Acts 21:13-14

21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking 1  my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, 2  but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded, 3  we said no more except, 4  “The Lord’s will be done.” 5 

1 tn The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus (Ant. 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a hapax legomenon) it is used figuratively (BDAG 972 s.v. συνθρύπτω).

2 tn L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together – ‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’” The verb δέω (dew) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.

3 tn The participle πειθομένου (peiqomenou) in this genitive absolute construction has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

4 tn Grk “we became silent, saying.”

5 sn “The Lord’s will be done.” Since no one knew exactly what would happen, the matter was left in the Lord’s hands.