When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
Parallel translations
- KJV (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
- BSB When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,
- NKJV And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. Then he said:
- NASB And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he *said,
- NLT When they heard him speaking in their own language, the silence was even greater.
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
Hearing him speak in their own language, the crowd grows even quieter. Paul has gained a genuine hearing from his hostile audience.
Overview
The shift to Hebrew (Aramaic) marks Paul as one of their own and quiets the mob. The momentary calm is itself a mercy of God, granting Paul space to recount how the risen Christ transformed him. The episode shows how God can still even a raging crowd to make room for his word.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- Acts 21:40When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
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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.
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Original language
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