Acts 21:24

These take (toutou paralabwn). Second aorist active participle of paralambanw. Taking these alone. Purify thyself with them (agnisqhti sun autoi). First aorist passive imperative of agnizw, old verb to purify, to make pure (agno). See the active voice in James 4:8 ; 1 Peter 1:22 ; 1 John 3:3 . It is possible to see the full passive force here, "Be purified." But a number of aorist passives in the Koin supplant the aorist middle forms and preserve the force of the middle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 819). That is possible here. Hence, "Purify thyself" is allowable. The word occurs in Numbers 6:1 for taking the Nazarite vow. The point is that Paul takes the vow with them. Note agnismou in verse Numbers 26 . Be at charges for them (dapanhson ep autoi). First aorist active imperative of old verb dapanaw, to incur expense, expend. Spend (money) upon (ep) them. Ramsay (St. Paul the Traveller, etc., p. 310) argues that Paul had use of considerable money at this period, perhaps from his father's estate. The charges for five men would be considerable. "A poor man would not have been treated with the respect paid him at Caesarea, on the voyage, and at Rome" (Furneaux). That they may shave their heads (ina xurhsontai thn kepalhn). Note thn kepalhn, the head (singular). Future middle indicative of xuraw, late form for the old xurew, to shave, middle to shave oneself or (causative) to get oneself shaved. This use of ina with the future indicative is like the classic opw with the future indicative and is common in the N.T. as in the Koin (Robertson, Grammar, p. 984). And all shall know (kai gnwsontai). This future middle indicative of ginwskw (cf. akousontai in verse Numbers 22 ) may be independent of ina or dependent on it like xurhsontai, though some MSS. (H L P) have gnwsin (second aorist subjunctive, clearly dependent on ina). Of which (wn). Genitive plural of the relative a (accusative) object of the perfect passive verb kathchntai (cf. verse Numbers 21 kathchqhsan) attracted into the case of the omitted antecedent toutwn. The instruction still in effect. But that thou thyself walkest orderly (alla stoicei kai auto). Stoicei is an old verb to go in a row (from stoico, row, rank, series), to walk in a line or by rule. In the N.T. only here and Galatians 5:25 ; Romans 4:12 ; Philippians 3:16 . The rule is the law and Paul was not a sidestepper. The idea of the verb is made plain by the participle pulasswn ton nomon (keeping or observing the law).