Acts 21
1 [After] we said goodbye to the elders [from Ephesus], we [got on the ship and] sailed to Cos [Island, where the ship stopped for the night]. The next day we sailed from Cos to Rhodes [Island, where the ship stopped again. The day after] that we sailed to Patara [town, where the ship stopped. This was on Patara Island].
And when it came to pass, that we having been farewelled by them, embarked, sailing straight forward, we arrived at Cos, and on the following day to Rhodes, and thence to Patara.
2 [At Patara we left that ship, and someone told us that] there was a ship that would be going to Phoenicia [region. So] we got on that ship, and it left.
And finding a ship sailing into Phoenicia, having embarked, we moved out.
3 [We sailed until] we could see Cyprus [Island]. We passed to the south of the island and continued sailing until we arrived at [Phoenicia region, in] Syria [province]. We arrived at Tyre [city. The ship was going to stay there several days, because its workers] had to unload the cargo.
And coming in sight of Cyprus, and leaving it on the left, we sailed to Syria, and disembarked at Tyre: for there the ship was delivering her cargo.
4 [Someone told us] where the believers in Tyre lived, so we [(exc) went and] stayed with them for seven days. Because [God’s] Spirit revealed to them ([that people would cause Paul to suffer/Paul would suffer]) [in Jerusalem], they told Paul that he should not go there.
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who continued to say to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go to Jerusalem.
5 But when it was time [for the ship to leave again], we [prepared to] continue going [to Jerusalem]. When we left [Tyre], all the believers, including their wives and children, went with us [to the edge of the sea]. We all knelt down there on the sand/shore and prayed.
And when it came to pass that we refitted during those days, having come out, we departed, all sending us forth, along with the women and children, out of the city: and putting down the knees on the shore, having prayed,
6 After we all said goodbye, Paul and we [his companions] got on the ship, and the [other] believers returned to their own homes.
we farewelled one another, and went up into the ship; and they returned to their own homes.
7 After we [(exc)] left Tyre, we continued on [that ship] to Ptolemais [city]. There were believers there, and we greeted them and stayed with them that night.
And we continuing our voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and having saluted the brethren, we remained with them one day.
8 The next day we left [Ptolemais] and sailed to Caesarea [city], where we stayed in the home of Philip, who [spent his days] telling others how to become disciples of Jesus. He was one of the seven [men whom the believers in Jerusalem had chosen to care for the widows].
And on the following day, having come out, we came into Caesarea: and having entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, being one of the seven, we abode with him.
9 He had four daughters who were not married. Each of them [frequently] spoke messages that the Holy Spirit had revealed to them.
And there were to him four virgin daughters, prophesying.
10 After [we(exc) had been in Philip’s house for] several days, a believer whose name was Agabus came down from Judea [district] and arrived [in Caesarea]. He [frequently] spoke messages that the Holy Spirit had told him.
And we remaining many days, a certain prophet, by name Agabus, came down from Judea;
11 Coming over to where we were, he took off Paul’s belt. Then he tied his own feet and hands with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] in Jerusalem will tie up [the hands and feet of] the owner of this belt, like this, and they will hand him over to non-Jewish people [as a prisoner].’”
and having come to us, and taking the girdle of Paul, binding his own feet and hands, said, These things says the Holy Ghost, The man whose girdle this is, will the Jews in Jerusalem bind and deliver into the hands of the Gentiles.
12 When [the rest of] us heard that, we and [other] believers there repeatedly pled with Paul, “Please do not go up to Jerusalem!”
And when we heard these words, both we, and the citizens, exhorted him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 But Paul replied, “(Please stop crying and trying to discourage me [IDM] [from going!]/Why are you crying and trying to discourage me [IDM] [from going]?) [RHQ] I am willing to be put {[for people] to put me} in prison and also to be killed {[for them] to kill me} in Jerusalem because I [serve] [MTY] the Lord Jesus.”
Then Paul responded and said, What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not only to be bound, but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
14 When [we(exc) realized that] he was determined [to go to Jerusalem], we did not try [any longer] to persuade him [not to go]. We said, “May (the Lord [God] do what he wants/the Lord’s will be done)!”
And he not being persuaded, we acquiesced, saying, Let the will of the Lord be done.
15 After those days [in Caesarea], we [(exc)] prepared [our things] and [left to] go [by land] up to Jerusalem.
And after those days, taking our luggage, we went up to Jerusalem:
16 Some of the believers from Caesarea also went with us. [On the way to Jerusalem], we stayed [one night] in the house of [a man whose name was] Mnason. He was from Cyprus [Island], and he had believed [in Jesus] when people were first beginning to hear the message [about him].
and some of the disciples from Caesarea went along with us, bringing Mnason a certain Cyprian, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, [a group of] the believers greeted us happily.
And we being in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to speak with James, [who was the leader of the congregation there]. All of the [other] leaders/elders [of the congregation in Jerusalem] were also there.
And on the following day, Paul goes with us to James; and all the elders assembled.
19 Paul greeted them, and then he reported all of the things that God had enabled him to do among the non-Jewish people.
And having saluted them, he related each one of those things which God did among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 When they heard that, James and the other elders said, “Praise the Lord!” Then [one of] them said to Paul, “Brother/Friend, you [(sg)] know that there are very many thousands of us [(inc)] Jewish people [here] who have believed [in the Lord Jesus]. Also, you know that we [(inc)] all continue very carefully to obey the laws [that Moses gave us].
