It seemed clearer all the time to Paul"s companions and to the local Christians that Paul was going to be in great danger in Jerusalem. Consequently they tried to discourage him from proceeding. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Acts 21:1-14 - Ready To Die For His Lord
The vessel coasted along Asia Minor, sighted Cyprus, sailed to the south of it, and so finally to Tyre. There the disciples were poor and obscure, and it took searching to find them; but they were very warm-hearted, and the whole community, including the children, who never forgot that incident, accompanied Paul to his ship. As they neared the vessel they knelt on the shore to pray together, and so parted.
The journey from Ptolemais (Acre) to Caesarea lay along the edge of the plain of Sharon, at the season bright with the flowers of spring. The days Paul spent at Caesarea were the last happy days of freedom that he was to enjoy for two or three years. What blessed intercourse Paul and Philip must have had! They had both known Stephen. Agabus joined the happy party, with prophecies of peril ahead, but these only served to bring out the magnificent courage of the Apostle. His purpose was inflexible. An unseen hand was beckoning; a voice which only he could hear was calling. He had no doubt as to God's purpose, and went straight forward; though he was not insensible to the love and sympathy of friends. [source]
Chapter Summary: Acts 21
1Paul calls at the house of Philip, whose daughters prophesy 10Agabus, foretelling what should befall him at Jerusalem, 13he will not be dissuaded from going thither 17He comes to Jerusalem; 27where he is apprehended, and in great danger, but by the chief captain is rescued; 37and requests, and is permitted to speak to the people
Greek Commentary for Acts 21:12
Both we and they of that place [ημεις τε και οι εντοπιοι] Usual use of τε και te kai (both--and). Εντοπιοι Entopioi old word, only here in N.T. [source]
Not to go up [του μη αναβαινειν] Probably ablative of the articular present active infinitive with redundant negative με me after παρεκαλουμεν parekaloumen (imperfect active, conative). We tried to persuade him from going up. It can be explained as genitive, but not so likely: We tried to persuade him in respect to not going up. Vincent cites the case of Regulus who insisted on returning from Rome to Carthage to certain death and that of Luther on the way to the Diet of Worms. Spalatin begged Luther not to go on. Luther said: “Though devils be as many in Worms as tiles upon the roofs, yet thither will I go.” This dramatic warning of Agabus came on top of that in Tyre (Acts 21:4) and Paul‘s own confession in Miletus (Acts 20:23). It is small wonder that Luke and the other messengers together with Philip and his daughters (prophetesses versus prophet?) joined in a chorus of dissuasion to Paul. [source]
Besought him not to go up [] This suggests the case of Luther when on his journey to the Diet of Worms, and the story of Regulus the Roman, who, being permitted to return to Rome with an embassy from the Carthaginians, urged his countrymen to reject the terms of peace, and to continue the war, and then, against the remonstrances of his friends, insisted on fulfilling his promise to the Carthaginians to return in the event of the failure of negotiations, and went back to certain torture and death. [source]
What do the individual words in Acts 21:12 mean?
Whenthenwe had heardthese thingsbegan beggingwebothandthoseof that place-notto go uphimtoJerusalem
Greek Commentary for Acts 21:12
Usual use of τε και te kai (both--and). Εντοπιοι Entopioi old word, only here in N.T. [source]
Probably ablative of the articular present active infinitive with redundant negative με me after παρεκαλουμεν parekaloumen (imperfect active, conative). We tried to persuade him from going up. It can be explained as genitive, but not so likely: We tried to persuade him in respect to not going up. Vincent cites the case of Regulus who insisted on returning from Rome to Carthage to certain death and that of Luther on the way to the Diet of Worms. Spalatin begged Luther not to go on. Luther said: “Though devils be as many in Worms as tiles upon the roofs, yet thither will I go.” This dramatic warning of Agabus came on top of that in Tyre (Acts 21:4) and Paul‘s own confession in Miletus (Acts 20:23). It is small wonder that Luke and the other messengers together with Philip and his daughters (prophetesses versus prophet?) joined in a chorus of dissuasion to Paul. [source]
This suggests the case of Luther when on his journey to the Diet of Worms, and the story of Regulus the Roman, who, being permitted to return to Rome with an embassy from the Carthaginians, urged his countrymen to reject the terms of peace, and to continue the war, and then, against the remonstrances of his friends, insisted on fulfilling his promise to the Carthaginians to return in the event of the failure of negotiations, and went back to certain torture and death. [source]