Acts 21:37

Myles Coverdale Bible

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?

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
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?

Geneva Bible (1587)
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?

Christian Standard Bible®
As he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, “Am I allowed to say something to you?”

Hebrew Names Version
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?

Darby Translation
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?

Easy-to-Read Version
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?

Amplified Bible
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?

American Standard Version
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?

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Contemporary English Version
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.

Complete Jewish Bible
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!

International Standard Version
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?

Etheridge Translation
And as they came to enter into the fortress, Paulos himself said to the tribune, May I be permitted to speak to the people ?

Murdock Translation
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?

King James Version (1611)
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?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
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?

English Revised Version
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?

King James Version
And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?

Lexham English Bible
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?

Literal Translation
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?

New Century Version
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?

New English Translation
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?

New King James Version
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?

New Living Translation
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.

New Revised Standard
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?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
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?

Douay-Rheims Bible
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?

George Lamsa Translation
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?

Good News Translation
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
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?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to thee?

Weymouth's New Testament
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
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?

Young's Literal Translation
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?

World English Bible
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?

Revised Standard Version
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?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
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?

Update Bible Version
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?

Bible in Basic English
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?

New American Standard Bible
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?

Mace New Testament (1729)
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?

THE MESSAGE
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."

New Life Bible
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?

Simplified Cowboy Version
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.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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?

Legacy Standard Bible
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?

Contextual Overview

²⁷ But whan the seuen dayes were allmost fulfylled, the Iewes of Asia sawe him in the temple, and moued all the people, layed handes vpon him, ²⁸ and cryed: Ye men of Israel, helpe, this is the man, that teacheth all men euery where agaynst oure people, the lawe, and this place. He hath broughte Grekes also in to the temple, and hath defyled this holy place. ²⁹ For they had sene Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the cite, him they thoughte yt Paul had broughte in to the temple. ³⁰ And all the cite was moued, and the people ranne together. And they toke Paul, and drue him out off the temple, and forth with the dores were shut to. ³¹ But whan they wete aboute to kyll him, tydinges came to the chefe captayne of the company, that all Ierusalem was moued. ³² Which immediatly toke soudyers and captaynes vnto him, and ranne in amoge them. Whan they sawe the captayne and the soudyers, they lefte smytinge of Paul. ³³ Whan the captayne came nye, he toke him, and commaunded him to be bounde with two cheynes, and axed what he was, and what he had done. ³⁴ One cried this, another that amonge the people. But whan he coulde not knowe the certente because of the rumoure, he commaunded him to be caried in to the castell. ³⁵ And wha he came to the steppes, it fortuned that he was borne of ye soudyers because of the violence of the people. ³⁶ For the multitude off the people folowed after, and cryed: Awaye with him.

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.