Acts 21:38-40 · Bible study
Acts 21:38-40 Commentary: Paul Mistaken for the Egyptian Rebel
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the Roman tribune confused Paul with a notorious Egyptian rebel, historical context, Paul's calm reply, and the opening to speak.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul corrects the tribune's mistaken identity and gains a hearing with the hostile crowd.
- Key words: Egyptian (Αἰγύπτιος), assassin (σικάριος), insignificant (ἄσημος), Hebrew language (Ἑβραῒδι διαλέκτῳ).
- Main debate: Whether the Egyptian's followers numbered 30,000 or 4,000, likely a distinction between total adherents and armed sicarii.
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over human authorities and chaotic circumstances, using them to advance the gospel.
- Best use: As an example of composure under false accusation and strategic, respectful communication.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the ‘Assassins’ into the wilderness?”
39But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
40Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:
WEB World English Bible 2000
38Aren’t you then the Egyptian who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?”
39But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.”
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,
KJV King James Version 1769
38Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
39But 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.
40And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
ASV American Standard Version 1901
38Art thou not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?
39But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people.
40And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
38art not thou, then, the Egyptian who before these days made an uprising, and did lead into the desert the four thousand men of the assassins?'
39And Paul said, `I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, of no mean city a citizen; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.'
40And he having given him leave, Paul having stood upon the stairs, did beckon with the hand to the people, and there having been a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew dialect, saying:
Darby Darby Bible 1890
38Thou art not then that Egyptian who before these days raised a sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the assassins?
39But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, citizen of no insignificant city of Cilicia, and I beseech of thee, allow me to speak to the people.
40And when he had allowed him, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and a great silence having been made, he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
38Art not thou that Egyptian who before these days didst raise a tumult and didst lead forth into the desert four thousand men that were murderers?
39But Paul said to him: I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. And I beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people.
40And when he had given him leave, Paul standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. And a great silence being made, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 21:38
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the Roman tribune Claudius Lysias mistakenly assumed Paul was the Egyptian rebel described by Josephus. Clarke, Barnes, and Gill note that this false prophet had led thousands to the Mount of Olives, promising the walls of Jerusalem would fall. The tribune's question reflects an unsettled political climate: “Art not thou then the Egyptian?” (ὁ Αἰγύπτιος). The discrepancy between Josephus's 30,000 followers and the tribune's 4,000 “Assassins” (σικαρίων) is explained by many commentators as referring only to armed insurgents. Paul's reply, “I am a Jew of Tarsus, a citizen of no insignificant city”, uses the Greek ἄνθρωπος (“a man”) and ἄσημος (“insignificant”) to assert his honorable origins. The Cambridge Bible adds that Paul's request to speak demonstrates his self-possession and diplomatic skill. The tribune granted permission, allowing Paul to address the crowd in the “Hebrew tongue” (Aramaic). The consensus affirms that the passage highlights Paul's calm under pressure and his strategic use of background and language.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The tribune's mistake is rooted in known history; Paul's response models poise under false accusation, and the passage sets the stage for his defense in Acts 22.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Paul's identity as a Jew and Roman | All traditions affirm Paul was a Jew from Tarsus with Roman citizenship evident later. | The text does not mention Roman citizenship here; some read it as implicit, others as introduced only in ch. 22. |
| The Egyptian rebel's identity | All agree the reference is to the false prophet described by Josephus. | The exact number of followers (30,000 vs 4,000) is debated; some see a contradiction, others a distinction between all followers and armed assassins. |
| Meaning of 'Hebrew tongue' | All agree it was the vernacular language of Judean Jews, not biblical Hebrew. | Some call it Syro-Chaldaic (Aramaic); others argue it could include Hebrew proper. |
| The tribune's permission | The tribune granted leave for Paul to speak, surprising given the tumult. | Some see it as a reasonable allowance due to Paul's demeanor; others view it as providential restraint on the tribune. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The tribune's question points to a known event from the governorship of Felix (AD 52, 60), recorded by Josephus. An Egyptian Jew, claiming to be a prophet, gathered about 30,000 people on the Mount of Olives, promising that the city walls would collapse at his command. Felix attacked with Roman troops, killing or capturing hundreds; the Egyptian escaped. The tribune's reference to 4,000 “Assassins” (Latin sicarii, dagger-wielding extremists) likely describes the armed core of that rebellion. This explains why he suspected Paul, a leader of a different movement, of being the same fugitive.
