Acts 23:21 nasb — "So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curs…

NASB

""So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.""

— Acts 23:21, NASB

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Acts 23:21 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.”

  • ASV

    “Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee. ”

  • WEB

    “Therefore don't yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."”

  • NET

    “So do not let them persuade you to do this, because more than forty of them are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.””

  • DRB

    “But do not thou give credit to them: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor to drink, till they have killed him. And they are now ready, looking for a promise from thee.”

  • BBE

    “But do not give way to them, for more than forty of them are waiting for him, having taken an oath not to take food or drink till they have put him to death: and now they are ready, waiting for your order.”

  • KJVA

    “But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.”

Acts 23 — Context

18

So he took him and led him to the commander and *said, "Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you."

19

The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, "What is it that you have to report to me?"

20

And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.

21

"So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you."

22

So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, "Tell no one that you have notified me of these things."

23

And he called to him two of the centurions and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen."

24

They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

Acts 23:21 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Acts 23:21 say?
Acts 23:21 in the NASB reads: “"So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you."”
Where is Acts 23:21 in the Bible?
Acts 23:21 is found in the New Testament, in the book of Acts, chapter 23, verse 21.
Who wrote Acts?
Acts is traditionally attributed to Luke. It was written c. AD 62–64.
What is the book of Acts about?
Acts is the sequel to Luke's Gospel — the story of how the message of the risen Jesus moved out from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Through Peter, Paul, and many ordinary believers, the Holy Spirit builds the early church across the Roman world.
What are the major themes of Acts?
Acts explores themes including Holy Spirit, Mission, Church Growth, Persecution, Gospel to the Gentiles. These themes shape the meaning and context of Acts 23:21.
What translation should I read Acts 23:21 in?
Acts 23:21 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Acts 23:21?
Acts 23:21 reads (NASB): “"So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you."” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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