^21:37As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks,¹⁴² he said¹⁴³ to the commanding officer,¹⁴⁴ “May I say¹⁴⁵ something to you?” The officer¹⁴⁶ replied,¹⁴⁷ “Do you know Greek?¹⁴⁸^21:38Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion¹⁴⁹ and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’¹⁵⁰ into the wilderness¹⁵¹ some time ago?”¹⁵²^21:39Paul answered,¹⁵³ “I am a Jew¹⁵⁴ from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city.¹⁵⁵ Please¹⁵⁶ allow me to speak to the people.”

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Footnotes

142 Or “the headquarters.” παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
143 Grk “says” (a historical present).
144 Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. .
145 Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).
146 Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
147 Grk “said.”
148 “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.
149 L&N 39.41 has “οὐκ ἄρα σὺ εἶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ὁ πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀναστατώσας ‘then you are not that Egyptian who some time ago started a rebellion’ Ac 21:38.”
150 Grk “of the Sicarii.” The term ‘Assassins’ is found several times in the writings of Josephus ( 2.13.3 [2.254–257]; 20.8.10 [20.186]). It was the name of the most fanatical group among the Jewish nationalists, very hostile to Rome, who did not hesitate to assassinate their political opponents. They were named Sicarii in Latin after their weapon of choice, the short dagger or sicarius which could be easily hidden under one’s clothing. In effect, the officer who arrested Paul had thought he was dealing with a terrorist.
151 Or “desert.”
152 Grk “before these days.”
153 Grk “said.”
154 Grk “a Jewish man.”
155 Grk “of a not insignificant city.” The double negative, common in Greek, is awkward in English and has been replaced by a corresponding positive expression ( ἄσημος 1).
156 Grk “I beg you.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”

“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?”

Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

As he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, “Am I allowed to say something to you?”

He replied, “You know how to speak Greek? Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt some time ago and led four thousand men of the Assassins into the wilderness?”

Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Now I ask you, let me speak to the people.”

NLTNew Living Translation

As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, “May I have a word with you?”

“Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised. “Aren’t you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took 4,000 members of the Assassins out into the desert?”

“No,” Paul replied, “I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And as he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the military tribune, “Is it permitted for me to say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? Then you are not the Egyptian who before these days raised a revolt and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?” But Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no unimportant city. Now I ask you, allow me to speak to the people.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

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