The Meaning of Acts 21:31 Explained

Acts 21:31

KJV: And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

YLT: and they seeking to kill him, a rumour came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem hath been thrown into confusion,

Darby: And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult;

ASV: And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  as they went about  to kill  him,  tidings  came  unto the chief captain  of the band,  that  all  Jerusalem  was in an uproar. 

What does Acts 21:31 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 21:27-40 - Facing A Bigoted Mob
Four days passed and there seemed a hope that, as the number of pilgrims grew less, Paul might escape recognition till his vow was fulfilled. In fulfilling it he was required to live with four paupers in a chamber of the Temple, to pay for sixteen sacrificial animals and the accompanying meat offerings on their behalf, and to stand with them while the priest offered lambs and rams on their behalf.
But as the ceremonies were approaching completion, he was recognized by Jews from Ephesus and other cities of Asia-perhaps Alexander the coppersmith was one of them-and a cry of hatred and horror was raised. They had seen the Ephesian Trophimus walking with him in the streets of Jerusalem, and supposed that Paul had taken him into the holy precincts. The punishment for that crime was death. They therefore seized him and forced him through the Beautiful Gate and down the fifteen steps, that they might kill him outside the Temple. This outburst attracted the notice of the Roman garrison in the neighboring Castle of Antonia, and Lysias with his soldiers forced his way through the throng, rescued Paul from his would-be murderers, and bore him beyond their reach. God had other work for the Apostle yet to do. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 21

1  Paul calls at the house of Philip, whose daughters prophesy
10  Agabus, foretelling what should befall him at Jerusalem,
13  he will not be dissuaded from going thither
17  He comes to Jerusalem;
27  where he is apprehended, and in great danger, but by the chief captain is rescued;
37  and requests, and is permitted to speak to the people

Greek Commentary for Acts 21:31

As they were seeking to kill him [ζητουντων αυτων]
Genitive absolute of ζητεω — zēteō to seek, without αυτων — autōn (they). This was their real purpose. [source]
Tidings [πασις]
From παινω — phainō to show. Old word for the work of informers and then the exposure of secret crime. In lxx. Here only in the N.T. Came up (ανεβη — anebē). Naturally in the wild uproar. The Roman guard during festivals was kept stationed in the Tower of Antonia at the northwest corner of the temple overlooking the temple and connected by stairs (Acts 21:35). To the chief captain Commander of a thousand men or cohort (Mark 15:16). His name was Claudius Lysias. Of the band (της σπειρης — tēs speirēs). Each legion had six tribunes and so each tribune (chiliarch) had a thousand if the cohort had its full quota. See note on Acts 10:1; and note on Acts 27:1. The word is the Latin spira (anything rolled up). Note the genitive σπειρης — speirēs instead of σπειρας — speiras (Attic). Was in confusion Present passive indicative of συνχυννω — sunchunnō (see Acts 21:27, συνεχεον — sunecheon). This is what the conspirators had desired. [source]
Came up [ανεβη]
Naturally in the wild uproar. The Roman guard during festivals was kept stationed in the Tower of Antonia at the northwest corner of the temple overlooking the temple and connected by stairs (Acts 21:35). [source]
To the chief captain [τωι χιλιαρχωι]
Commander of a thousand men or cohort (Mark 15:16). His name was Claudius Lysias. Of the band (της σπειρης — tēs speirēs). Each legion had six tribunes and so each tribune (chiliarch) had a thousand if the cohort had its full quota. See note on Acts 10:1; and note on Acts 27:1. The word is the Latin spira (anything rolled up). Note the genitive σπειρης — speirēs instead of σπειρας — speiras (Attic). Was in confusion Present passive indicative of συνχυννω — sunchunnō (see Acts 21:27, συνεχεον — sunecheon). This is what the conspirators had desired. [source]
Of the band [της σπειρης]
Each legion had six tribunes and so each tribune (chiliarch) had a thousand if the cohort had its full quota. See note on Acts 10:1; and note on Acts 27:1. The word is the Latin spira (anything rolled up). Note the genitive σπειρης — speirēs instead of σπειρας — speiras (Attic). [source]
Was in confusion [συνχυννεται]
Present passive indicative of συνχυννω — sunchunnō (see Acts 21:27, συνεχεον — sunecheon). This is what the conspirators had desired. [source]
Chief captain [χιλιάρχῳ]
A commander of a thousand men. See on Mark 6:21; and on centurion, Luke 7:2. [source]
Band [σπείρης]
Or cohort. See on Mark 15:16. These troops were quartered in the tower of Antonia, which was at the northwestern corner of the temple-area, and communicated with the temple-cloisters by staircases. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 21:31

