The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.
- KJV Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
- NKJV Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done.
- NASB Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done.
- NLT Then the commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done.
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 commander arrests Paul, binds him with two chains, and tries to learn who he is and what he has done. Paul is now a prisoner, though innocent.
Overview
Lysias assumes Paul is the cause of the disturbance and secures him at once. The binding with two chains may fulfill Agabus's earlier prophecy (Acts 21:11). Like his Lord, Paul is bound though guiltless, beginning the long imprisonment through which the gospel will advance even to Caesar's household.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Eph 6:20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.
- Acts 21:11Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
- Acts 20:23I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.
- Acts 12:6On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.
- Acts 28:20So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
- Acts 22:29Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
- 2 Tim 2:9for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!
- 2 Tim 1:16May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.
- Judg 16:21Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison.
- John 18:29–30So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
- Judg 16:12So Delilah took new ropes, tied him up with them, and called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But while the men were hidden in her room, he snapped the ropes off his arms like they were threads.
- Judg 15:13“No,” they answered, “we will not kill you, but we will tie you up securely and hand you over to them.” So they bound him with two new ropes and led him up from the rock.
- Judg 16:8So the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him up with them.
- Acts 26:29“Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”
- Acts 25:16I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
- Acts 22:24–25the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
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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 21:33 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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