Limitless Word
Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent word to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater.
Acts 19:31 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.
  • KJV And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
  • BSB Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.
  • NKJV Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater.
  • NLT Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.

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

Even some Asiarchs, friendly officials, urged Paul not to risk entering the theater.

Overview

The Asiarchs were prominent civic leaders, and their friendship shows Paul had earned respect even among the elite. Their warning confirms how real the danger was. The verse also reflects that the gospel was making inroads across society, not only among the poor.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 4

  • Acts 19:10This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
  • Acts 16:6When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
  • Prov 16:7When a man’s ways please Yahweh, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
  • Acts 21:12When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

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 19:31YouTube · 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 19:31 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.