SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:37
Cuando comenzaron a meter a Pablo en la fortaleza, dice al tribuno: ¿Me ser lícito hablarte algo? Y l dijo: ¿Sabes griego?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 21:37
Verse 37. Canst thou speak Greek?] Claudius Lysias was not a Roman; he had, as himself informs us, purchased his citizenship of Rome with a great sum of money; (see chap. xxii. 28;) and it is very likely that he was but imperfectly acquainted with the Latin tongue; and the tumult that was now made, and the discordant noise, prevented him from clearly apprehending what was said; and, as he wished to know the merit of the cause, he accosted Paul with, ellhnisti ginwskeiv, Dost thou understand Greek? And when he found that he did understand it, he proceeded to question him as below.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 37. And as Paul was to be led into the castle , etc.] Just as he was got up to the top of the steps, or stairs, that led up to the castle, and was about to go into the door of it: he said unto the chief captain, may I speak unto thee ? the apostle was one that had had a good education, and was a man of address, and this his modest and respectful way of speaking to the chief captain shows; and the question he put to him, was in the Greek language: hence it follows, who said to him, canst thou speak Greek ? or dost thou know the Hellenistic language? which the Jews who were born and lived in Greece spoke; hence such were called Hellenists; (see Acts 6:1) of this language we read in the Talmud f1112 ; R. Levi bar Chajethah went to Caesarea, and heard them reading Shema, (hear O Israel), etc. ( Deuteronomy 6:4) ytsynwla in the Hellenistic language; he sought to hinder them; R. Rose heard of it, and was angry; and said, he that knows not to read in the Hebrew language, must he not read at all? yea, he may read in whatsoever language he understands. The nearest to this language spoken by the Jews dispersed in Greece, must be the Greek language, in which Jews have written; as the books of the Old Testament translated by the seventy interpreters, who were Jews; and indeed it was this Bible which the Jews called Hellenists made use of; and the writings of Josephus, and Philo the Jew of Alexandria, and even the books of the New Testament, which are written by Jews; and Paul being a Jew of Tarsus, and so an Hellenist, could speak this language; as he did, when he disputed against the Hellenists, in ( Acts 9:29). This the chief captain said, either as wondering to hear him speak Greek, when he thought he had been a Jerusalem Jew, or rather an Egyptian, as in the next verse; or it may be he put this question to him, as choosing rather that he should speak in Greek, it being the language he might best understand himself, and was the least known to the people, who he might not care should hear what he had to say; since if he took him for the Egyptian, the Greek tongue was what was chiefly spoken by such.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 27-40 - In the temple, where Paul should have been protected as in a place of safety, he was violently set upon. They falsely charged him with il doctrine and ill practice against the Mosaic ceremonies. It is no ne thing for those who mean honestly and act regularly, to have thing laid to their charge which they know not and never thought of. It is common for the wise and good to have that charged against them by malicious people, with which they thought to have obliged them. God often makes those a protection to his people, who have no affection to them, but only have compassion for sufferers, and regard to the publi peace. And here see what false, mistaken notions of good people an good ministers, many run away with. But God seasonably interposes for the safety of his servants, from wicked and unreasonable men; and give them opportunities to speak for themselves, to plead for the Redeemer and to spread abroad his glorious gospel __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
μελλων 3195 5723 V-PAP-NSM τε 5037 PRT εισαγεσθαι 1521 5745 V-PPN εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF παρεμβολην 3925 N-ASF ο 3588 T-NSM παυλος 3972 N-NSM λεγει 3004 5719 V-PAI-3S τω 3588 T-DSM χιλιαρχω 5506 N-DSM ει 1487 COND εξεστιν 1832 5904 V-PQI-3S μοι 3427 P-1DS ειπειν 2036 5629 V-2AAN τι 5100 X-ASN προς 4314 PREP σε 4571 P-2AS ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ εφη 5346 5713 V-IXI-3S ελληνιστι 1676 ADV γινωσκεις 1097 5719 V-PAI-2S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
37. Canst thou speak (ginwskeiv). Lit., dost thou know? So Rev.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
21:37 {May I say something unto thee?} (ei exestin moi eipein ti pros se?). On this use of ei in a direct question see on 1:6. The calm self-control of Paul in the presence of this mob is amazing. His courteous request to Lysias was in Greek to the chiliarch's amazement. {Dost thou know Greek?} (hellenisti ginwskeis?). Old Greek adverb in -i from hellenizw, meaning "in Greek."Do you know it in Greek?" In the N.T. only here and #Joh 19:20. {Art thou not qen the Egyptian?} (ouk ara su ei ho aiguptios?). Expects the answer _Yes_ and Ara argues the matter (therefore). The well-known (ho) Egyptian who had given the Romans so much trouble. {Stirred up to sedition} (anastatwsas). First aorist active participle of anastatow, a late verb from anastatos, outcast, and so to unsettle, to stir up, to excite, once known only in LXX and #Ac 17:6 (which see); #21:38; Ga 5:12, but now found in several papyri examples with precisely this sense to upset. {Of the Assassins} (twn sikariwn). Latin word _sicarius_, one who carried a short sword sica under his cloak, a cutthroat. Josephus uses this very word for bands of robbers under this Egyptian (_War_ II. 17,6 and 13,5; _Ant_. XX. 8,10). Josephus says that there were 30,000 who gathered on the Mount of Olives to see the walls of Jerusalem fall down and not merely 4,000 as Lysias does here. But Lysias may refer to the group that were armed thus (banditti) the core of the mob of 30,000. Lysias at once saw by Paul's knowledge of Greek that he was not the famous Egyptian who led the Assassins and escaped himself when Felix attacked and slew the most of them.
