Acts 21:32
What does Acts 21:32 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 21:32 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 21:32 means
The chief captain quickly mobilizes soldiers and centurions, rushing to the scene. Seeing the military, the crowd stops beating Paul. Force restrains fury. The Lord uses the ordinary tools of government to curb injustice. Paul is spared not by the crowd’s change of heart but by the arrival of authority. This intervention is both rescue and prelude: the soldiers will protect Paul, but they will also bind him. The prophecy of bonds is fulfilled even as God preserves His servant’s life. The scene reminds us that God’s deliverances can come wrapped in restraints, yet they are real deliverances nonetheless.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them: and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them: and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And straight away he took some armed men and went quickly down to them: and the Jews, seeing them, gave no more blows to Paul.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862who, at once, having taken soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them, and they having seen the chief captain and the soldiers, did leave off beating Paul.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Who, forthwith taking with him soldiers and centurions, ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they left off beating Paul.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890who, taking with him immediately soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them. But they, seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul.
Context
This action follows the alarm of verse 31 and initiates the Roman mitigation of the riot. Verse 33 will describe Paul’s arrest and the commander’s inquiries. Verse 34 will show the confusion preventing immediate clarity, leading to the decision to bring Paul into the castle. The narrative demonstrates a pattern: divine warnings, human violence, Roman intervention, and God’s overruling hand guiding Paul toward future testimony.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 5:40
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
- Acts 22:19
And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
- Acts 24:6
who moreover assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold:
- Acts 23:23
And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Cæsarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night:
- Isaiah 3:15
what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the poor? saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
- Acts 23:27
This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
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