the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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King James Version
Acts 21:37
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- CondensedParallel Translations
As Paul was about to be taken inside the garrison, he asked the commander, "May I talk to you for a second?""You can talk Greek?" the commander asked in surprise.
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I say something to you?" And he *said, "Do you know Greek?
And when Paul was about to be taken into the building, he said to the chief captain, May I say something to you? And he said, Have you a knowledge of Greek?
But as he was about to be led into the fortress, Paul says to the chiliarch, Is it allowed me to say something to thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?
Acts 9:1-19; 26:12-18">[xr] Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I speak to you?" He replied, "Can you speak Greek?
As he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "Am I allowed to say something to you?" He replied, "Do you know Greek?
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, "May I say something to you?" He said, "Do you know Greek?
And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to thee?
When he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the Tribune, "May I speak to you?" "Do you know Greek?" the Tribune asked.
And as Paul was to bee led into the castle, hee saide vnto the chiefe captaine, May I speake vnto thee? Who saide, Canst thou speake Greeke?
But being about to be brought into the fortress, Paul said to the chiliarch, Is it lawful for me to say a thing to you? And he said, Do you know to speak in Greek?
Whan Paul was now to be caried in to the castell, he sayde vnto ye captayne: Maye I speake vnto the? He sayde: Canst thou Greke?
just as he was entring into the castle, Paul said to the officer, may I be favour'd with a word? you can speak Greek then, said he?
When they got to the barracks and were about to go in, Paul said to the captain, "Can I say something to you?" He answered, "Oh, I didn't know you spoke Greek. I thought you were the Egyptian who not long ago started a riot here, and then hid out in the desert with his four thousand thugs."
Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commander, "May I say something to you?" And the man replied, "Do you know Greek?
And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?
And as Paul shuld have bene caryed into the castle he sayde vnto the hye Captayne: maye I speake vnto the? Which sayde: canst thou speake Greke?
And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he says to the colonel, May I say something to you? And he said, Do you know Greek?
And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
And Paul being about to be led into the castle, saith to the chief captain, `Is it permitted to me to say anything unto thee?' and he said, `Greek dost thou know?
As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the army building, he spoke to the commander, "May I say something to you?" The commander said, "Do you speak Greek?
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commanding officer, "May I say something to you?" The officer replied, "Do you know Greek?
As they were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, "May I say something to you?" "Do you speak Greek?" he replied.
When Paul was about to be taken into the fortress, he asked the commander, "Can I say something to you?" "How do you know Greek?" the commander asked.
As Sha'ul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, "Is it all right if I say something to you?" The commander said, "You know Greek!
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?
And as Paul should haue bene led into the castell, he sayd vnto the chiefe Captaine, May I speake vnto thee? Who sayd, Canst thou speake Greeke?
And as Paul was about to be led into headquarters, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to you? The captain said, Can you speak Greek?
As Sha'ul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, "May I say something to you?" He said, "Do you know Yevanit?
Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" He asked, "Do you know Greek?
And as they came to enter into the fortress, Paulos himself said to the tribune, May I be permitted to speak to the people ?
And when he came near to entering the castle, Paul said to the Chiliarch: Wilt thou permit me to speak with thee? And he said to him: Dost thou know Greek?
As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, "May I have a word with you?" "Do you know Greek?" the commander asked, surprised.
Paul was brought into the soldiers' building. He said to the captain, "May I say something to you?" The captain said, "Can you speak the Greek language?
And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?
Just as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" The tribune replied, "Do you know Greek?
But, when he was on the point of being taken into the castle, Paul saith unto the captain - Is it allowed me, to say somewhat unto thee? And he said - With Greek, art thou acquainted?
And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith to the tribune: May I speak something to thee? Who said: Canst thou speak Greek?
And as he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the military tribune, "Is it permitted for me to say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?
And when Paul began to be caryed into the castle, he saide vnto the hye captaine: May I speake vnto thee? Who sayde: Canst thou speake Greke?
When the soldiers were ready to take Paul into the army building, he asked the commander, "Can I say something to you?" The commander said, "Oh, you speak Greek?
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?
As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the fort, he spoke to the commander: "May I say something to you?" "You speak Greek, do you?" the commander asked.
And whanne Poul bigan to be led in to the castels, he seide to the tribune, Whether it is leueful `to me, to speke ony thing to thee?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Acts 21:19, Acts 19:30, Matthew 10:18-20, Luke 21:15
Reciprocal: John 18:12 - the captain John 19:20 - and Greek Acts 21:34 - into Acts 21:39 - suffer 2 Corinthians 6:9 - unknown
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And as Paul was to be led into the castle,.... Just as he was got up to the top of the steps, or stairs, that led up to the castle, and was about to go into the door of it:
he said unto the chief captain, may I speak unto thee? the apostle was one that had had a good education, and was a man of address, and this his modest and respectful way of speaking to the chief captain shows; and the question he put to him, was in the Greek language: hence it follows,
who said to him, canst thou speak Greek? or "dost thou know the Hellenistic language?" which the Jews who were born and lived in Greece spoke; hence such were called Hellenists; see Acts 6:1 of this language we read in the Talmud h;
"R. Levi bar Chajethah went to Caesarea, and heard them reading "Shema", (hear O Israel), c. Deuteronomy 6:4
אלוניסתין in the Hellenistic language he sought to hinder them; R. Rose heard of it, and was angry; and said, he that knows not to read in the Hebrew language, must he not read at all? yea, he may read in whatsoever language he understands.''
The nearest to this language spoken by the Jews dispersed in Greece, must be the Greek language, in which Jews have written; as the books of the Old Testament translated by the "seventy" interpreters, who were Jews; and indeed it was this Bible which the Jews called Hellenists made use of; and the writings of Josephus, and Philo the Jew of Alexandria, and even the books of the New Testament, which are written by Jews; and Paul being a Jew of Tarsus, and so an Hellenist, could speak this language; as he did, when he disputed against the Hellenists, in Acts 9:29. This the chief captain said, either as wondering to hear him speak Greek, when he thought he had been a Jerusalem Jew, or rather an Egyptian, as in the next verse; or it may be he put this question to him, as choosing rather that he should speak in Greek, it being the language he might best understand himself, and was the least known to the people, who he might not care should hear what he had to say; since if he took him for the Egyptian, the Greek tongue was what was chiefly spoken by such.
h T. Hieros. Sota, fol. 21. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
May I speak unto thee? - May I have the privilege of making my defense before thee; or of stating the case truly; the cause of my accusation; of this tumult, etc.
Canst thou speak Greek? - Implying that if he could, he might be permitted to speak to him. The Greek language was what was then almost universally spoken, and it is not improbable that it was the native tongue of the chief captain. It is evident that he was not a Roman by birth, for he says Acts 22:28 that he had obtained the privilege of citizenship by paying a great sum. The language which the Jews spoke was the Syro-Chaldaic; and as he took Paul to be an Egyptian Jew Acts 21:38, he supposed, from that circumstance also, that he was not able to speak the Greek language.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 37. Canst thou speak Greek? — Claudius Lysias was not a Roman; he had, as himself informs us, purchased his citizenship of Rome with a great sum of money; (see Acts 22:28;) and it is very likely that he was but imperfectly acquainted with the Latin tongue; and the tumult that was now made, and the discordant noise, prevented him from clearly apprehending what was said; and, as he wished to know the merit of the cause, he accosted Paul with, ἙλληνιϚι γινωσκεις, Dost thou understand Greek? And when he found that he did understand it, he proceeded to question him as below.
