While they were intent on killing him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
Parallel translations
- WEB As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
- KJV And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
- BSB While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil.
- NKJV Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
- NLT As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
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
As they try to kill Paul, word reaches the Roman commander that all Jerusalem is in turmoil. Roman authority is about to intervene.
Overview
News of the uproar quickly reaches the tribune of the cohort stationed at the Antonia Fortress overlooking the temple. Roman intervention, which will rescue Paul from the mob, begins God's providential use of the empire to preserve His servant. What appears to be Paul's undoing becomes the means by which he will testify before governors, a king, and Caesar himself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 2 Cor 11:23–33Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.
- Acts 17:5But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.
- Acts 26:9–10“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Acts 24:6He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.
- John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.
- Acts 19:40For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”
- John 18:12So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him,
- Acts 24:22But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.”
- Acts 10:1Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
- Acts 23:17Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”
- 1 Kgs 1:41Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar?”
- Mark 14:2For they said, “Not during the feast, because there might be a riot of the people.”
- Acts 22:22They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”
- Acts 25:23So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
- Matt 26:5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.”
- Acts 21:38Aren’t you then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?”
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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 21:31 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.