Acts 21:33

33 When the commander arrived, he arrested Paul and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Only then did he begin to ask who Paul was and what he had done.

Acts 21:33 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 21:33

Then the chief captain came near
To the place where the Jews were beating Paul:

and took him
the Arabic version adds, "from them"; he rescued him out of their hands, as he himself says, ( Acts 23:27 ) .

And commanded him to be bound with two chains:
partly to appease the people, and partly to secure Paul; who, he supposed, had been guilty of some misdemeanour, which had occasioned this tumult; these two chains were put, one on one arm, and the other on the other arm; and were fastened to two soldiers, who walked by him, having hold on those chains, the one on his right hand, and the other on his left; and thus Agabus's prophecy in ( Acts 21:11 ) was fulfilled:

and demanded who he was;
or asked and inquired about him, who he was, of what nation he was, what was his character, business, and employment: this inquiry was made, either of the apostle himself, or of the people; and so the Arabic version renders it, "he inquired of them who he was"; also

and what he had done;
what crime he had been guilty of, that they used him in such a manner.

Acts 21:33 In-Context

31 While they were trying to kill him, a report reached the commander of a company of soldiers that all Jerusalem was in a state of confusion.

32 Without a moment's hesitation, he took some soldiers and officers and ran down to the mob. When the mob saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 When the commander arrived, he arrested Paul and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Only then did he begin to ask who Paul was and what he had done.

34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, others shouted something else. Because of the commotion, he couldn't learn the truth, so he ordered that Paul be taken to the military headquarters.

35 When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers in order to protect him from the violence of the crowd.