Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible
THE MESSAGE
Acts 21:23
This verse is not available in the MSG!
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have made a vow.
Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have made a vow.
King James Version (1611)
Doe therefore this that we say to thee: Wee haue foure men which haue a vow on them,
Doe therefore this that we say to thee: Wee haue foure men which haue a vow on them,
King James Version
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
English Standard Version
Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
New American Standard Bible
"Therefore, do as we tell you: we have four men who have a vow upon themselves;
"Therefore, do as we tell you: we have four men who have a vow upon themselves;
New Century Version
So we will tell you what to do: Four of our men have made a promise to God.
So we will tell you what to do: Four of our men have made a promise to God.
Amplified Bible
"Therefore do just what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow;
"Therefore do just what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
"Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore do what we advise you. There are four men with us who have taken a vow.
Therefore do what we advise you. There are four men with us who have taken a vow.
Contemporary English Version
Please do what we ask, because four of our men have made special promises to God.
Please do what we ask, because four of our men have made special promises to God.
Complete Jewish Bible
So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow.
So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow.
Darby Translation
This do therefore that we say to thee: We have four men who have a vow on them;
This do therefore that we say to thee: We have four men who have a vow on them;
Easy-to-Read Version
So we will tell you what to do: Four of our men have made a vow to God.
So we will tell you what to do: Four of our men have made a vow to God.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Doe therefore this that we say to thee. We haue foure men, which haue made a vowe,
Doe therefore this that we say to thee. We haue foure men, which haue made a vowe,
George Lamsa Translation
Do, therefore, what we tell you: We have four men who have vowed to purify themselves;
Do, therefore, what we tell you: We have four men who have vowed to purify themselves;
Good News Translation
This is what we want you to do. There are four men here who have taken a vow.
This is what we want you to do. There are four men here who have taken a vow.
Lexham English Bible
Therefore do this that we tell you: we have four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.
Therefore do this that we tell you: we have four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.
Literal Translation
Then do this, what we say to you: There are four men who have a vow on themselves;
Then do this, what we say to you: There are four men who have a vow on themselves;
American Standard Version
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow on them;
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow on them;
Bible in Basic English
Do this, then, which we say to you: We have four men who have taken an oath;
Do this, then, which we say to you: We have four men who have taken an oath;
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have a vow on them.
Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have a vow on them.
International Standard Version
So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow.
So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow.
Etheridge Translation
We have four men who have a vow to be purified.
We have four men who have a vow to be purified.
Murdock Translation
do thou what we tell thee. We have four men, who have vowed to purify themselves.
do thou what we tell thee. We have four men, who have vowed to purify themselves.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Do therfore this that we saye to thee. We haue foure men, which haue a vow on them:
Do therfore this that we saye to thee. We haue foure men, which haue a vow on them:
English Revised Version
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
World English Bible
Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have a vow on them.
Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have a vow on them.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Therefore do this that we say to thee: there are with us four men, who have a vow on them:
Therefore do this that we say to thee: there are with us four men, who have a vow on them:
Weymouth's New Testament
so do this which we now tell you. We have four men here who have a vow resting on them.
so do this which we now tell you. We have four men here who have a vow resting on them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor do thou this thing, that we seien to thee. Ther ben to vs foure men, that han a vow on hem.
Therfor do thou this thing, that we seien to thee. Ther ben to vs foure men, that han a vow on hem.
Update Bible Version
Do therefore this that we say to you: We have four men that have a vow on them;
Do therefore this that we say to you: We have four men that have a vow on them;
Webster's Bible Translation
Do therefore this that we say to thee: we have four men who have a vow on them;
Do therefore this that we say to thee: we have four men who have a vow on them;
New English Translation
So do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow;
So do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow;
New King James Version
Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.
Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.
New Living Translation
"Here's what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow.
"Here's what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow.
New Life Bible
You must do what we tell you. We have four men with us who have made a promise to God.
You must do what we tell you. We have four men with us who have made a promise to God.
New Revised Standard
So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow.
So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
This, then, do, which unto thee, we say: - We have four men who have a vow upon themselves.
This, then, do, which unto thee, we say: - We have four men who have a vow upon themselves.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Do therefore this that we say to thee. We have four men, who have a vow on them.
Do therefore this that we say to thee. We have four men, who have a vow on them.
