Acts 21:27
New International Version
When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

New Living Translation
The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him,

English Standard Version
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,

Berean Standard Bible
When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

Berean Literal Bible
Now when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, began stirring up the whole crowd and laid the hands upon him,

King James Bible
And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

New King James Version
Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,

New American Standard Bible
When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him,

NASB 1995
When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him,

NASB 1977
And when the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the multitude and laid hands on him,

Legacy Standard Bible
Now when the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon noticing him in the temple, began to throw all the crowd into confusion and laid hands on him,

Amplified Bible
When the seven days [required to complete the ritual] were almost over, [some] Jews from [the province of] Asia [Minor], caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up the crowd, and they seized him,

Christian Standard Bible
When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and seized him,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
As the seven days were about to end, the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple complex, stirred up the whole crowd, and seized him,

American Standard Version
And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him,

Contemporary English Version
When the period of seven days for the ceremony was almost over, some of the Jewish people from Asia saw Paul in the temple. They got a large crowd together and started attacking him.

English Revised Version
And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude, and laid hands on him,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the temple courtyard. They stirred up the whole crowd and grabbed Paul.

Good News Translation
But just when the seven days were about to come to an end, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and grabbed Paul.

International Standard Version
When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, seeing Paul in the Temple, stirred up a large crowd. They grabbed Paul,

Majority Standard Bible
When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

NET Bible
When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from the province of Asia who had seen him in the temple area stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

New Heart English Bible
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands on him,

Webster's Bible Translation
And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews who were from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

Weymouth New Testament
But, when the seven days were nearly over, the Jews from the province of Asia, having seen Paul in the Temple, set about rousing the fury of all the people against him.

World English Bible
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And as the seven days were about to be fully ended, the Jews from Asia having beheld him in the temple, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid hands on him,

Berean Literal Bible
Now when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, began stirring up the whole crowd and laid the hands upon him,

Young's Literal Translation
And, as the seven days were about to be fully ended, the Jews from Asia having beheld him in the temple, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid hands upon him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And when the seven days were about completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, embroiled all the crowd, and put hands upon them,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But when the seven days were drawing to an end, those Jews that were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands upon him, crying out:

Catholic Public Domain Version
But when the seven days were reaching completion, those Jews who were from Asia, when they had seen him in the temple, incited all the people, and they laid hands on him, crying out:

New American Bible
When the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from the province of Asia noticed him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and laid hands on him,

New Revised Standard Version
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd. They seized him,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when the seventh day approached, and the Jews from Asia Minor saw him in the temple, they stirred up all the people against him and laid hands on him,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when the seventh day arrived, the Jews of Asia saw him in The Temple, and they incited all the people against him and they laid hands upon him,
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, threw all the multitude into confusion, and laid their hands on him,

Godbey New Testament
And when the seven days were about to have an end, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole multitude, and laid hands on him, crying out,

Haweis New Testament
But as the seven days were now drawing to their period, some Jews from Asia seeing him in the temple, excited all the populace to tumult, and laid hands upon him,

Mace New Testament
The seven days being almost expir'd, the Asiatic Jews seeing him in the temple, rais'd a tumult, and fell upon him,

Weymouth New Testament
But, when the seven days were nearly over, the Jews from the province of Asia, having seen Paul in the Temple, set about rousing the fury of all the people against him.

Worrell New Testament
And, when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, having beheld him in the temple, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid their hands upon him,

Worsley New Testament
But when the seven days were near ended, the Jews that came from Asia seeing him in the temple, raised a tumult among the people, and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul Seized in the Temple
26So the next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he entered the temple to give notice of the date when their purification would be complete and the offering would be made for each of them. 27When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”…

Cross References
Acts 6:13-14
where they presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. / For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

Acts 24:5-6
We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, / and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.

Acts 26:21
For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

Acts 19:26-29
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. / There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.” / When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ...

Acts 16:20-21
They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil / by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”

Acts 22:22-23
The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!” / As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

Acts 25:7-8
When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove. / Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”

Acts 14:19
Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.

