Acts 21:34

Some shouting one thing, some another

(αλλο αλλο τ επεφωνουν). Same idiom of αλλο αλλο as in Acts 19:32 which see. The imperfect of επιφωνεω, to call out to, suits well the idiom. This old verb occurs in the N.T. only in Luke and Acts (already in Acts 12:22).When he could not know

(μη δυναμενου αυτου γνωνα). Genitive absolute of present middle participle of δυναμα with negative μη and second aorist active infinitive of γινωσκω.The certainty

(το ασφαλες). Neuter articular adjective from α privative and σφαλλω, to make totter or fall. Old word, in the N.T. only in Acts 21:34; Acts 22:30; Acts 25:26; Philippians 3:1; Hebrews 6:19.Into the castle

(εις την παρεμβολην). Koine word from παρεμβαλλω, to cast in by the side of, to assign soldiers a place, to encamp (see on Luke 19:43). So παρεμβολη comes to mean an interpolation, then an army drawn up (Hebrews 11:34), but mainly an encampment (Hebrews 13:11; Hebrews 13:13), frequent in Polybius and LXX. So here barracks of the Roman soldiers in the tower of Antonia as in verse Acts 21:37; Acts 22:24; Acts 23:10; Acts 23:16; Acts 23:32.