21:24a

purify yourself along with them: The Greek words are literally “purify yourself with them.” It is not clear what is meant here by purify yourself. Numbers 19:1–10, 17–19 describes how to purify from uncleanness. “Uncleanness” includes sinning, touching a dead body, and traveling in foreign lands.

Briefly, this purification is: after starting the rite, the unclean person sprinkles himself with water on the third and seventh day. The water used for sprinkling contains the ashes of a special offering for purification. On the seventh day the unclean person washes his clothes and bathes. Then he is clean. Here “clean” means “fit to stand before God.” A ritually clean person could worship God at the temple.

Other ways to translate this phrase are:

be purified with them (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
go with them to the House of God and do the religious rite of cleansing the body
-or-
take them and have the priest do the ritual to make you clean before God
-or-
take them and have the priest do the ritual to remove your filth so you can stand before God

Paul, by sharing in some way in the purification rites, would demonstrate that he supported Jews following the law of Moses.

21:24b

pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved: The fact that these men would have their heads shaved indicates that they had earlier taken Nazirite vows and the number of days for their vows had finished. A sign of being under this vow was not cutting one’s hair. So having their heads shaved here showed that the time had ended for their vow. The closing ceremony for the vow involved offering sacrifices as well as shaving one’s head. If Paul paid for these sacrifices, it showed again that he supported Jews following the law of Moses.

In many languages the meaning of ending the Nazirite vows will not be clear. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Include some implied information to explain this in your translation. For example:

pay their expenses so ⌊they can end their vows with the ceremony that included⌋ having their heads shaved
-or-
pay their expenses ⌊for the sacrifice⌋. Then they will be able to have ⌊the priest⌋ shave their heads ⌊and end what they had vowed⌋
-or-
pay the expenses ⌊for the closing rite of their vows when they will offer sacrifices⌋ and have their heads shaved

• Translate literally and explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The fact that they would have their heads shaved indicates that they had earlier taken Nazirite vows and the number of days for their vows had finished. The purpose of the vows was to dedicate oneself to God for a period of time. A sign of being under this vow was not cutting one’s hair. So having their heads shaved here showed that the time had ended for their vow. They would also offer animals and food in sacrifice. They would throw their hair on the fire of one of the sacrifices.

they can have their heads shaved: To shave one’s head means to completely cut off all the hair using a razor. According to Number 6:18, they would shave their own heads. For example:

they may shave their heads (Revised Standard Version)

21:24c

Then: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then is literally “and.” For example:

and (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

But it introduces the result of Paul’s doing as the elders suggest. So many English versions indicate a means-result connection here. For example:

thus (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
in this way (Good News Translation)
-or-
This will let everyone know (New Jerusalem Bible)

these rumors: This phrase refers to the lies that someone told the Jewish Christians about Paul (21:21a).

21:24d

but: The conjunction but here contrasts the false reports with Paul living in obedience to the law. But connecting to the whole meaning of 21:24c, the word “and” is a better conjunction. For example:

and (New Century Version)

you also live in obedience to the law: The Greek words are literally “you yourself also walk/agree, keeping the law.” Doing those Jewish rituals would show that Paul lived according to the law of Moses. It would also indicate that he agreed that obeying the law of Moses was right. Other ways to translate this clause are:

you yourself live in accordance with the Law of Moses (Good News Translation)
-or-
you follow the law of Moses in your own life (New Century Version)
-or-
you indeed obey the laws of Moses

the law: The singular word law refers to all the laws in the first five books of the Old Testament as a group. In some languages it is more natural to use the plural here. For example:

laws

In some languages it is more clear to explain which law this refers to. For example:

the Law of Moses (Good News Translation)
-or-
our laws

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