Acts Chapter 21 verse 31 Holy Bible
And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
read chapter 21 in ASV
And while they were attempting to put him to death, news came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem was out of control.
read chapter 21 in BBE
And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult;
read chapter 21 in DARBY
And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
read chapter 21 in KJV
read chapter 21 in WBT
As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
read chapter 21 in WEB
and they seeking to kill him, a rumour came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem hath been thrown into confusion,
read chapter 21 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 31. - Were seeking for went about, A.V.; up to for unto, A.V.; confusion for an uproar, A.V. Tidings; φάσις, only here in the New Testament. The legal use of the word in Greek is an "information" against any one laid before a magistrate. Here it is the information conveyed to the tribune by the sentinels on guard (Lange; see Hist. of Susanna 55). Came up; viz. to the castle of Antonia, to which steps led up from the temple area on the north-west side (see vers. 32 and 35). The chief captain; the chiliarch, or tribune; literally, the commander of a thousand men (see John 18:12). The band (τῆς σπείρης); the cohort which formed the Roman garrison of Antonia (see Acts 10:1, note; also vers. 32, 33, etc.; Acts 22:24, 26, etc.).
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(31) The chief captain of the band.--On the word "band," and its relation to the Latin "cohort," see Notes on Acts 10:1; Matthew 27:27. On the word for "chief captain" (literally, chiliarch, or "captain of a thousand men," the cohort being the sixth part of the legion, which consisted of 6, 000), see Note on Matthew 8:29. They were stationed in the tower known as Antonia, built by Herod the Great, and named in honour of the Triumvir, which stood on the north-west side of the Temple area, on a rock, with a turret at each corner, and two flights of stairs leading to the arcades on the northern and western sides of the Temple. The Roman garrison was obviously stationed there to command the crowds of pilgrims, and was likely to be on the alert at a time like the Pentecost Feast. The Procurator Felix, however, was for the time at Caesarea. The next verse shows that their appearance was sufficient at once to strike some kind of awe into the turbulent mob. Once again the Apostle owed his safety from violence to the interposition of the civil power, (See Notes on Acts 18:14-17.) The "beating" would seem to have been rough treatment with the fists rather than any regular punishment.
