Acts 21:37-40

Paul's Request to be Allowed to Speak

In proper fashion, Paul asked the chief captain, who had taken him prisoner, if he could speak. The captain was surprised to hear Paul so fluently speak to him in Greek, since he had assumed he was an Egyptian criminal. The captain described the man in question as the one who had led a band of some 4,000 men in rebellion. Josephus indicates they first attacked the Roman authorities in Jerusalem, then the Egyptian ran away into the wilderness.

Paul explained to the captain that he was a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia. Coffman says, "Coins excavated from Tarsus carry the inscription, 'Metropolis Autonomous,' indicating that it had been granted autonomy by the Romans. It was an important metropolis noted for its educational facilities, as well as for trade, shipbuilding, and commerce." The apostle went on to ask him for permission to speak to the very multitude that only moments before had sought to kill him! Once permission was granted, Paul gestured with his hand to gain the attention of the audience and a hush fell over the crowd. He then began to speak to them in Hebrew, or Aramaic (Acts 21:37-40). Bruce says, "Aramaic was not only the vernacular of Palestinian Jews, but was the common speech of all non-Greek speakers in western Asia, as far east as (and including) the Parthian empire beyond the Euphrates."