BibleWord.ai› Bible› Acts› Chapter 21› Verse 35

Acts 21:35

New Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Acts 21:35 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd;” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd;
Acts 21:35 — American Standard Version

Context — Acts 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
32And 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.
33Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done.
34And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd: and when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the castle.
35And when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd;
36for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, Away with him.
37And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?
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?
← Acts 21:34Acts 21:36 →
← Full Chapter 21 Acts Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And when he came upon the stairs, etc.] Or steps, which led up to the castle; for it was built upon a very high place, as appears from the account of it in the preceding verse; to which agrees what Aristaeas f1111 says of it in the following words; “in order to have knowledge of all things, we went up to a castle adjoining to the city, which is situated in a very high place, fortified with very high towers, built with large stones, as we supposed for the preservation of the places about the temple, if there should be any lying in wait, or tumult, or enemies should enter; so that none might be able to make way in at the walls about the temple; for in the towers of the castle lay very sharp…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Away with him--as before of his Lord (Luk 23:18; Joh 19:15).”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Upon the stairs - The stairs which led from the temple to the castle of Antonia. Josephus says (Jewish Wars, book 5, chapter 5, section 8), that the castle of Antonia “was situated at the corner of two cloisters of the temple, of that on the west, and of that on the north; it was erected on a rock of 50 cubits (75 feet) in height, and was on a great precipice. On the corner where it joined to the two cloisters of the temple, it had passages down to them both, through which the guards went several ways among the cloisters with their arms, on the Jewish festivals, etc.” It was on these stairs, as the soldiers were returning, that the tumult was so great, or the crowd so dense, that they were…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“When he came upon the stairs - The castle of Antonia was situate on a rock fifty cubits high, at that corner of the outward temple, where the western and northern porticos joined, to each of which there were stairs descending from it. Acts 21:37”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“for: Gen 6:11, Gen 6:12; Psa 55:9, Psa 58:2; Jer 23:10; Hab 1:2, Hab 1:3 Acts 21:36”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Acts 21 in contextBrowse Greek word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification