SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:23
Haz pues esto que te decimos: Hay entre nosotros cuatro hombres que tienen voto sobre sí.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 21:23
Verse 23. We have four men which have a vow] From the shaving of the head, mentioned immediately after, it is evident that the four men in question were under the vow of Nazariteship; and that the days of their vow were nearly at an end, as they were about to shave their heads; for, during the time of the Nazariteship, the hair was permitted to grow, and only shaven off at the termination of the vow. Among the Jews, it was common to make vows to God on extraordinary occasions; and that of the Nazarite appears to have been one of the most common; and it was permitted by their law for any person to perform this vow by proxy. See the law produced in my note on Num. vi. 21. "It was also customary for the richer sort to bestow their charity on the poorer sort for this purpose; for Josephus, Ant. lib. xix. cap. 6, sec. 1, observes that Agrippa, on his being advanced from a prison to a throne, by the Emperor Claudius, came to Jerusalem; and there, among other instances of his religious thankfulness shown in the temple, nazaraiwn xurasqai dietaxe mala sucnouv, he ordered very many Nazarites to be shaven, he furnishing them with money for the expenses of that, and of the sacrifices necessarily attending it." See Bp. Pearce.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. Do therefore this that we say to thee , etc.] This is said not as commanding, but as advising; and not to what was a duty, and necessary to be done as such, but as a point of prudence: we have four men which have a vow on them ; that is, there were four men who were of the church at Jerusalem, believers in Christ, but weak ones, who were zealous of the law, and bigots to it, and who had voluntarily vowed a vow of the Nazarites; (see Numbers 6:2).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19-26 - Paul ascribed all his success to God, and to God they gave the praise God had honoured him more than any of the apostles, yet they did no envy him; but on the contrary, glorified the Lord. They could not d more to encourage Paul to go on cheerfully in his work. James and the elders of the church at Jerusalem, asked Paul to gratify the believin Jews, by some compliance with the ceremonial law. They thought it wa prudent in him to conform thus far. It was great weakness to be so fon of the shadows, when the substance was come. The religion Pau preached, tended not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. He preache Christ, the end of the law for righteousness, and repentance and faith in which we are to make great use of the law. The weakness and evil of the human heart strongly appear, when we consider how many, even of the disciples of Christ, had not due regard to the most eminent ministe that even lived. Not the excellence of his character, nor the succes with which God blessed his labours, could gain their esteem an affection, seeing that he did not render the same respect as themselve to mere ceremonial observances. How watchful should we be agains prejudices! The apostles were not free from blame in all they did; an it would be hard to defend Paul from the charge of giving way too muc in this matter. It is vain to attempt to court the favour of zealots or bigots to a party. This compliance of Paul did not answer, for the very thing by which he hoped to pacify the Jews, provoked them, an brought him into trouble. But the all-wise God overruled both their advice and Paul's compliance with it, to serve a better purpose tha was intended. It was in vain to think of pleasing men who would be pleased with nothing but the rooting out of Christianity. Integrity an uprightness will be more likely to preserve us than insincer compliances. And it should warn us not to press men to doing what is contrary to their own judgment to oblige us.
Greek Textus Receptus
τουτο 5124 D-ASN ουν 3767 CONJ ποιησον 4160 5657 V-AAM-2S ο 3739 R-ASN σοι 4671 P-2DS λεγομεν 3004 5719 V-PAI-1P εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P ημιν 2254 P-1DP ανδρες 435 N-NPM τεσσαρες 5064 A-NPM ευχην 2171 N-ASF εχοντες 2192 5723 V-PAP-NPM εφ 1909 PREP εαυτων 1438 F-3GPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
23. A vow. The Nazarite vow. See Num. vi. 1-21.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
21:23 {Do therefore this } (touto oun poieson). The elders had thought out a plan of procedure by which Paul could set the whole matter straight. {We have} (eisin hemin). "There are to us" (dative of possession as in #18:10). Apparently members of the Jerusalem church. {Which have a vow on them} (eucen econtes af'-- or ef' heautwn). Apparently a temporary Nazarite vow like that in #Nu 6:1-21 and its completion was marked by several offerings in the temple, the shaving of the head (#Nu 6:13-15). Either Paul or Aquila had such a vow on leaving Cenchreae (#Ac 18:18). "It was considered a work of piety to relieve needy Jews from the expenses connected with this vow, as Paul does here" (Page). The reading af' heautwn would mean that they had taken the vow voluntarily or of themselves (#Lu 12:57; 2Co 3:5), while ef' heautwn means that the vow lies on them still.
