What Does Acts 21:27 Mean in the King James?
And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The crowd’s “stirring” is a pouring-together into confusion, and that turmoil becomes physical when hands are thrown upon one man.
THE MEANING
You see a crowd turn its attention toward one man, and its disorder become bodily force. The verse holds the escalation in view: seeing a person gives way to seizing his body.
THE ROOT
συνέχεον
synecheon
GROWS FROM
συγχέω (syncheō), from συν (syn) + χέω (cheō)
To pour together; by extension, to confuse or throw into disorder.
The verb behind “stirred up” carries the image of pouring together, then confusing or throwing into disorder. The crowd’s agitation is described as gathered turmoil that immediately takes physical form.
ALSO GROWS
cheō: Pour.
χέω
This is the verb’s underlying image: the crowd is described through a word built on pouring together.
synchysis: Confusion, disorder.
σύγχυσις
This related noun appears in Acts 19:29, where a city’s confusion accompanies people seizing others.
ἐπέβαλον
epebalon
GROWS FROM
βάλλω (ballō), with ἐπί (epi) meaning upon
To throw or cast; with “upon,” to cast onto or impose.
“laid hands” in this verse is epebalon. The phrase is not simply hands placed in contact: the verb means to cast or throw upon, and “hands” is its object. The Greek lets the restraint register as an abrupt, imposed action on his body.
ALSO GROWS
ballō: Throw, cast.
βάλλω
The verb’s base gives the action force: they cast their hands upon him.
epibolē: Imposition, laying on, attack.
ἐπιβολή
This related noun carries the same “upon” and “casting” sense, illuminating the force imposed on him.
THE PATTERN
When many are swept into shared disorder, collective pressure can become violence against one exposed person.
And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.THE THREAD
And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.Acts 19:29 uses σύγχυσις (synchysis), “confusion,” from the same συγχέω (syncheō), “pour together or confuse,” word family as “stirred up” here. In both verses, crowd disorder accompanies people being seized, linking turmoil with force against the body.
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