SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:40
Y cuando l se lo permiti, Pablo, estando en pie en las gradas, hizo seal con la mano al pueblo. Y hecho gran silencio, habl en lengua hebrea, diciendo:
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 21:40
Verse 40. Paul stood on the stairs] Where he was out of the reach of the mob, and was surrounded by the Roman soldiers. Beckoned with the hand] Waving the hand, which was the sign that he was about to address the people. So VIRGIL says of Turnus, when he wished, by single combat between himself and AEneas, to put an end to the war: - Significatque manu, et magno simul incipit ore: Parcite jam, Rutuli; et vos tela inhibete, Latini.
He beckoned with his hand, and cried out with a loud voice, Desist, ye Rutulians; and, ye Latins, cease from throwing your javelins.
He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue] What was called then the Hebrew, viz. the Chaldalo-Syriac; very well expressed by the Codex Bezae, th idia dialektw, in their own dialect.
Never was there a more unnatural division than that in this chapter: it ends with a single comma! The best division would have been at the end of the 25th verse.
PAUL'S embarkation at Tyre is very remarkable. The simple manner in which he was escorted to the ship by the disciples of Tyre, men, women, and children, and their affectionate and pious parting, kneeling down on the shore and commending each other to God, are both impressive and edifying. Nothing but Christianity could have produced such a spirit in persons who now, perhaps for the first time, saw each other in the flesh.
Every true Christian is a child of God; and, consequently, all children of God have a spiritual affinity. They are all partakers of the same Spirit, are united to the same Head, are actuated with the same hope, and are going to the same heaven. These love one another with pure hearts fervently; and these alone are capable of disinterested and lasting friendship. Though this kind of friendship cannot fail, yet it may err; and with officious affection endeavour to prevent us from bearing a necessary and most honourable cross. See ver. 12, 13. It should, therefore, be kept within Scriptural bounds.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 40. And when he had given him licence , etc.] To speak to the people, which he could not well deny him, after he had so freely declared who he was, and in so courteous a manner addressed him, and asked leave of him: Paul stood on the stairs ; on the steps of the ascent to the castle, on the top of them: and beckoned with the hand unto the people ; to desire silence, which he might be able to do, notwithstanding his chains; for his being bound with a chain to a soldier, did not hinder the moving and lifting up of his hand: and when there was made a great silence ; either through the authority of the captain, who might command it, or through the desire of the people, to hear what he could say for himself: he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue ; which the people he spoke to best understood, and was his own mother tongue; the Alexandrian copy reads, in his own dialect; this was not pure Hebrew that was spoke in common in those times, but the Syro-Chaldean language: saying ; as in the following chapter.
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
επιτρεψαντος 2010 5660 V-AAP-GSM δε 1161 CONJ αυτου 846 P-GSM ο 3588 T-NSM παυλος 3972 N-NSM εστως 2476 5761 V-RAP-NSM επι 1909 PREP των 3588 T-GPM αναβαθμων 304 N-GPM κατεσεισεν 2678 5656 V-AAI-3S τη 3588 T-DSF χειρι 5495 N-DSF τω 3588 T-DSM λαω 2992 N-DSM πολλης 4183 A-GSF δε 1161 CONJ σιγης 4602 N-GSF γενομενης 1096 5637 V-2ADP-GSF προσεφωνησεν 4377 5656 V-AAI-3S τη 3588 T-DSF εβραιδι 1446 N-DSF διαλεκτω 1258 N-DSF λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
40. Beckoned with the hand. Compare ch. xxvi. 1.Tongue (dialektw). Lit., dialect: the language spoken by the Palestinian Jews - a mixture of Syriac and Chaldaic.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
21:40 {When he had given him leave} (epitreyantos autou). Genitive absolute of aorist active participle of the same verb epitrepw. {Standing on the stairs} (hestws epi twn anabaqmwn). Second perfect active participle of histemi, to place, but intransitive to stand. Dramatic scene. Paul had faced many audiences and crowds, but never one quite like this . Most men would have feared to speak, but not so Paul. He will speak about himself only as it gives him a chance to put Christ before this angry Jewish mob who look on Paul as a renegade Jew, a turncoat, a deserter, who went back on Gamaliel and all the traditions of his people, who not only turned from Judaism to Christianity, but who went after Gentiles and treated Gentiles as if they were on a par with Jews. Paul knows only too well what this mob thinks of him. {Beckoned with the hand} (kateseise tei ceiri). He shook down to the multitude with the hand (instrumental case ceiri), while Alexander, Luke says (#19:33), "shook down the hand" (accusative with the same verb, which see). In #26:1 Paul reached out the hand (ekteinas ten ceira). {When there was made a great silence} (polles siges genomenes). Genitive absolute again with second aorist middle participle of ginomai, "much silence having come." Paul waited till silence had come. {In the Hebrew language} (tei ebraidi dialektwi). The Aramaean which the people in Jerusalem knew better than the Greek. Paul could use either tongue at will. His enemies had said in Corinth that "his bodily presence was weak and his speech contemptible" (#2Co 10:10). But surely even they would have to admit that Paul's stature and words reach heroic proportions on this occasion. Self-possessed with majestic poise Paul faces the outraged mob beneath the stairs.