John 18:3 A band [τὴν σπεῖραν]
Properly, the band. See on Mark 15:16; also see on centurion, Luke 7:2; and see on Acts 21:31. The band, or cohort, was from the Roman garrison in the tower of Antonia. [source]
John 18:12 The chief captain [ο χιλιαρχος]
They actually had the Roman commander of the cohort along (cf. Acts 21:31), not mentioned before. Seized Second aorist active of συλλαμβανω — sullambanō old verb to grasp together, to arrest (technical word) in the Synoptics in this context (Mark 14:48; Matthew 26:55), here alone in John. Bound First aorist active indicative of δεω — deō to bind. As a matter of course, with the hands behind his back, but with no warrant in law and with no charge against him. To Annas first Ex-high priest and father-in-law Genitive of time. [source]
Acts 2:6 Were confounded [συνεχύθη]
Lit., was poured together; so that confound (Latin, confundere ) is the most literal rendering possible. Used only by Luke and in the Acts. Compare Acts 19:32; Acts 21:31. [source]
Acts 2:6 Were confounded [συνεχυτη]
First aorist passive indicative of συνχεω — suncheō or συνχυνω — sunchunō to pour together precisely like the Latin confundo, to confound. The Vulgate has it mente confusa esto4. It is an old verb, but in the N.T. only in Acts five times (Acts 2:6; Acts 9:22; Acts 19:32; Acts 21:27, Acts 21:31). In his own language (τηι ιδιαι διαλεκτωι — tēi idiāi dialektōi). Locative case. Each one could understand his own language when he heard that. Every one that came heard somebody speaking in his native tongue. [source]
Acts 21:27 When they saw him in the temple [τεασαμενοι αυτον εν τωι ιερωι]
First aorist middle participle of τεαομαι — theaomai (from τεα — thea a view, cf. theatre) to behold. In the very act of honouring the temple these Jews from Asia raise a hue and cry that he is dishonouring it. Paul was not known by face now to many of the Jerusalem Jews, though once the leader of the persecution after the death of Stephen and the outstanding young Jew of the day. But the Jews in Ephesus knew him only too well, some of whom are here at the pentecostal feast. They had plotted against him in Ephesus to no purpose (Acts 19:23-41; Acts 20:19), but now a new opportunity had come. It is possible that the cry was led by Alexander put forward by the Jews in Ephesus (Acts 19:33) who may be the same as Alexander the coppersmith who did Paul so much harm (2 Timothy 4:14). Paul was not in the inner sanctuary Stirred up all the multitude (συνεχεον παντα τον οχλον — sunecheon panta ton ochlon). Imperfect (kept on) active of συνχεω — suncheō or συνχυνω — sunchunō (υννω — ̇unnō), to pour together, to confuse as in Acts 2:6; Acts 9:22; Acts 19:31, Acts 19:32; Acts 21:31 and here to stir up by the same sort of confusion created by Demetrius in Ephesus where the same word is used twice (Acts 19:31, Acts 19:32). The Jews from Ephesus had learned it from Demetrius the silversmith. Laid hands on him Second aorist (ingressive, with endings of the first aorist, αν — ̇an) active indicative of επιβαλλω — epiballō old verb to lay upon, to attack (note repetition of επι — epi). They attacked and seized Paul before the charge was made. [source]
Acts 21:32 He took [παραλαβων]
See Acts 21:24, Acts 21:26.Centurions (εκατονταρχας — hekatontarchas). See note on Luke 7:2 for discussion. Plural shows that Lysias the chiliarch took several hundred soldiers along (a centurion with each hundred). Ran down Effective second aorist active indicative of katatrechō From the tower of Antonia, vivid scene. And they (κατεδραμεν — hoi de). Demonstrative use of κατατρεχω — hoi The Jewish mob who had begun the work of killing Paul (Acts 21:31). Left off beating Paul The participle with οι — pauomai describes what they were already doing, the supplementary participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1121). They stopped before the job was over because of the sudden onset of the Roman soldiers. Some ten years before in a riot at the passover the Roman guard marched down and in the panic several hundred were trampled to death. [source]
Acts 21:32 Ran down [katedramen)]
Effective second aorist active indicative of katatrechō From the tower of Antonia, vivid scene. And they (κατεδραμεν — hoi de). Demonstrative use of κατατρεχω — hoi The Jewish mob who had begun the work of killing Paul (Acts 21:31). Left off beating Paul The participle with οι — pauomai describes what they were already doing, the supplementary participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1121). They stopped before the job was over because of the sudden onset of the Roman soldiers. Some ten years before in a riot at the passover the Roman guard marched down and in the panic several hundred were trampled to death. [source]
Acts 21:32 And they [κατεδραμεν]
Demonstrative use of κατατρεχω — hoi The Jewish mob who had begun the work of killing Paul (Acts 21:31). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 21:31 mean?

Of them seeking then him to kill there came a report to the commander of the cohort that all was in an uproar Jerusalem
Ζητούντων τε αὐτὸν ἀποκτεῖναι ἀνέβη φάσις τῷ χιλιάρχῳ τῆς σπείρης ὅτι ὅλη συνχύννεται Ἰερουσαλήμ

Ζητούντων  Of  them  seeking 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ζητέω  
Sense: to seek in order to find.
ἀποκτεῖναι  to  kill 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀποκτείνω 
Sense: to kill in any way whatever.
ἀνέβη  there  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀναβαίνω  
Sense: ascend.
φάσις  a  report 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: φάσις  
Sense: in the Attic orators, the exposure of (informing against) those who have embezzled the property of the state, or violated the laws respecting the importation or exporting of merchandise, or defrauded their wards.
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
χιλιάρχῳ  commander 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: χιλίαρχος  
Sense: a chiliarch, the commander of a thousand soldiers.
τῆς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σπείρης  cohort 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: σπεῖρα  
Sense: anything rolled into a circle or ball, anything wound, rolled up, folded together.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
συνχύννεται  was  in  an  uproar 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: συγχέω 
Sense: to pour together, commingle.
Ἰερουσαλήμ  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰερουσαλήμ  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.