Acts 21:20

¹⁸ The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.

¹⁹ Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

When they heard this, they glorified God. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

²¹ But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.

²² What then should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: When they heard this, they glorified God. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.
KJV: And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
WEB: They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.
ASV: And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law:
DARBY: And they having heard [it] glorified God, and said to him, Thou seest, brother, how many myriads there are of the Jews who have believed, and all are zealous of the law.
BLB: And those having heard were glorifying God, and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jews having believed, and they are all zealous ones of the law.

ÅB: Da de hørte det, priste de Gud; og så sa de til ham: Du ser, bror, hvor mangfoldige tusener det er blant jødene som har tatt ved troen, og alle er de nidkjære for loven;
OTB: Da de hørte dette, priste de Gud og sa til ham: "Du ser, bror, hvor mange tusen jøder som har trodd, og de er alle nidkjære for loven.
B1930: Da de hørte det, priste de Gud; og så sa de til ham: Du ser, bror, hvor mangfoldige tusener det er blandt jødene som har tatt ved troen, og alle er de nidkjære for loven;

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Romans 10:2
For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.
Read in context
Galatians 1:14
I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Read in context
Acts 22:3
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.
Read in context
Acts 11:18
When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
Read in context
Acts 15:1
Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Read in context
Acts 15:5
But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
Read in context
2 Thessalonians 1:10
on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.
Read in context
Romans 15:9–13
so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.”
Read in context