Paul's arrest moments earlier had been chaotic. Asian Jews saw him in the temple with Trophimus the Ephesian and falsely accused him of bringing Gentiles into the inner court. The mob dragged him out and intended to kill him until the tribune arrived with soldiers. Paul was then bound with two chains and carried up the stairs to the Antonia Fortress for safety. The stairs are the anabathmoi, steps connecting the temple platform to the fortress.
When Paul asked in Greek, “May I speak to you?” the tribune was surprised: he assumed Paul was the uneducated Egyptian rebel, not a Greek-speaking Jew. Paul clarifies his identity: a Jew by birth, from Tarsus in Cilicia. Tarsus was a free, celebrated city, Strabo called it a great center of learning. Paul's pride in his hometown is not mere boasting; it establishes credibility. Then he courteously requests permission to address the people (deomai conveys urgent pleading). The tribune grants it. Paul, standing on the stairs, waves his hand. A great silence falls, the crowd is startled by the sight of the prisoner asking for a hearing. He then speaks in the “Hebrew tongue,” the Aramaic vernacular of first-century Judea. This single act of speaking their language wins attention and sets the stage for his defense.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Acts 21:38-40. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts.
Reception History
Early church readers, such as Chrysostom (as quoted by Jamieson-Fausset-Brown), admired Paul’s “self-possessed” calm amid danger. In the Reformation tradition, Luther and Calvin saw here a model of wisdom, using one’s background to build a bridge to hostile hearers. Lange’s commentary cites Rieger’s reflection that the steps of the Roman fortress became an unlikely pulpit for the gospel, and Gossner emphasizes that the cross and suffering prepare the servant for bold speech. Modern readers often focus on the historical background of the Egyptian rebel from Josephus, using it to illuminate the political volatility of first-century Jerusalem. The passage is frequently cited in sermons on responding to false accusations with grace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Mistaken Identity: The tribune assumes Paul is the Egyptian rebel, a case of wrong accusation fueled by incomplete information and a volatile political atmosphere.
- Calm Declaration: Paul does not argue or resist. He states who he truly is: a Jew of Tarsus, a citizen of a notable city. His identity in Christ overrides the false category the tribune imposed.
- Strategic Speech: With courtesy (“I beg you”), Paul asks for permission to speak. The tribune grants it, and Paul seizes the moment, turning a near-lynching into an opportunity to witness.
Five-point outline
- Chaos and Confusion: The mob drags Paul from the temple, shouting accusations. The tribune intervenes but knows nothing about the prisoner.
- The Tribune’s Assumption: He links Paul to the Egyptian rebel, a figure fresh in memory. A wrong guess based on timing and circumstance.
- Paul’s Identity Claim: Paul corrects the record: “I am a Jew, from Tarsus.” He does not hide his Jewishness, nor does he disown his Greco-Roman education.
- Permission Granted: The tribune allows Paul to speak. This small concession becomes God’s doorway for the gospel.
- The Silence That Precedes the Word: A great hush falls. Paul stands on the stairs, bound but calm, and speaks in the people’s own tongue. The stage is set.
Illustration hooks
- Wrongly accused at work: A colleague assumes you are the source of a problem because of your background or association. How do you respond, with anger or with a clear statement of facts?
- The power of knowing who you are: Paul knew he was a Jew, a Roman, and above all Christ’s ambassador. That grounded confidence let him face a murderous mob without panic.
- One small permission: Sometimes God opens doors not through miracles but through a simple “yes” from an authority figure. Paul used that inch of space to speak truth.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why didn’t Paul just declare his Roman citizenship immediately and escape the beating? (He does so later in Acts 22:25-29, but here his goal is to address the crowd.)
- How could the tribune mistake Paul for a rebel when Paul was a well-known apostle? (The tribune had just arrived; he had no intelligence on Paul.)
