Acts 21:40
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand to the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
American King James Version (AKJV)
And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand to the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
American Standard Version (ASV)
And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And when he let him do so, Paul, from the steps, made a sign with his hand to the people, and when they were all quiet, he said to them in the Hebrew language,
Webster's Revision
And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand to the people. And when there was made entire silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
World English Bible
When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
English Revised Version (ERV)
And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Clarke's Acts 21:40 Bible Commentary
Paul stood on the stairs - Where he was out of the reach of the mob, and was surrounded by the Roman soldiers.
Beckoned with the hand - Waving the hand, which was the sign that he was about to address the people. So Virgil says of Turnus, when he wished, by single combat between himself and Aeneas, to put an end to the war: -
Significatque manu, et magno simul incipit ore:
Parcite jam, Rutuli; et vos tela inhibete, Latini.
He beckoned with his hand, and cried out with a loud voice,
Desist, ye Rutulians; and, ye Latins, cease from throwing your javelins.
He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue - What was called then the Hebrew, viz. the Chaldaeo-Syriac; very well expressed by the Codex Bezae, τῃ ιδιᾳ διαλεκτῳ, in their own dialect.
Never was there a more unnatural division than that in this chapter: it ends with a single comma! The best division would have been at the end of the 25th verse.
Paul's embarkation at Tyre is very remarkable. The simple manner in which he was escorted to the ship by the disciples of Tyre, men, women, and children, and their affectionate and pious parting, kneeling down on the shore and commending each other to God, are both impressive and edifying. Nothing but Christianity could have produced such a spirit in persons who now, perhaps for the first time, saw each other in the flesh. Every true Christian is a child of God; and, consequently, all children of God have a spiritual affinity. They are all partakers of the same Spirit, are united to the same Head, are actuated with the same hope, and are going to the same heaven. These love one another with pure hearts fervently; and these alone are capable of disinterested and lasting friendship. Though this kind of friendship cannot fail, yet it may err; and with officious affection endeavor to prevent us from bearing a necessary and most honorable cross. See Acts 21:12, Acts 21:13. It should, therefore, be kept within Scriptural bounds.
Barnes's Acts 21:40 Bible Commentary
Licence - Liberty; permission.
On the stairs - See the notes on Acts 21:35.
Beckoned with the hand - Waving the hand as a sign that he was about to address them, and to produce silence and attention. See Acts 12:17.
In the Hebrew tongue - The language which was spoken by the Jews, which was then a mixture of the Chaldee and Syriac, called Syro-Chaldaic. This language he doubtless used on this occasion in preference to the Greek, because it was understood better by the multitude, and would tend to conciliate them if they heard him address them in their own tongue. The following chapter should have been connected with this. The division here is unnatural.
Wesley's Acts 21:40 Bible Commentary
21:40 In the Hebrew tongue - That dialect of it, which was then commonly spoken at Jerusalem.