how self-possessed is he, how tranquil!" [CHRYSOSTOM (or in his name) in HACKETT]. a great silence--the people awed at the permission given him by the commandant, and seeing him sitting as a listener. in the Hebrew tongue--the Syro-Chaldaic, the vernacular tongue of the Palestine Jews since the captivity.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

stood on the stairs--"What nobler spectacle than that of Paul at this moment! There he stood, bound with two chains, ready to make his defense to the people. The Roman commander sits by, to enforce order by his presence. An enraged populace look up to him from below. Yet in the midst of so many dangers, how self-possessed is he, how tranquil!" [CHRYSOSTOM (or in his name) in HACKETT].

a great silence--the people awed at the permission given him by the commandant, and seeing him sitting as a listener.

in the Hebrew tongue--the Syro-Chaldaic, the vernacular tongue of the Palestine Jews since the captivity.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Licence - Liberty; permission. On the stairs - See the notes on Act 21:35. Beckoned with the hand - Waving the hand as a sign that he was about to address them, and to produce silence and attention. See Act 12:17. In the Hebrew tongue - The language which was spoken by the Jews, which was then a mixture of the Chaldee and Syriac, called Syro-Chaldaic. This language he doubtless used on this occasion in preference to the Greek, because it was understood better by the multitude, and would tend to conciliate them if they heard him address them in their own tongue. The following chapter should have been connected with this. The division here is unnatural.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Licence - Liberty; permission.

On the stairs - See the notes on Act 21:35.

Beckoned with the hand - Waving the hand as a sign that he was about to address them, and to produce silence and attention. See Act 12:17.

In the Hebrew tongue - The language which was spoken by the Jews, which was then a mixture of the Chaldee and Syriac, called Syro-Chaldaic. This language he doubtless used on this occasion in preference to the Greek, because it was understood better by the multitude, and would tend to conciliate them if they heard him address them in their own tongue. The following chapter should have been connected with this. The division here is unnatural.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Beckoned with the hand Compare Act 26:1. Tongue (διαλέκτῳ) Lit., dialect: the language spoken by the Palestinian Jews - a mixture of Syriac and Chaldaic.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

Beckoned with the hand

Compare Act 26:1.

Tongue (διαλέκτῳ)

Lit., dialect: the language spoken by the Palestinian Jews - a mixture of Syriac and Chaldaic.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
In the Hebrew tongue - That dialect of it, which was then commonly spoken at Jerusalem.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

In the Hebrew tongue - That dialect of it, which was then commonly spoken at Jerusalem.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Paul stood on the stairs - Where he was out of the reach of the mob, and was surrounded by the Roman soldiers. Beckoned with the hand - Waving the hand, which was the sign that he was about to address the people. So Virgil says of Turnus, when he wished, by single combat between himself and Aeneas, to put an end to the war: - Significatque manu, et magno simul incipit ore: Parcite jam, Rutuli; et vos tela inhibete, Latini. He beckoned with his hand, and cried out with a loud voice, Desist, ye Rutulians; and, ye Latins, cease from throwing your javelins. He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue - What was called then the Hebrew, viz. the Chaldaeo-Syriac; very well expressed by the Codex Bezae, τῃ ιδιᾳ διαλεκτῳ, in their own dialect. Never was there a more unnatural division than that in this chapter: it ends with a single comma! The best division would have been at the end of the 25th verse. Paul's embarkation at Tyre is very remarkable. The simple manner in which he was escorted to the ship by the disciples of Tyre, men, women, and children, and their affectionate and pious parting, kneeling down on the shore and commending each other to God, are both impressive and edifying. Nothing but Christianity could have produced such a spirit in persons who now, perhaps for the first time, saw each other in the flesh. Every true Christian is a child of God; and, consequently, all children of God have a spiritual affinity. They are all partakers of the same Spirit, are united to the same Head, are actuated with the same hope, and are going to the same heaven. These love one another with pure hearts fervently; and these alone are capable of disinterested and lasting friendship. Though this kind of friendship cannot fail, yet it may err; and with officious affection endeavor to prevent us from bearing a necessary and most honorable cross. See Act 21:12, Act 21:13. It should, therefore, be kept within Scriptural bounds.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Paul stood on the stairs - Where he was out of the reach of the mob, and was surrounded by the Roman soldiers.

Beckoned with the hand - Waving the hand, which was the sign that he was about to address the people. So Virgil says of Turnus, when he wished, by single combat between himself and Aeneas, to put an end to the war: -

Significatque manu, et magno simul incipit ore:

Parcite jam, Rutuli; et vos tela inhibete, Latini.

He beckoned with his hand, and cried out with a loud voice,

Desist, ye Rutulians; and, ye Latins, cease from throwing your javelins.

He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue - What was called then the Hebrew, viz. the Chaldaeo-Syriac; very well expressed by the Codex Bezae, τῃ ιδιᾳ διαλεκτῳ, in their own dialect.

Never was there a more unnatural division than that in this chapter: it ends with a single comma! The best division would have been at the end of the 25th verse.

Paul's embarkation at Tyre is very remarkable. The simple manner in which he was escorted to the ship by the disciples of Tyre, men, women, and children, and their affectionate and pious parting, kneeling down on the shore and commending each other to God, are both impressive and edifying. Nothing but Christianity could have produced such a spirit in persons who now, perhaps for the first time, saw each other in the flesh. Every true Christian is a child of God; and, consequently, all children of God have a spiritual affinity. They are all partakers of the same Spirit, are united to the same Head, are actuated with the same hope, and are going to the same heaven. These love one another with pure hearts fervently; and these alone are capable of disinterested and lasting friendship. Though this kind of friendship cannot fail, yet it may err; and with officious affection endeavor to prevent us from bearing a necessary and most honorable cross. See Act 21:12, Act 21:13. It should, therefore, be kept within Scriptural bounds.

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