Revised Standard Version
Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Do therfore this that we saye to the. We have .iiii. men which have a vowe on them.
Do therfore this that we saye to the. We have .iiii. men which have a vowe on them.
Young's Literal Translation
`This, therefore, do that we say to thee: We have four men having a vow on themselves,
`This, therefore, do that we say to thee: We have four men having a vow on themselves,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Do this therfore that we saye vnto the: We haue foure men, which haue a vowe on them,
Do this therfore that we saye vnto the: We haue foure men, which haue a vowe on them,
Mace New Testament (1729)
yield then to our advice: there are four men here, who have made a vow:
yield then to our advice: there are four men here, who have made a vow:
Simplified Cowboy Version
But listen to our plan and see if you like it. There are four men here who have completed a vow they made and now need to go get purified at the main church by getting their heads shaved. But these men don't have the money for it.
But listen to our plan and see if you like it. There are four men here who have completed a vow they made and now need to go get purified at the main church by getting their heads shaved. But these men don't have the money for it.
Contextual Overview
15It wasn't long before we had our luggage together and were on our way to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and took us to the home of Mnason, who received us warmly as his guests. A native of Cyprus, he had been among the earliest disciples. 17In Jerusalem, our friends, glad to see us, received us with open arms. The first thing next morning, we took Paul to see James. All the church leaders were there. After a time of greeting and small talk, Paul told the story, detail by detail, of what God had done among the non-Jewish people through his ministry. They listened with delight and gave God the glory. 20They had a story to tell, too: "And just look at what's been happening here—thousands upon thousands of God-fearing Jews have become believers in Jesus! But there's also a problem because they are more zealous than ever in observing the laws of Moses. They've been told that you advise believing Jews who live surrounded by unbelieving outsiders to go light on Moses, telling them that they don't need to circumcise their children or keep up the old traditions. This isn't sitting at all well with them. 22"We're worried about what will happen when they discover you're in town. There's bound to be trouble. So here is what we want you to do: There are four men from our company who have taken a vow involving ritual purification, but have no money to pay the expenses. Join these men in their vows and pay their expenses. Then it will become obvious to everyone that there is nothing to the rumors going around about you and that you are in fact scrupulous in your reverence for the laws of Moses. 25 "In asking you to do this, we're not going back on our agreement regarding non-Jews who have become believers. We continue to hold fast to what we wrote in that letter, namely, to be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; to avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians; to guard the morality of sex and marriage." 26 So Paul did it—took the men, joined them in their vows, and paid their way. The next day he went to the Temple to make it official and stay there until the proper sacrifices had been offered and completed for each of them.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
We have: Acts 18:18, Numbers 6:2-7
Reciprocal: Numbers 6:9 - shave
Cross-References
Genesis 20:14
Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and along with her sent sheep and cattle and servants, both male and female. He said, "My land is open to you; live wherever you wish."
Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and along with her sent sheep and cattle and servants, both male and female. He said, "My land is open to you; live wherever you wish."
Genesis 21:22
At about that same time, Abimelech and the captain of his troops, Phicol, spoke to Abraham: "No matter what you do, God is on your side. So swear to me that you won't do anything underhanded to me or any of my family. For as long as you live here, swear that you'll treat me and my land as well as I've treated you."
At about that same time, Abimelech and the captain of his troops, Phicol, spoke to Abraham: "No matter what you do, God is on your side. So swear to me that you won't do anything underhanded to me or any of my family. For as long as you live here, swear that you'll treat me and my land as well as I've treated you."
Genesis 26:28
They said, "We've realized that God is on your side. We'd like to make a deal between us—a covenant that we maintain friendly relations. We haven't bothered you in the past; we treated you kindly and let you leave us in peace. So— God 's blessing be with you!"
They said, "We've realized that God is on your side. We'd like to make a deal between us—a covenant that we maintain friendly relations. We haven't bothered you in the past; we treated you kindly and let you leave us in peace. So— God 's blessing be with you!"
Deuteronomy 6:13
Deeply respect God , your God. Serve and worship him exclusively. Back up your promises with his name only. Don't fool around with other gods, the gods of your neighbors, because God , your God, who is alive among you is a jealous God. Don't provoke him, igniting his hot anger that would burn you right off the face of the Earth. Don't push God , your God, to the wall as you did that day at Massah, the Testing-Place. Carefully keep the commands of God , your God, all the requirements and regulations he gave you. Do what is right; do what is good in God 's sight so you'll live a good life and be able to march in and take this pleasant land that God so solemnly promised through your ancestors, throwing out your enemies left and right—exactly as God said.
