Acts 21:14

Mace New Testament

he being then inflexible, we desisted, saying, the will of the Lord be done.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
When it was clear Paul wouldn't change his mind, we gave in and said, "The Lord do with you as he will."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done!"

Legacy Standard Bible
And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying, "The will of the Lord be done!"

Bible in Basic English
And as he might not be moved we did no more, saying, Let the purpose of God be done.

Darby Translation
And when he would not be persuaded, we were silent, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

New King James Version
So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

Christian Standard Bible®
Since he would not be persuaded, we stopped talking and simply said, "The Lord's will be done!"

World English Bible
When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The Lord's will be done."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Weymouth's New Testament
So when he was not to be dissuaded, we ceased remonstrating with him and said, "The Lord's will be done!"

King James Version (1611)
And when he would not bee perswaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Literal Translation
And he not being persuaded, we were silent, saying, The will of the Lord be done .

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But wha he wolde not be persuaded, we ceassed, and sayde: The will of the LORDE be fulfylled.

THE MESSAGE
We saw that we weren't making even a dent in his resolve, and gave up. "It's in God's hands now," we said. "Master, you handle it."

Amplified Bible
And since he would not be dissuaded, we stopped pleading and fell silent, saying, "The Lord's will be done!"

American Standard Version
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Revised Standard Version
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "The will of the Lord be done."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When we coulde not turne his mynde we ceased sayinge: the will of ye Lorde be fulfilled.

Update Bible Version
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Young's Literal Translation
and he not being persuaded, we were silent, saying, `The will of the Lord be done.'

New Century Version
We could not persuade him to stay away from Jerusalem. So we stopped begging him and said, "We pray that what the Lord wants will be done."

New English Translation
Because he could not be persuaded, we said no more except, "The Lord's will be done."

Berean Standard Bible
When he would not be dissuaded, we fell silent and said, "The Lord's will be done."

Contemporary English Version
Since we could not get Paul to change his mind, we gave up and prayed, "Lord, please make us willing to do what you want."

Complete Jewish Bible
And when he would not be convinced, we said, "May the Lord's will be done," and kept quiet.

English Standard Version
And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."

Geneva Bible (1587)
So when he would not be perswaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

George Lamsa Translation
And when he would not listen to us, we ceased, saying, Let the will of our LORD be done.

Hebrew Names Version
When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The Lord's will be done."

International Standard Version
When he could not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, "May the Lord's will be done."Matthew 6:10; 26:42; Luke 11:2; 22:42;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And when he would not be persuaded by us, we desisted, and said, The will of our Lord be done.

Murdock Translation
And as he was not to be persuaded by us, we desisted; and we said: Let the pleasure of our Lord take place.

New Living Translation
When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."

New Life Bible
Paul would not listen to us. So we stopped begging him and said, "May whatever God wants be done."

English Revised Version
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

New Revised Standard
Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, "The Lord's will be done."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, as he was not to be persuaded, we ceased, saying - the Lord's, will be done!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when we could not persuade him, we ceased, saying: The will of the Lord be done.

King James Version
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Lexham English Bible
And because he would not be persuaded, we remained silent, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when we coulde not turne his mynde, we ceassed, saying: the wyll of the Lorde be fulfylled.

Easy-to-Read Version
We could not persuade him to stay away from Jerusalem. So we stopped begging him and said, "We pray that what the Lord wants will be done."

New American Standard Bible
And since he would not be persuaded, we became quiet, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done!"

Good News Translation
We could not convince him, so we gave up and said, "May the Lord's will be done."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne we myyten not counseile hym, we weren stille, and seiden, The wille of the Lord be don.

