Acts 21
1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we sailed directly to Cos, and the next day on to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
When we had torn ourselves away and had set sail, we ran before the wind to Cos; the next day we came to Rhodes, and from there to Patara,
2 Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded it and set sail.
where we found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, and went on board and set sail.
3 After sighting Cyprus and passing south of it, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo.
After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on the left, we sailed to Syria, and put into Tyre, where the ship was to discharge her cargo.
4 We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
There we found the disciples and stayed a week with them. Speaking under the influence of the Spirit, they warned Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5 But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to pray with us.
However, when we had come to the end of our visit, we went on our way, all the disciples with their wives and children escorting us out of the city. We knelt down on the beach, and prayed,
6 And after we had said our farewells, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
and then said goodbye to one another; after which we went on board, and they returned home.
7 When we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.
After we had made the run from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, and exchanged greetings with the followers there, and spent a day with them.
8 Leaving the next day, we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven.
The next day we left, and reached Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip, the missionary, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him.
9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
He had four unmarried daughters, who had the gift of prophecy.
10 After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
During our visit, which lasted several days, a prophet, named Agabus, came down from Judea.
11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
He came to see us, and, taking Paul’s belt, and binding his own feet and hands with it, said, ‘This is what the Holy Spirit says – “The man to whom this belt belongs will be bound like this by the religious authorities in Jerusalem, and they will give him up to the Gentiles”.’
12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
When we heard that, we and the people of the place began to entreat Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
It was then that Paul made the reply, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart like this? For my part, I am ready not only to be bound, but even to suffer death at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’
14 When he would not be dissuaded, we fell silent and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
So, as he would not be persuaded, we said no more to him, only adding – ‘The Lord’s will be done.’
15 After these days, we packed up and went on to Jerusalem.
At the end of our visit, we made our preparations, and started on our way up to Jerusalem.
16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to stay at the home of Mnason the Cypriot, an early disciple.
Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, and brought Mnason with them, a Cypriot disciple of long standing, with whom we were to stay.
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully.
On our arrival at Jerusalem, the followers of the Lord there gave us a hearty welcome;
18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.
and the next day Paul went with us to see James, and all the church elders were present.
19 Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
After greeting them, Paul related in detail all that God had done among the Gentiles through his efforts;
20 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.
and, when they had heard it, they began praising God, and said to Paul: ‘You see, brother, that those of our people who have become believers in Christ may be numbered by tens of thousands, and they are all naturally earnest in upholding the Jewish 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.
Now they have heard it said about you, that you teach all of our people in foreign countries to forsake Moses, for you tell them not to circumcise their children or even to observe Jewish customs.
22 What then should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Well now, as they are certain to hear of your arrival, do what we are going to suggest.
23 Therefore do what we advise you. There are four men with us who have taken a vow.
We have four men here, who have of their own accord put themselves under a vow.
24 Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is no truth to these rumors about you, but that you also live in obedience to the law.
Join these men, share their purification, and bear their expenses, so that they may shave their heads; and then all will see that there is no truth in what they have been told about you, but that, on the contrary, you yourself rule your life in obedience to the Jewish Law.
25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”
As to the Gentiles who have become believers in Christ, we have sent our decision that they should avoid food offered to idols, and blood, and the flesh of strangled animals, and impurity.’
26 So the next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he entered the temple to give notice of the date when their purification would be complete and the offering would be made for each of them.
Paul joined the men, and the next day shared their purification, and went into the Temple, and gave notice of the expiration of the period of purification when the usual offering should have been made on behalf of each of them.
27 When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,
But, just as the seven days were drawing to a close, some of the Jewish people from Roman Asia caught sight of Paul in the Temple, and caused great excitement among all the people present, by seizing Paul and shouting,
28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”
‘People of Israel! Help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our Law, and this place; and, what is more, he has actually brought Greeks into the Temple and defiled this sacred place.’
29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
(For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in Paul’s company in the city, and were under the belief that Paul had taken him into the Temple.)
30 The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
The whole city was stirred, and the people quickly collected, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the Temple, when the doors were immediately shut.
31 While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil.
They were bent on killing him, when it was reported to the officer commanding the garrison, that all Jerusalem was in commotion.
32 Immediately he took some soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
He instantly got together some officers and soldiers, and charged down on the crowd, who, when they saw the commanding officer and his soldiers, stopped beating Paul.
33 The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
Then he went up to Paul, arrested him, ordered him to be doubly chained, and proceeded to inquire who he was, and what he had been doing.
34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, and some another. And since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks.
Some of the crowd said one thing, and some another; and, as he could get no definite reply because of the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks.
35 When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob.
When Paul reached the steps, he was actually being carried by the soldiers, owing to the violence of the mob;
36 For the crowd that followed him kept shouting, “Away with him!”
for the people were following in a mass, shouting out, ‘Kill him!’
37 As they were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied.
Just as he was about to be taken into the Fort, Paul said to the commanding officer, ‘May I speak to you?’ ‘Do you know Greek?’ asked the commanding officer.
38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the ‘Assassins’ into the wilderness?”
‘Aren’t you, then, the Egyptian who some time ago raised an insurrection and led the four thousand Bandits out into the wilderness?’
39 But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
‘No,’ said Paul, ‘I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of a city of some note. I beg you to give me permission to speak to the people.’
40 Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:
The commanding officer gave his permission, and Paul, standing on the steps, made signs with his hand to the people, and, when comparative silence had been obtained, he said to them in Hebrew:
