Acts 21:24

“Take these men, purify yourself with them, and pay the expenses for them so that they may shave their head, and all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk in order, keeping the law.”
Acts 21:24 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

Takeπαραλαβὼνthese men,τούτουςpurify yourselfἁγνίσθητιwithσὺνthem,αὐτοῖςandκαὶpay the expensesδαπάνησονforἐπ’themαὐτοῖςso thatἵναthey may shaveξυρήσονταιtheir head,τὴν κεφαλήνandκαὶallπάντεςwill knowγνώσονταιthatὅτιthere isἐστινnothingοὐδένin whatὧνthey have been toldκατήχηνταιaboutπερὶyou,σοῦbutἀλλὰthatyou yourselfαὐτὸςalsoκαὶwalk in order,στοιχεῖςkeepingφυλάσσωνthe law.τὸν νόμον

Allusion · Numbers 6:13-21

Go to Numbers 6:13-21

Both texts speak of shaving the head on fulfilling a vow; Numbers 6:18 commands it of the Nazirite at the end of the days of his consecration.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

ξυρήσονταιxyrēsontaiG3587גִלַּחgilajH1548“shave the head”
κεφαλήνkephalēnG2776רֹאשׁroshH7218“head”

Naziriteנָזִירnazir

One who made a vow to consecrate himself to YHWH for a time: he did not drink wine or intoxicating drink, did not cut his hair and did not touch the dead; at the end he shaved his head and presented offerings (Numbers 6:1-21). Samson was one from his mother’s womb (Judges 13:5). It has no relation to “Nazarene.”

See it in the glossary

Acts 21:24, word by word

Takeπαραλαβὼνparalabōn

take along

To take someone along, into one's care or company.

Where else “paralabōn” appears

purify yourselfἁγνίσθητιhagnisthēti

purify

Purify; purify oneself according to the law in order to take part in worship.

Where else “hagnisthēti” appears

withσὺνsyn

with

With, together with.

Where else “syn” appears

pay the expensesδαπάνησονdapanēson

spend

Spend; spend freely, use up.

Where else “dapanēson” appears

they may shaveξυρήσονταιxyrēsontai

shave

Shave the head.

Where else “xyrēsontai” appears

their headκεφαλήνkephalēn

head

The top part of the body, where the face and hair are.

Where else “kephalēn” appears

will knowγνώσονταιgnōsontai

find out

To find out something, to realize.

Where else “gnōsontai” appears

there isἐστινestin

there is

Something exists somewhere, or happens.

Where else “estin” appears

they have been toldκατήχηνταιkatēchēntai

instruct

Instruct, teach by word of mouth; also inform.

Where else “katēchēntai” appears

walk in orderστοιχεῖςstoicheis

walk in line

Walk in line, follow a rule; keep in step.

Where else “stoicheis” appears

keepingφυλάσσωνphylassōn

keep

To obey what is commanded.

Where else “phylassōn” appears

the lawνόμονnomon

law

The instructions God gave Israel through Moses; also, the whole of Scripture.

Where else “nomon” appears

Translation note

Paying the offerings of those who were completing a Nazirite vow was considered a work of piety (Numbers 6:13-21).

The context

23So do this that we tell you: we have four men who have a vow on themselves.

24 · This verse (above)

25But as for the nations who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should guard themselves against both what has been sacrificed to idols and blood and what is strangled and sexual immorality.”

Read all of Acts 21

To study Acts 21 in a group

1. What it says
What does the prophet Agabus do, and what do the believers who hear him ask of Paul? (vv. 10-12)
2. What it means
What does Paul answer those who weep to keep him from going up to Jerusalem, and how do they react? (vv. 13-14)
3. How I live it
Paul's friends wanted to protect him, but in the end said "The Lord's will be done" (v. 14). When is it hard for you to let someone you love go?

How to use it