Deeply respect God , your God. Serve and worship him exclusively. Back up your promises with his name only. Don't fool around with other gods, the gods of your neighbors, because God , your God, who is alive among you is a jealous God. Don't provoke him, igniting his hot anger that would burn you right off the face of the Earth. Don't push God , your God, to the wall as you did that day at Massah, the Testing-Place. Carefully keep the commands of God , your God, all the requirements and regulations he gave you. Do what is right; do what is good in God 's sight so you'll live a good life and be able to march in and take this pleasant land that God so solemnly promised through your ancestors, throwing out your enemies left and right—exactly as God said.
Joshua 2:12
"Now promise me by God . I showed you mercy; now show my family mercy. And give me some tangible proof, a guarantee of life for my father and mother, my brothers and sisters—everyone connected with my family. Save our souls from death!"
"Now promise me by God . I showed you mercy; now show my family mercy. And give me some tangible proof, a guarantee of life for my father and mother, my brothers and sisters—everyone connected with my family. Save our souls from death!"
1 Samuel 20:42
Jonathan said, "Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in God 's name, saying, ‘ God will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!'"
Jonathan said, "Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in God 's name, saying, ‘ God will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!'"
1 Samuel 30:15
David asked him, "Can you take us to the raiders?" "Promise me by God," he said, "that you won't kill me or turn me over to my old master, and I'll take you straight to the raiders."
David asked him, "Can you take us to the raiders?" "Promise me by God," he said, "that you won't kill me or turn me over to my old master, and I'll take you straight to the raiders."
2 Corinthians 1:23
Now, are you ready for the real reason I didn't visit you in Corinth? As God is my witness, the only reason I didn't come was to spare you pain. I was being considerate of you, not indifferent, not manipulative.
Now, are you ready for the real reason I didn't visit you in Corinth? As God is my witness, the only reason I didn't come was to spare you pain. I was being considerate of you, not indifferent, not manipulative.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Do therefore this that we say to thee,.... This is said not as commanding, but as advising; and not to what was a duty, and necessary to be done as such, but as a point of prudence:
we have four men which have a vow on them; that is, there were four men who were of the church at Jerusalem, believers in Christ, but weak ones, who were zealous of the law, and bigots to it, and who had voluntarily vowed a vow of the Nazarites; see Numbers 6:2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
We have four men - There are with us four men. It is evident that James and the elders meant to say that these men were connected with them in the Christian church; and the fact shows that the Christians at Jerusalem did not disregard the institutions of Moses, and had not been so far enlightened in the doctrines of Christianity as to forsake yet the ceremonial rites of the Jews.
Which have a vow on them - Which have made a vow. See the notes on Acts 18:18. From the mention of shaving the head (in Acts 21:24), it is evident that the vow which they had taken was that of the Nazarite; and that as the time of their vow was about expiring, they were about to be shaven, in accordance with the custom usual on such occasions. See the notes on Acts 18:18. These persons Paul could join, and thus show decisively that he did not intend to undervalue or disparage the laws of Moses when those laws were understood as mere ceremonial observances.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Acts 21:23. We have four men which have a vow — From the shaving of the head, mentioned immediately after, it is evident that the four men in question were under the vow of Nazariteship; and that the days of their vow were nearly at an end, as they were about to shave their heads; for, during the time of the Nazariteship, the hair was permitted to grow, and only shaven off at the termination of the vow. Among the Jews, it was common to make vows to God on extraordinary occasions; and that of the Nazarite appears to have been one of the most common; and it was permitted by their law for any person to perform this vow by proxy. See the law produced in my note, Numbers 6:21. "It was also customary for the richer sort to bestow their charity on the poorer sort for this purpose; for Josephus, Ant. lib. xix. cap. 6, sec. 1, observes that Agrippa, on his being advanced from a prison to a throne, by the Emperor Claudius, came to Jerusalem; and there, among other instances of his religious thankfulness shown in the temple, Ναζαραιων ξυρασθαι διεταξε μαλα συχνους, he ordered very many Nazarites to be shaven, he furnishing them with money for the expenses of that, and of the sacrifices necessarily attending it." See Bp. Pearce.
