The Meaning of Acts 21:35 Explained

Acts 21:35

KJV: And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.

YLT: and when he came upon the steps, it happened he was borne by the soldiers, because of the violence of the multitude,

Darby: But when he got upon the stairs it was so that he was borne by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd.

ASV: And when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when  he came  upon  the stairs,  so it was,  that he was borne  of  the soldiers  for  the violence  of the people. 

What does Acts 21:35 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 21:35

Upon the stairs [επι τους αναβατμους]
From ανα — ana up, and βαινω — bainō to go. Late word, in lxx and Koiné{[28928]}š writers. In the N.T. only here and Acts 21:40. [source]
So it was [συνεβη]
Second aorist active of συμβαινω — sumbainō to happen (See note on Acts 20:18) with infinitive clause as subject here as often in the old Greek. He was borne (βασταζεσται αυτον — bastazesthai auton). Accusative of general reference with this subject infinitive, present passive of βασταζω — bastazō to take up with the hands, literally as here. Violence See note on Acts 5:26. Biazō to use force, is from bia f0). [source]
He was borne [βασταζεσται αυτον]
Accusative of general reference with this subject infinitive, present passive of βασταζω — bastazō to take up with the hands, literally as here. [source]
Violence [βιαν]
See note on Acts 5:26. Biazō to use force, is from bia f0). [source]
Stairs []
Leading from the temple-court to the tower. There were two flights, one to the northern and the other to the western cloister, so that the guard could go different ways among the cloisters in order to watch the people at the Jewish festivals. [source]
So it was [συνέβη]
Lit., it happened. The verb means, literally, to come together; hence, of a coincidence of events. It is designedly introduced here to express more vividly the fact of the peculiar emergency and the peril of Paul's situation. Things came to such a pass that he had to be carried up the stairs. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 21:35

Acts 21:18 Went in [εισηιει]
Imperfect active of εισειμι — eiseimi old classic verb used only four times in the N.T. (Acts 3:3; Acts 21:18, Acts 21:26; Hebrews 9:6), a mark of the literary style rather than the colloquial Koiné{[28928]}š use of εισερχομαι — eiserchomai Together with us to James So then Luke is present. The next use of “we” is in Acts 27:1 when they leave Caesarea for Rome, but it is not likely that Luke was away from Paul in Jerusalem and Caesarea. The reports of what was done and said in both places is so full and minute that it seems reasonable that Luke got first hand information here whatever his motive was for so full an account of these legal proceedings to be discussed later. There are many details that read like an eye witness‘s story (Acts 21:30, Acts 21:35, Acts 21:40; Acts 22:2, Acts 22:3; Acts 23:12, etc.). It was probably the house of James And all the elders were present (παντες τε παρεγενοντο οι πρεσβυτεροι — pantes te paregenonto hoi presbuteroi). Clearly James is the leading elder and the others are his guests in a formal reception to Paul. It is noticeable that the apostles are not mentioned, though both elders and apostles are named at the Conference in Acts chapter 15. It would seem that the apostles are away on preaching tours. The whole church was not called together probably because of the known prejudice against Paul created by the Judaizers. [source]
Acts 21:31 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]
Acts 21:31 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]

What do the individual words in Acts 21:35 mean?

When now he came to the stairs it happened that was carried he by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd
ὅτε δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀναβαθμούς συνέβη βαστάζεσθαι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν διὰ τὴν βίαν τοῦ ὄχλου

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἐγένετο  he  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
ἀναβαθμούς  stairs 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀναβαθμός  
Sense: an ascent.
συνέβη  it  happened  that 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: συμβαίνω  
Sense: to walk with the feet near together.
βαστάζεσθαι  was  carried 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: βαστάζω  
Sense: to take up with the hands.
στρατιωτῶν  soldiers 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: στρατιώτης  
Sense: a (common) soldier.
διὰ  because  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
βίαν  violence 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: βία  
Sense: strength, whether of body or mind.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ὄχλου  crowd 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὄχλος  
Sense: a crowd.