Acts 21:20
New International Version
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.

New 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.

English 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,

Berean Standard Bible
When they heard this, they glorified 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.

Berean Literal Bible
And those having heard began glorifying God, and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jews having believed, and are all zealous ones for the Law.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law;

New American Standard Bible
And when they heard about them, they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;

NASB 1995
And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;

NASB 1977
And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;

Legacy Standard Bible
And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;

Amplified Bible
And when they heard it, they began glorifying and praising God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all enthusiastic supporters of the Law [of Moses].

Christian 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.

Holman Christian 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.

American Standard Version
And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when they had heard, they praised God and said to him: “You see our brother, how many tens of thousands are in Judea who have believed, and they are all zealous of The Law.”

Contemporary English Version
Everyone who heard this praised God and said to Paul: My friend, you can see how many tens of thousands of our people have become followers! And all of them are eager to obey the Law of Moses.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But they hearing it, glorified God, and said to him: Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews that have believed: and they are all zealous for the law.

English Revised Version
And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them which have believed; and they are all zealous for the law:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the spiritual leaders heard about everything, they praised God. They said to Paul, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews are now believers, and all of them are deeply committed to Moses' Teachings.

Good News Translation
After hearing him, they all praised God. Then they said, "Brother Paul, you can see how many thousands of Jews have become believers, and how devoted they all are to the Law.

International Standard Version
When they heard about it, they praised God and told him, "You see, brother, how many tens of thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and all of them are zealous for the Law.

Literal Standard Version
and they having heard, were glorifying the LORD. They also said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are of Jews who have believed, and all are zealous of the Law,

Majority Standard Bible
When they heard this, they glorified the Lord. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

New American Bible
They praised God when they heard it but said to him, “Brother, you see how many thousands of believers there are from among the Jews, and they are all zealous observers of the law.

NET Bible
When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers of the law.

New Revised Standard Version
When they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law.

New Heart English Bible
They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said to him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

Weymouth New Testament
And they, when they had heard his statement, gave the glory to God. Then they said, "You see, brother, how many tens of thousands of Jews there are among those who have accepted the faith, and they are all zealous upholders of the Law.

World English Bible
They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.

Young's Literal Translation
and they having heard, were glorifying the Lord. They said also to him, 'Thou seest, brother, how many myriads there are of Jews who have believed, and all are zealous of the law,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Arrival at Jerusalem
19Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 When they heard this, they glorified 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. 21But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.…

Cross References
Matthew 9:8
When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Acts 15:1
Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

Acts 22:3
"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.

Romans 10:2
For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.

Galatians 1:14
I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.


Treasury of Scripture

And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

they glorified.

Acts 4:21
So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

Acts 11:18
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Psalm 22:23,27
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel…

how.

Acts 2:41
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 4:4
Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

Acts 6:7
And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

thousands.

Luke 12:1
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

and they.

Acts 15:1,5,24
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved…

Acts 22:3
I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

Romans 10:2
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

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Accepted Believe Believed Faith Glorified Glorifying Glory Great Heard Hearing Jews Law Praise Praised Respect Seest Statement Tens Thousands Zealous
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Accepted Believe Believed Faith Glorified Glorifying Glory Great Heard Hearing Jews Law Praise Praised Respect Seest Statement Tens Thousands Zealous
Acts 21
1. Paul calls at the house of Philip, whose daughters prophesy.
10. Agabus, foretelling what should befall him at Jerusalem,
13. he will not be dissuaded from going thither.
17. He comes to Jerusalem;
27. where he is apprehended, and in great danger, but by the chief captain is rescued;
37. and requests, and is permitted to speak to the people.














(20) They glorified the Lord.--The better MSS. give, "they glorified God." The tense implies continued action, and although its meaning would be satisfied by assuming mere ejaculations of wonder and praise, it is, at least, not improbable that there was a more formal thanksgiving.

How many thousands of Jews there are which believe.--Literally, how many myriads--i.e., tens of thousands. The numbers seem large if we think of the population of Jerusalem only, but the crowds that came from all quarters to the Feast of Pentecost (see Note on Acts 2:1) would fully justify the statement. The speaker here is obviously St. James, as the president of the assembly. There is no trace of the presence of any of the Apostles.

They are all zealous of the law.--Better, the word being a substantive and not an adjective, zealots for the law. The term was an almost technical one for the most rigid class of Pharisees. (See Note on Simon the Canaanite, Matthew 10:4.) So St. Paul describes himself as in this sense a "zealot" (Acts 22:3; Galatians 1:14).

Verse 20. - They, when they heard it for when they heard it, they, A.V.; God for the Lord, A.V. and T.R.; they said for said, A.V.; there are among the Jews of them which have believed for of Jews there are which believe, A.V. and T.R.; for the Law for of the Law, A.V. They... glorified God. There is not the slightest symptom on the part of James and the elders of unfriendliness towards St. Paul, or jealousy or opposition to his work among the Gentiles (comp. Galatians 2:7-9). The appellation brother is another indication of friendly feeling. Thousands (Greek μυριάδες, tens of thousands). These need not be deemed to be all Jerusalem Jews; if applied to the Church at Jerusalem only, such a word would be probably a gross exaggeration; but there were great numbers of Jews of the dispersion assembled at Jerusalem for Pentecost - probably all the Christian Jews of Judaea, and many from Syria, Galatia, Pontus, and the various countries enumerated in Acts 2:9-11. So that there might be several myriads of converted Jews altogether. All zealous for the Law. This is a remarkable testimony to the unanimity of the Christian Jews in their attachment to the Law of Moses, and throws light upon the Epistle to the Galatians and many other passages in St. Paul's Epistles. It explains the great difficulty experienced in the early Church in dealing with converts from Judaism. Zealous (ζηλωταὶ). So the fierce sect of Zealots were called at the time of the Jewish wars (see Josephus, ' Bell. Jud.,' 4. 6:1, and elsewhere).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
When they heard [this],
ἀκούσαντες (akousantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

they glorified
ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1392: To glorify, honor, bestow glory on. From doxa; to render glorious.

God.
Θεόν (Theon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

Then
τε (te)
Conjunction
Strong's 5037: And, both. A primary particle of connection or addition; both or also.

they said
εἶπόν (eipon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to [Paul],
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“You see,
Θεωρεῖς (Theōreis)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2334: From a derivative of theaomai; to be a spectator of, i.e. Discern, (experience) or intensively (acknowledge).

brother,
ἀδελφέ (adelphe)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 80: A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.

how many
πόσαι (posai)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 4214: How much, how great, how many. From an absolute pos and hos; interrogative pronoun how much (plural) many).

thousands
μυριάδες (myriades)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3461: A myriad, group of ten thousand, a ten thousand. From murioi; a ten-thousand; by extension, a 'myriad' or indefinite number.

of
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

Jews
Ἰουδαίοις (Ioudaiois)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

have believed,
πεπιστευκότων (pepisteukotōn)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

all
πάντες (pantes)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

of them are
ὑπάρχουσιν (hyparchousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 5225: To begin, am, exist, be in possession. From hupo and archomai; to begin under, i.e. Come into existence; expletively, to exist (verb).

zealous
ζηλωταὶ (zēlōtai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2207: One who is eagerly devoted to a person or a thing, a zealot. From zeloo; a 'zealot'.

for the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Law.
νόμου (nomou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.


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