The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
Parallel translations
- WEB All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the doors were shut.
- KJV And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
- NKJV And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.
- NASB Then the whole city was provoked and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.
- NLT The whole city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind 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
The whole city is aroused, the people seize Paul and drag him out of the temple, and the doors are shut. The riot reaches its peak.
Overview
The mob, inflamed by the false charges, drags Paul from the temple to kill him, and the gates are closed behind him. The shutting of the doors poignantly pictures Paul's expulsion from the heart of Jewish worship. Yet through this very rejection, God advances His purpose to bring Paul, and the gospel, before rulers and ultimately to Rome.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Acts 26:21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
- 2 Cor 11:26In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers,
- Acts 16:19–22When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.
- Acts 7:57–58At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.
- Matt 2:3When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
- 2 Kgs 11:15And Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.”
- Matt 21:10When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
- Luke 4:29They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him over the cliff.
- Acts 19:29Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.
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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 21:30 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
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