^21:20When they heard this, they praised⁶⁵ God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews⁶⁶ there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers⁶⁷ of the law.⁶⁸^21:21They have been informed about you—that you teach all the Jews now living⁶⁹ among the Gentiles to abandon⁷⁰ Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children⁷¹ or live⁷² according to our customs. ^21:22What then should we do? They will no doubt⁷³ hear that you have come.

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Footnotes

65 Or “glorified.”
66 Grk “how many thousands there are among the Jews.” How many thousands of Jews. See Acts 2–5 for the accounts of their conversion, esp. 2:41 and 4:4. Estimates of the total number of Jews living in Jerusalem at the time range from 20,000 to 50,000.
67 Or “are all zealous for the law.” ζηλωτής 1.a.β has “of thing … τοῦ νόμου an ardent observer of the law Ac 21:20.”
68 That is, the law of Moses. These Jewish Christians had remained close to their Jewish practices after becoming believers (1 Cor 7:18–19; Acts 16:3).
69 κατά B.1.a has “τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη Ἰουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21.” The Jews in view are not those in Palestine, but those who are scattered throughout the Gentile world.
70 Or “to forsake,” “to rebel against.” ἀποστασία has “ἀποστασίαν διδάσκεις ἀπὸ Μωϋσέως you teach (Judeans) to abandon Moses Ac 21:21.” The charge that Paul was teaching Jews in the Diaspora to abandon Moses was different from the issue faced in Acts 15, where the question was whether Gentiles needed to become like Jews first in order to become Christians. The issue also appears in Acts 24:5–6, 13–21; 25:8.
71 That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.
72 Grk “or walk.”
73 L&N 71.16 has “pertaining to being in every respect certain—‘certainly, really, doubtless, no doubt.’ … ‘they will no doubt hear that you have come’ Ac 21:22.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come,

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When they heard it, they glorified God and said, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law. But they have been informed about you—that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to live according to our customs. So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you’ve come.

NLTNew Living Translation

After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously. But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And when they heard this, they began to glorify God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and they are all zealous adherents of the law. And they have been informed about you that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles the abandonment of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to live according to our customs. What then is to be done? Doubtless they will all hear that you have come!

KJV 1900King James Version

And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

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