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Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.
Acts 19:30 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.
  • KJV And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
  • NKJV And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him.
  • NASB And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him.
  • NLT Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Paul wanted to go in and address the crowd, but the disciples would not let him.

Overview

Paul's courage and concern for his companions moved him toward the danger, but wiser counsel restrained him. The disciples' protective love shows the church caring for its leaders. Submitting to their judgment, Paul was kept safe for further ministry.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 5

  • Acts 21:39But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
  • 2 Sam 21:17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
  • 2 Sam 18:2–3He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”
  • Acts 14:14–18But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
  • Acts 17:22–31Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 19:30YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 19:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.