Acts 21 27

Acts 21:27 kjv

And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

Acts 21:27 nkjv

Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,

Acts 21:27 niv

When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

Acts 21:27 esv

When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,

Acts 21:27 nlt

The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him,

Acts 21 verses

Acts 21 27 Meaning

This verse describes the Jews from Asia witnessing Paul being apprehended and assuming he had brought a Gentile into the temple precinct. This accusation was grave because it violated Jewish law and purity regulations concerning the inner courts of the temple.

Acts 21 27 Context

The preceding verses describe Paul's arrival in Jerusalem. Despite warnings from disciples and Agabus about his impending arrest, Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go. He was received by believers, and the next day, he met with James and the elders. To allay fears that Paul was against the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs, James proposed that Paul undergo a purification rite, along with four other men, by shaving their heads. This was meant to demonstrate publicly that Paul still respected and followed Jewish traditions. However, as this purification was underway, the Jews from Asia recognized Paul, instigating the outcry recorded in verse 27.

Acts 21 27 Word Analysis

• Καὶ (kai) - And. A simple conjunction linking this event to the preceding ones.
• ὅτε (hote) - when. Indicates the time when the following events occurred.
• αἱ ἑπτὰ (hai hepta) - the seven. Refers to the seven days of the purification (Num. 19:11-12).
• ἡμέραι (hēmerai) - days.
• τῶν ἡμερῶν (tōn hēmerōn) - of the days. Possessive, specifying the days mentioned.
• ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας (ek tēs Asias) - from Asia. Identifies the origin of the Jews making the accusation, highlighting they were fellow Jews, thus adding weight to their recognition and outcry. This specific geographical location points to likely familiarity with Paul from his extensive missionary work in that region.
• ἰδόντες (idontes) - having seen. Aorist participle, indicating the action of seeing completed at the time of their outcry.
• τὸν Παῦλον (ton Paulon) - Paul. The object of their recognition.
• ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ (en tō hierō) - in the temple. The location where they saw Paul. This was a sacred and restricted space.
• ἀνέκραγαν (anekragaan) - cried out. Aorist verb, signifying a sudden, loud utterance. It conveys alarm and distress.
• ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται (andres Israēlitai) - men, Israelites. An address to fellow Jews, rallying them with a communal identity and calling for solidarity against perceived transgression. This direct address emphasizes the specific context of Jewish concern for their law and temple.
• βοηθεῖτε (boētheite) - help! Imperative verb, a call to action for assistance. It shows they felt immediate danger or needed intervention.
• οὗτός ἐστιν (houtos estin) - This is. Identifies the accused person directly.
• ὁ ἄνθρωπος (ho anthrōpos) - the man.
• ὁ πανταχοῦ (ho pantachou) - who everywhere. Emphasizes the widespread nature of Paul's ministry and teaching, which, in their view, was antithetical to their traditions.
• τὴν τε διαθήκην (tēn te diathēkēn) - both the law. Referring to the Mosaic Law (Torah). The accusation implies Paul is undermining it.
• τὸν νόμον (ton nomon) - the law. Explicitly mentions the Law.
• καὶ τὸν τόπον (kai ton topon) - and this place. Referring to the Temple, the center of Jewish worship and identity, and its sacred precinct. Their fear was that Paul's actions, or teachings about him, defiled it.
• κατὰ τοῦ λαοῦ (kata tou laou) - against the people. The accusation is that Paul's teaching was against the Jewish people themselves, not just their laws or customs.
• ἡμῶν (hēmōn) - our. Possessive, showing a sense of ownership and shared identity.
• καὶ τοὺς τόπους (kai tous topous) - and the places. This phrasing in conjunction with "and this place" implies not just the current physical temple but perhaps other sacred sites or the overall sacred order.
• καὶ τὸν νόμον (kai ton nomon) - and the law. Repeats the accusation regarding the law.
• οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ πανταχοῦ τὰ ἔθνη διδάσκων (houtos estin ho anthrōpos ho pantachou ta ethnē didaskōn) - This is the man who is teaching all nations. The following clause clarifies their accusation: that Paul's universal mission to the Gentiles, implicitly in conflict with Israel's unique covenant, was perceived as an offense.

Group Analysis:

• "οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ πανταχοῦ τὴν τε διαθήκην ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν νόμον καὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦτον κατὰ τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμῶν διδάσκων" (This is the man who everywhere is teaching our people, both the covenant and the law and this place) - this is a collective accusation. They identify Paul and then list three specific areas of perceived transgression: the Jewish covenant, the Law of Moses, and the Temple. The accusatory intent is clear and multi-faceted, designed to incite the crowd against him. The use of "our people," "our covenant," and "our law" reinforces their collective identity and outrage.

Acts 21 27 Bonus Section

The intensity of the reaction points to the volatile atmosphere in Jerusalem concerning the observance of the Law and the purity of the Temple. The Jews from Asia were likely familiar with the controversy surrounding Paul's Gentile converts and his teachings about freedom from the Mosaic Law for salvation. Their cry of "help!" (boētheite) is a plea for immediate intervention to protect their traditions and their sacred space from perceived contamination. This event foreshadows the prolonged legal battles Paul would face, as his gospel directly challenged the established religious order and the understanding of covenant in Judaism. It illustrates the strong resistance faced by the early church as it expanded its message beyond its Jewish origins.

Acts 21 27 Commentary

The accusation here is a potent mixture of misunderstanding and intentional misrepresentation, rooted in a deep-seated anxiety about the preservation of Jewish identity and religious purity in a changing world. Paul's ministry emphasized inclusion in Christ, breaking down the traditional separation between Jew and Gentile. While Paul was careful to observe Jewish customs himself, as demonstrated in the preceding verses by undertaking the Nazirite vow, his broader mission and teachings were perceived by many Jews as an attack on their distinctiveness.

The charge that Paul taught against "the people, the law, and this place" encapsulates their core concerns. They believed he undermined their covenant identity (the people), violated their sacred statutes (the law), and desecrated their holy sanctuary (the place). This outrage, fueled by religious zeal and nationalistic sentiment, was sufficient to provoke the violent reaction that followed, culminating in his arrest. The seven days of purification would have provided a public platform for Paul, ironically becoming the very occasion for his accusation. This highlights the tragic irony of religious contention, where acts intended to foster understanding could be twisted into accusations of betrayal.