- What made the crowd go silent so quickly? (Probably astonishment that a bound prisoner would speak their dialect with such calm authority.)
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows Paul in one of his most vulnerable moments: physically bound, surrounded by a mob that wants him dead, and under the authority of a Roman commander who has mistaken him for a terrorist. Yet Paul does not panic. He clarifies his identity, asks politely for permission, and then uses his chains as a platform. The conversation invites us to reflect on how we respond when others misjudge us.
Discussion questions
- What does the tribune’s question reveal about the political situation in Jerusalem at that time? (See also Acts 5:36-37.)
- Why might the tribune have believed Paul was the Egyptian? What clues from the Greek (οὐκ ἄρα σὺ εἶ) suggest his surprise?
- Paul calls Tarsus “no mean city.” The Greek word asēmos means “without a mark”, Paul insists he comes from a place that is marked, known. How does knowing your origins help when you are under attack?
- Paul uses the verb deomai (“I beg”) when asking to speak. What tone does this set? Why didn’t he demand his rights?
- The crowd falls silent at the sound of Paul’s voice in “the Hebrew tongue” (Aramaic). What does this tell us about the power of speaking someone’s native language? How can we apply that in our own witness?
- Notice Paul’s progression: arrested, bound, mistaken, then given a pulpit. Where in your life have you seen God turn a setback into an opportunity?
- What does this passage teach about the relationship between our human identity (Jewish, Roman, Tarsian) and our identity in Christ? Can we honor both?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 5:11 | “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. |
| Matthew 24:26 | “If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it. |
| Acts 5:36 | For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves. He was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed and came to nothing. |
| Acts 5:37 | After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. |
| I Corinthians 4:13 | Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now. |
| Acts 6:9 | But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen. |
| Acts 9:11 | The Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, |
| Acts 9:30 | When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the Roman commander's question as a reference to a known Egyptian rebel leader who, according to Josephus, led thousands in a failed attack on Jerusalem forty years earlier. He notes a discrepancy in the numbers reported and suggests a copyist error may explain it, with the original likely being four thousand rather than thirty thousand.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes defends the accuracy of Luke's account against Josephus, noting that the chief captain's claim of four thousand followers is more plausible than Josephus's thirty thousand. He argues Luke simply reports what the tribune said, and the smaller number fits the modest casualties recorded. A copyist error in Josephus may also explain the discrepancy.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator uses Josephus to identify the Egyptian as a known impostor who led thousands of Sicarii assassins. He also highlights Paul's polished Greek as proof of his educated background, explaining that this impressed the chief captain and earned Paul a hearing on the stairs despite the uproar.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws on Josephus to identify the Egyptian false prophet who led four thousand assassins, and shows that Paul's claim to be a Jew from Tarsus immediately cleared him of being that troublemaker. His distinctive point is that Paul's ancestry and citizenship together earned him the captain's trust and the chance to address the crowd in Hebrew.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the dramatic contrast in this scene: Paul stands bound with chains, yet remains completely self-possessed and tranquil. The crowd, already awed by the Roman commander's permission, falls into deep silence when Paul begins speaking to them in their native Aramaic tongue.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that the Asian Jews level a unique accusation against Paul: they charge him with attacking not only the law and the temple, but the people of Israel itself. This specific claim had been made by neither the earlier Judaeo-Christians nor the accusers of Stephen. He also notes that the accusers use the plural "Greeks" to make a single incident seem habitual.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the officer's surprised recognition of his mistake in the Greek phrase "ουκ αρα συ ει" — "Thou art not, then, as I supposed." He also sharpens the translation of key terms: "stirred up to sedition" rather than "made an uproar," and "assassins" (Sicarii) rather than "murderers," noting the Latin origin of the word for the dagger-wielding faction.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies the Egyptian troublemaker as a known historical figure who claimed to be a prophet, gathered a large following, and led them to the Mount of Olives promising a miracle when the city walls would fall. Felix quickly crushed the movement, but the Egyptian himself escaped. Wesley notes that "the Hebrew tongue" in the verse refers to the Aramaic dialect then spoken in Jerusalem.