KJV: But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
YLT: And Paul said, 'I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, of no mean city a citizen; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.'
Darby: But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, citizen of no insignificant city of Cilicia, and I beseech of thee, allow me to speak to the people.
ASV: But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people.
| Εἶπεν | Said |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to speak, say. |
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| δὲ | however |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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| ὁ | - |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Παῦλος | Paul |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: Παῦλος Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles. |
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| ἄνθρωπος | a man |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἄνθρωπος Sense: a human being, whether male or female. |
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| μέν | indeed |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: μέν Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed. |
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| Ἰουδαῖος | a Jew |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: Ἰουδαῖος Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race. |
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| Ταρσεὺς | of Tarsus |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: Ταρσεύς Sense: belong to Tarsus, a native of Tarsus. |
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| τῆς | - |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Κιλικίας | of Cilicia |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: Κιλικία Sense: a maritime province in the southeast of Asia Minor, boarding on Pamphylia in the west, Lycaonia and Cappadocia in the north and Syria in the east. |
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| οὐκ | not [of an] |
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Parse: Adverb Root: οὐ Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer. |
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| ἀσήμου | insignificant |
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Parse: Adjective, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: ἄσημος Sense: unmarked or unstamped. |
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| πόλεως | city |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: πόλις Sense: a city. |
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| πολίτης | a citizen |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: πολίτης Sense: a citizen. |
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| δέομαι | I implore |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular Root: δέομαι Sense: to want, lack. |
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| δέ | now |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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| ἐπίτρεψόν | allow |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular Root: ἐπιτρέπω Sense: to turn to, transfer, commit, instruct. |
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| μοι | me |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
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| λαλῆσαι | to speak |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active Root: ἀπολαλέω Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound. |
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| λαόν | people |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: λαός Sense: a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language. |
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Greek Commentary for Acts 21:39
In contrast with the wild guess of Lysias Paul uses μεν men and δε de He tells briefly who he is: [source]
Litotes again, “no mean” This same litotes used by Euripides of Athens (Ion 8). But Paul calls himself a citizen First aorist active imperative of επιτρεπω epitrepō old and common verb to turn to, to permit, to allow. It was a strange request and a daring one, to wish to speak to this mob howling for Paul‘s blood. [source]
(Ταρσευς της Κιλικιας Tarseus tēs Kilikias) by country, belonging to Tarsus (this adjective Ταρσευς Tarseus only here and Acts 9:11), and proud of it, one of the great cities of the empire with a great university. [source]
Litotes again, “no mean” This same litotes used by Euripides of Athens (Ion 8). But Paul calls himself a citizen First aorist active imperative of επιτρεπω epitrepō old and common verb to turn to, to permit, to allow. It was a strange request and a daring one, to wish to speak to this mob howling for Paul‘s blood. [source]
First aorist active imperative of επιτρεπω epitrepō old and common verb to turn to, to permit, to allow. It was a strange request and a daring one, to wish to speak to this mob howling for Paul‘s blood. [source]
Lit., without a mark or token ( σῆμα )Hence used of uncoined gold or silver: of oracles which give no intelligible response: of inarticulate voices: of disease without distinctive symptoms. Generally, as here, undistinguished, mean. There is a conscious feeling of patriotism in Paul's expression. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 21:39
A neat Greek idiom difficult to render smoothly into English: “Not after many days these.” The litotes (not many=few) is common in Luke (Luke 7:6; Luke 15:13; Acts 17:27; Acts 19:11; Acts 20:12; Acts 21:39; Acts 28:14; Acts 28:2). The predicate use of ταυτας tautas (without article) is to be noted. “These” really means as a starting point, “from these” (Robertson, Grammar, p. 702). It was ten days hence. This idiom occurs several times in Luke (Luke 24:21; Acts 24:21), as elsewhere (John 4:18; 2 Peter 3:1). In Luke 2:12 the copula is easily supplied as it exists in Luke 1:36; Luke 2:2. [source]
Perfect passive participle of γενναω gennaō See above in Acts 21:39 for the claim of Tarsus as his birth-place. He was a Hellenistic Jew, not an Aramaean Jew (cf. Acts 6:1). Brought up (ανατετραμμενος anatethrammenos). Perfect passive participle again of ανατρεπω anatrephō to nurse up, to nourish up, common old verb, but in the N.T. only here, Acts 7:20., and MSS. in Luke 4:16. The implication is that Paul was sent to Jerusalem while still young, “from my youth” (Acts 26:4), how young we do not know, possibly thirteen or fourteen years old. He apparently had not seen Jesus in the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16). At the feet of Gamaliel The rabbis usually sat on a raised seat with the pupils in a circle around either on lower seats or on the ground. Paul was thus nourished in Pharisaic Judaism as interpreted by Gamaliel, one of the lights of Judaism. For remarks on Gamaliel see chapter Acts 5:34. He was one of the seven Rabbis to whom the Jews gave the highest title αββαν Rabban (our Rabbi). αββι Rabbi (my teacher) was next, the lowest being αβ Rab (teacher). “As Aquinas among the schoolmen was called Doctor Angelicus, and Bonaventura Doctor Seraphicus, so Gamaliel was called the Beauty of the Law ” (Conybeare and Howson). Instructed (πεπαιδευμενος pepaideumenos). Perfect passive participle again (each participle beginning a clause), this time of παιδευω paideuō old verb to train a child (παις pais) as in Acts 7:22 which see. In this sense also in 1 Timothy 1:20; Titus 2:12. Then to chastise as in Luke 23:16, Luke 23:22 (which see); 2 Timothy 2:25; Hebrews 12:6. According to the strict manner Old word, only here in N.T. Mathematical accuracy, minute exactness as seen in the adjective in Acts 26:5. See also Romans 10:2; Galatians 1:4; Philemon 3:4-7. Of our fathers (πατρωιου patrōiou). Old adjective from πατερ pater only here and Acts 24:14 in N.T. Means descending from father to son, especially property and other inherited privileges. Πατρικος Patrikos (patrician) refers more to personal attributes and affiliations. Being zealous for God Not adjective, but substantive zealot (same word used by James of the thousands of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Acts 21:20 which see) with objective genitive του τεου tou theou (for God). See also Acts 21:14; Acts 28:17; 2 Timothy 1:3 where he makes a similar claim. So did Peter (Acts 3:13; Acts 5:30) and Stephen (Acts 7:32). Paul definitely claims, whatever freedom he demanded for Gentile Christians, to be personally “a zealot for God” “even as ye all are this day” In his conciliation he went to the limit and puts himself by the side of the mob in their zeal for the law, mistaken as they were about him. He was generous surely to interpret their fanatical frenzy as zeal for God. But Paul is sincere as he proceeds to show by appeal to his own conduct. [source]
Perfect passive indicative of γενναω gennaō The word “Roman” not in the Greek. Literally, “But I have been even born one,” (i.e. born a Roman citizen). There is calm and simple dignity in this reply and pardonable pride. Being a citizen of Tarsus (Acts 21:39) did not make Paul a Roman citizen. Tarsus was an urbs libera, not a colonia like Philippi. Some one of his ancestors (father, grandfather) obtained it perhaps as a reward for distinguished service. Paul‘s family was of good social position. “He was educated by the greatest of the Rabbis; he was at an early age entrusted by the Jewish authorities with an important commission; his nephew could gain ready access to the Roman tribune; he was treated as a person of consequence by Felix, Festus, Agrippa, and Julius” (Furneaux). [source]