Acts 23:21

But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
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Reflection

Acts 23:21 sits within Acts, the record of the early church, where Scripture often draws attention to the Spirit, witness, mission, courage, and the spread of the gospel. This verse may be brief, but its words are not accidental. By emphasizing yield, wait, forty, bound, it invites the reader to slow down and consider how God’s truth reaches into real life, real choices, and real dependence upon Him. The verse belongs to chapter 23, and its placement helps connect this single statement to the larger movement of Acts.

For nearby context, read this verse alongside Acts 23:20, Acts 23:22, and Acts 23:19, which keep the surrounding passage and themes in view.

What This Verse Shows

• Faith and Trust
  The wording calls the heart away from self-reliance and toward confidence in God. Faith is more than agreement with truth; it is the settled posture of depending on the Lord when circumstances are clear and when they are not.
• Obedience and Wisdom
  The verse reminds us that God’s truth is meant to shape actual conduct. Biblical wisdom joins hearing with doing, so that reverence for God becomes visible in choices, speech, priorities, and habits.
• Promise and Covenant
  The verse carries the language of divine faithfulness. What God pledges is not fragile, because His promises rest on His own character rather than on human strength.

Why This Verse Matters

• It rewards careful reading. The exact wording of Acts 23:21 helps us notice what Scripture emphasizes, whether the verse is narrative, command, promise, warning, prayer, or praise.
• It connects belief with life. Biblical truth is never meant to remain abstract. It teaches the mind, searches the heart, and presses toward faithful response.
• It points beyond the moment. This verse belongs to the wider testimony of Scripture, where God’s purposes are revealed through creation, covenant, redemption, judgment, mercy, and hope.

Application for Today

As you reflect on Acts 23:21, receive it as more than an isolated religious sentence. Let it ask what you are trusting, what you are resisting, what you are learning about God, and where obedience may need to become more concrete. The same Lord who speaks through the sweep of Scripture also uses individual verses to correct, comfort, steady, and guide His people today.