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And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:4 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
  • BSB We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
  • NKJV And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
  • NASB After looking up the disciples, we stayed there for seven days; and they kept telling Paul, through the Spirit, not to set foot in Jerusalem.
  • NLT We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem.

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

Finding disciples at Tyre, Paul stays seven days, and through the Spirit they urge him not to go up to Jerusalem. Believers warn him of the danger ahead.

Overview

The Tyrian disciples, prompted by the Spirit's revelation of coming suffering, plead with Paul to avoid Jerusalem. The Spirit reveals the danger, yet Paul understands his own calling to continue, much as he was "bound by the Spirit" to go. Faithful Christians may rightly grieve over a brother's coming trials while he, in obedience, still presses on; the tension reflects both their love and Paul's resolve to obey God's call.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 9

  • Acts 21:10–12And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
  • Acts 20:22–23And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
  • Acts 20:6–7And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
  • Matt 10:11And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
  • Acts 19:1And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
  • Acts 11:26And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
  • Acts 28:14Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
  • Rev 1:10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
  • 2 Tim 1:17But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

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 21:4YouTube · 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 21:4 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.