Acts 13:50
The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.

Acts 17:5-6
The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people. / But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,

Acts 23:12-15
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. / More than forty of them were involved in this plot. / They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ...

Acts 18:12-13
While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat. / “This man is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.

Acts 9:23-24
After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, / but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.

Acts 4:1-3
While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, / greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. / They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in custody until the next day.

Acts 7:57-58
At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him. / They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.


Treasury of Scripture

And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

the Jews.

Acts 24:18
Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

stirred.

Acts 6:12
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

Acts 13:50
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Acts 14:2,5,19
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren…

and laid.

Acts 4:3
And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

Acts 5:18
And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

Acts 26:21
For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

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Almost Asia Completed Ended Fully Fury Hands Jews Laid Multitude Nearly Paul Province Rousing Seven Stir Stirred Temple Together Tumult Whole
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Almost Asia Completed Ended Fully Fury Hands Jews Laid Multitude Nearly Paul Province Rousing Seven Stir Stirred Temple Together Tumult Whole
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.














When the seven days were nearly over
This phrase refers to the completion of a purification ritual that Paul was undergoing. The "seven days" likely alludes to the period of purification mentioned in Numbers 6:9-12, which Paul was observing to demonstrate his respect for Jewish law and customs. The number seven in biblical terms often symbolizes completeness or perfection, indicating that Paul was nearing the end of a significant religious observance. This act of purification underscores Paul's commitment to bridge the gap between Jewish traditions and the new Christian faith, showing his respect for the law while preaching the gospel of grace.

some Jews from the province of Asia
The "province of Asia" refers to a Roman province in what is now western Turkey. These Jews were likely from Ephesus, a city where Paul had spent considerable time preaching and where he had faced significant opposition (Acts 19). Their presence in Jerusalem during the feast indicates the widespread nature of Jewish diaspora communities and their continued connection to the temple in Jerusalem. These individuals were familiar with Paul's ministry and teachings, which they perceived as a threat to their traditional beliefs and practices.

saw Paul at the temple
The temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish worship and a symbol of God's presence among His people. Paul's presence there highlights his continued identification with his Jewish heritage and his respect for the temple as a holy place. However, it also sets the stage for conflict, as his presence was controversial among those who viewed his teachings as a departure from Jewish law. This moment is pivotal, as it marks the beginning of a series of events leading to Paul's arrest and eventual journey to Rome.

They stirred up the whole crowd
The phrase "stirred up" suggests inciting or agitating the people, indicating a deliberate effort to provoke a reaction against Paul. This reflects a common pattern in Acts, where opposition to the gospel often arises from those who feel threatened by its message. The crowd's reaction is a testament to the volatile atmosphere in Jerusalem, where religious and political tensions were high. This act of incitement reveals the deep-seated resistance to the transformative message of the gospel, which challenged established norms and power structures.

and seized him
The act of seizing Paul signifies the physical manifestation of the opposition he faced. It marks the beginning of his trials and tribulations, which he had been forewarned about by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:23). This moment of arrest is a turning point in the narrative of Acts, as it leads to Paul's defense of the gospel before various authorities and ultimately his journey to Rome. Theologically, this event underscores the cost of discipleship and the reality of persecution for the sake of Christ. It also highlights God's sovereignty, as even in the midst of opposition, His purposes for Paul and the spread of the gospel continue to unfold.

(27) When the seven days were almost ended.--Literally, were on the point to be completed. St. Luke speaks of "the seven days" as a definite or known period. They cannot refer, as some have thought, either to the duration of the vow, which was never less than thirty days, or to that of the Feast of Pentecost, which at this time was never extended beyond one, and must therefore be understood of the period of special purification which came at the final stage of the fulfilment of the vow.

