A.T. Robertson Commentary Acts 21:37

"And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?" — Acts 21:37 (ASV)

May I say something unto thee? (Ε εξεστιν μο ειπειν τ προς σε?). On this use of ε in a direct question see on 1:6. The calm self-control of Paul in the presence of this mob is amazing. His courteous request to Lysias was in Greek to the chiliarch's amazement.

Dost thou know Greek? (Hελληνιστ γινωσκεισ?). Old Greek adverb in - from Hελληνιζω, meaning "in Greek." "Do you know it in Greek?" In the N.T. only here and Joh 19:20.

Art thou not then the Egyptian? (Ουκ αρα συ ε ο Αιγυπτιοσ?). Expects the answer Yes and αρα argues the matter (therefore). The well-known (ο) Egyptian who had given the Romans so much trouble.

Stirred up to sedition (αναστατωσας). First aorist active participle of αναστατοω, a late verb from αναστατος, outcast, and so to unsettle, to stir up, to excite, once known only in LXX and Ac 17:6 (which see); 21:38; Galatians 5:12, but now found in several papyri examples with precisely this sense to upset.

Of the Assassins (των σικαριων). Latin word sicarius, one who carried a short sword σιχα under his cloak, a cutthroat. Josephus uses this very word for bands of robbers under this Egyptian (War II. 17,6 and 13,5; Ant. XX. 8,10). Josephus says that there were 30,000 who gathered on the Mount of Olives to see the walls of Jerusalem fall down and not merely 4,000 as Lysias does here. But Lysias may refer to the group that were armed thus (banditti) the core of the mob of 30,000. Lysias at once saw by Paul's knowledge of Greek that he was not the famous Egyptian who led the Assassins and escaped himself when Felix attacked and slew the most of them.