Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Verse
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Acts 21:21
ESV and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.
NIV They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.
NASB and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.
CSB But they have been informed about you--that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to live according to our customs.
NLT But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs.
KJV And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

What does Acts 21:21 mean?

Paul has been traveling around modern-day Turkey, Macedonia, and Greece, bringing Jesus' offer of salvation to the Gentiles. Meanwhile, the church in Jerusalem has been drawing more and more Jews. The Jews understand that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah who forgives their sins and promises a physical resurrection. They are being taught, correctly, that to follow Christ is no contradiction to their Jewish faith. God's commands as found in the Law of Moses are still in effect for the nation of Israel, which is not to say they are mandatory for salvation. Nor is participating in them meaningful to non-Jews.

Somehow, the Pharisaical Christians hear that as Paul spreads the message of salvation to the Gentiles, he is telling Jews they should stop following Mosaic law. This is not just a denominational issue; it's a crime punishable by death (Deuteronomy 13:1–5).

This raises a point which often needs clarification: did the Jews of the early church need to continue practicing Judaism? The answer is that they did not need to do so for salvation. Salvation is by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9); Jews today are part of the church, not the theocracy of Israel. However, their identity as God's chosen people selected to provide the Messiah to save the world is still expressed through the Law. Paul knows this. It's why although he firmly teaches Gentile Christians do not have be circumcised, he circumcised Timothy, a young Jewish Christian, to avoid undue offense (Acts 16:1–3).

The whole issue must be incredibly frustrating to Paul. His Jewish bona fides are impeccable (Philippians 3:2–6). He's out in the dangerous world, rescuing people from demons, and the Jews in Jerusalem are worried he's telling people their diet is too restrictive. But he has already resolved to be what he needs to be so others can be focused on the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:19–23). When the elders of the Jerusalem church ask him to fulfill a Jewish ritual, he does so. But in the course of the week, before being fully able to complete the ritual, Paul is accused of something else he didn't do. A riot ensues and Paul is arrested by the Romans (Acts 21:22–36).
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app:
BibleRef.com is part of Got Questions Ministries

For answers to your Bible questions, please visit