The Jews which were of Asia . . .--Better, from Asia--those who had come up to keep the Feast at Jerusalem. They, we may well believe, had been watching the Apostle eagerly as he passed in and out of the courts of the Temple. As it was, they seized him, with all the tokens of his purification still upon him (comp. Acts 24:18), about to offer sacrifices, and raised a cry which was sure to throw the whole city into an uproar. They first reiterate the general charge, and in doing so bring against St. Paul, in almost identical terms, the very accusation which he had brought against Stephen (Acts 6:11-13), of which they thus make themselves the witnesses. This was backed up by a more specific indictment (Acts 21:28). He had brought Greeks--i.e., uncircumcised Gentiles--into the Holy Place--i.e., beyond the middle wall of partition (Ephesians 2:14) which divided the court that was open to strangers from that which none but Jews might enter (Jos. Ant. xv. 11, ? 5). The recent excavations of the Palestine Exploration Society (Report for 1871, p. 132) have brought to light a slab with an inscription, discovered and deciphered by M. Clermont Ganneau, which illustrates the horror with which the Jews looked on such a profanation. Its contents show that it must have formed part of the low wall just mentioned:--"NO MAN OF ALIEN RACE IS TO ENTER WITHIN THE BALUSTRADE AND FENCE THAT GOES ROUND THE TEMPLE. IF ANY ONE IS TAKEN IN THE ACT, LET HIM KNOW THAT HE HAS HIMSELF TO BLAME FOR THE PENALTY OF DEATH THAT FOLLOWS." This, accordingly, was the punishment which the Jews of Asia were now seeking to bring on St. Paul and on his friends.

Verse 27. - Completed for ended, A.V.; from for which were of, A.V.; multitude for people, A.V. The seven days; showing clearly that some customary term of preparation for the offerings and shaving of the head is meant. This shows also that "the days" in the preceding verse meant the "seven days" of preparation rather than "the days" of the whole Nazaritic vow. The Jews from Asia; come up for Pentecost. How hostile the Asiatic Jews were appears from Acts 19:9. When they saw him in the temple, whither he had come to complete the seven days of preparation. It was apparently the fifth day (see Acts 24:11, note). How often the best meant attempts at conciliation fail through the uncharitable suspicions of a man's opponents! The temple. It must be remembered throughout that it is τὸ ἱερόν that is spoken of, which embraces the temple courts, not the ναός, or house (see Acts 3:2, note). Stirred up. Συγχέω ισ found only here in the New Testament. Properly "to confuse," like the kindred συγχύνω (Acts 2:6; Acts 19:32; Acts 21:31); and σύγχυσις, confusion (Acts 19:29); hence "to stir up." It is of frequent use in medical writers (Hobart, 79.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
When
Ὡς (Hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

the
αἱ (hai)
Article - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

seven
ἑπτὰ (hepta)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2033: Seven. A primary number; seven.

days
ἡμέραι (hēmerai)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2250: A day, the period from sunrise to sunset.

were almost
ἔμελλον (emellon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3195: A strengthened form of melo; to intend, i.e. Be about to be, do, or suffer something.

over,
συντελεῖσθαι (synteleisthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 4931: To bring to an end, fulfill, accomplish. From sun and teleo; to complete entirely; generally, to execute.

[some]
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews
Ἰουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

[the province of] Asia
Ἀσίας (Asias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 773: Asia, i.e. Asia Minor, or only its western shore.

saw
θεασάμενοι (theasamenoi)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2300: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to look closely at, i.e. perceive; by extension to visit.

[Paul]
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

at
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

temple.
ἱερῷ (hierō)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2411: Neuter of hieros; a sacred place, i.e. The entire precincts of the Temple.

They stirred up
συνέχεον (synecheon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4797: Or sugchuno from sun and cheo or its alternate; to commingle promiscuously, i.e. to throw into disorder, to perplex.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

whole
πάντα (panta)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

crowd
ὄχλον (ochlon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3793: From a derivative of echo; a throng; by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

seized
ἐπέβαλον (epebalon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1911: From epi and ballo; to throw upon; specially to reflect; impersonally, to belong to.

him,
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Apostles: Acts 21:27 When the seven days were almost completed (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 21:26
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