Contextual Overview

⁸ on the morrow we set out, and arriv'd at Cesarea, and went to the house of Philip the evangelist, with whom we lodg'd: ⁹ he was one of the seven deacons, and had four daughters all virgins, prophetesses. ¹⁰ after we had been there several days, a prophet arriv'd from Judea, one Agabus, who made us a visit. ¹¹ when taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "thus saith the holy spirit, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man, that owns this girdle, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." ¹² upon hearing this, we and some of the city intreated him not to go to Jerusalem. ¹³ but Paul replied, what do you mean by afflicting me thus with your tears? I am not only ready to meet my chains, but even to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁴ he being then inflexible, we desisted, saying, the will of the Lord be done.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

The will: Genesis 43:14, 1 Samuel 3:18, 2 Samuel 15:25, 2 Samuel 15:26, 2 Kings 20:19, Matthew 6:10, Matthew 26:39, Matthew 26:42, Luke 11:2, Luke 22:42

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:11 - If it must be Ruth 1:18 - When Acts 18:20 - he Acts 18:21 - if God Romans 1:10 - by the will 1 Peter 3:17 - if

Cross-References

John 8:35
a slave has no right to be in the house for life: but the son is settled there.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he would not be persuaded,.... But was determined to go to Jerusalem at all events:

we ceased; both from tears and arguments:

saying, the will of the Lord be done; which was right, and to which they ought to have submitted, and acquiesced in at first, without using any arguments to have dissuaded the apostle from going to Jerusalem; since they might have concluded from Agabus's prophecy, that it was the will of the Lord he should go thither, and be bound; and the revelation was made to him, not to deter him from it, and to take methods for his own safety, which his friends would have put him upon, but to acquaint him with the will of God, and make him still more certain of it, and to prepare for it, and this effect it had upon him. This will of the Lord, is not the will of the Lord revealed in his word, either respecting the salvation, sanctification, and final perseverance of the saints, which is always accomplished; "for who hath resisted his will", or can resist it, so as to frustrate his designs, or hinder these things taking place? or the duty which is to be performed by them, the good, perfect, and acceptable will of God, which every gracious soul desires may be perfectly done, even as it is done in heaven: but here the secret will of God relating to the events of providence is designed, and which is the rule of all the divine proceedings; and though it is unknown to men, until facts make it appear, it is ever fulfilled, and sometimes by persons who have no regard to the revealed will of God; and should be continually thought of; and everything that is determined, or attempted to be done, should be resolved upon, and undertaken in submission to it; and whilst it is performing should be patiently bore, even in things not so agreeable to the minds and wills of men: it becomes saints to be still and acquiesce in it, when things are not so well with them in spiritual affairs as to be wished for; and when their worldly circumstances are not so thriving and flourishing; yea, though they may be attended with much poverty and meanness, and be reduced to so low a condition as Job was; as also when they part with their near and dear friends and relations by death, and with the ministers of the Gospel, who have been their spiritual fathers, instructors, and comforters; and even when they are called to suffer in the severest manner, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel: not that they are to be indolent, unconcerned, and unaffected, with things of this nature; nor should they neglect the means of having things otherwise with them; but it becomes them to exercise patience, faith, and courage, under every dispensation of providence; as knowing that what is done by the Lord is done well and wisely, and is for the good of them; and when the people of God are helped, to act such a part, they are the most comfortable in themselves, and to all that are about them; such a spirit and disposition is very commendable, and what makes men like to Christ, who in the most disagreeable circumstances submitted his will to his Father's. Beza's ancient copy reads, "the will of God"; and so the Arabic and Ethiopic versions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Would not be persuaded - To remain. He was resolved to go.

We ceased - We ceased remonstrating with him, and urging him to remain.

The will of the Lord be done - They were now assured that it was the will of God that he should go, and they were now ready to submit to that will. This is an instance and an evidence of true piety. It was the expression of a wish that whatever God might judge to be necessary for the advancement of his cause might take place, even though it should be attended with many trials. They commended their friend to the protection of God, confident that whatever should occur would be right. Compare the notes on Matthew 6:10; Matthew 26:42.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 21:14. The will of the Lord be done. — May that which is most for his glory take place! They plainly saw from the prophecy what would take place, if Paul went to Jerusalem; and every one saw that he had power to go, or not to go.