And they hearing, continued to glorify God, and said to him, You see, brother, how many myriads there are of those who believe; and they are all zealots of the law:
21 [But our fellow Jewish believers] have been told {have heard [people say]} that when you are among non-Jews, you tell the Jewish believers who live there that they should stop obeying [the laws] [MTY] ([of] Moses/[that] Moses [received from God]). [People say that] you tell [those Jewish believers] not to circumcise their sons and not to practice our [other] customs. [We(exc) do not believe that this is true].
and they have been informed concerning thee, that thou art teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles apostasy from Moses, saying that they are not to circumcise their children, nor to walk according to the customs.
22 But our fellow [Jewish] believers will certainly hear that you have arrived, [and they will be angry with you]. So [you] need to do something [RHQ] [to show them that what they heard about you is not true].
Then what is it? it is altogether necessary that the multitude come together: for they will hear that you have come.
23 So you should do what we suggest to you. There are four men among us who have strongly promised [to God] about [something].
Therefore do this which we tell thee. There are four men among us having a vow upon them;
24 Go with these men [to the Temple] and [ritually] purify yourself along with them. Then, [when it is time for them to offer the sacrifices for that ritual], pay for what they offer [as sacrifices]. After that, they can shave their heads [to show that they have done what they promised to do. And when people see you in the courts of the Temple with those men], they will know that what they have been told {what people have told them} about you is not true. Instead, all of them will know that you obey all our Jewish laws [and rituals].
taking them, be purified along with them, and be at charges for them, that they may shave their head: and all shall know that there is nothing of those things they have been informed concerning thee; but that thyself art walking, keeping the law.
25 As for the non-Jewish believers, [we elders here in Jerusalem have talked] about [which of our laws] they [should obey, and] we [(exc)] wrote them [a letter, telling them] what we decided. [We wrote] that they should not eat meat that people have offered as a sacrifice to any idol, [that they should not eat] blood [from animals], and that [they should not eat] meat from animals [that people have killed by] strangling [them. We also told them that] they should not have sex with someone to whom they are not married.”
But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent to them, adjudicating that they keep themselves from idolatry, and blood, and strangulation, and fornication.
26 So Paul [agreed to do what they asked], and the next day he took the [four] men, and together they ritually purified themselves. After that, Paul went to the Temple [courts and] told [the priest] what day they would [finish] purifying themselves [ritually] and when [they] would offer [the animals as sacrifices] for each of them.
Then Paul, having taken the men, the next day being purified along with them, enters into the temple, proclaiming the fulfillment of the days of purification, until an offering may be made for each one of them.
27 When the seven days [for purifying themselves] were nearly finished, Paul [returned] to the Temple [courtyard]. Some Jews from Asia [province] saw him there, [and they were very angry at him]. On another day they had seen Paul [walking around] in Jerusalem with Trophimus, who was a non-Jew. Their laws did not permit non-Jews to be in the Temple, and they thought that Paul had brought Trophimus into the Temple [courtyard that day. So] they called out to many other Jews [who were in the Temple courtyard] to [help them] seize [MTY] Paul. They shouted, “Fellow Israelites, come and help [us punish this] man! This is the one who is [constantly] teaching people wherever [he goes that they] should despise the [Jewish] people. [He teaches people that they should no longer obey] the laws [of Moses] nor respect this holy [Temple]. He has even brought non-Jews here into [the court of] our Temple, causing God to consider it no longer holy!”
And when the seven days were about to have an end, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole multitude, and laid hands on him, crying out,
Israelitish men, help: this is the man, teaching all everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and he has even yet led Greeks into the temple, and polluted this holy place.
For they saw Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they supposed that Paul led into the temple.
30 [People] throughout [MTY] the city heard that there was trouble [at the Temple courtyard], and they came running there. They grabbed Paul and dragged him outside of the Temple [area]. The gates [to the Temple courtyard were shut] {[The Temple guards] shut the doors [to the Temple courts]} immediately, [so that the people would not riot inside the Temple area].
And the whole city was excited, and there was a commotion of the people: and taking Paul, they dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were closed.
31 While they were trying to kill Paul, someone [ran to the fort near the Temple] and told the Roman commander that many [HYP] people [MTY] in Jerusalem were rioting [at the Temple].
And seeking to kill him, the report went up to the chiliarch of the band, that all Jerusalem is in commotion;
32 The commander quickly took some officers and [a large group of] soldiers and ran to [the Temple area where] the crowd was. When the crowd of people [who were yelling and beating Paul] saw the commander and the soldiers [coming], they stopped beating him.
who immediately, taking soldiers and centurions, ran to them: and they, seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul.
33 The commander came to [where Paul was and] seized him. He [commanded soldiers] to fasten a chain to [each of] Paul’s [arms]. Then he asked [the people in the crowd], “Who is this man, and what has he done?”
Then the chiliarch, having come nigh, took Paul, and commanded that he should be bound with two chains; and was making inquiry who he might be, and what he had done.
34 Some of the many people there were shouting one thing, [and] some were shouting something else. Because they continued shouting so loudly, the commander could not understand [what they were shouting. So] he [commanded] that Paul be taken {[the soldiers] to take Paul} into the barracks [so that he could question him there].
And they continued to cry aloud in the multitude, some one thing, and some another: and he, being unable to know the certainty on account of the uproar, commanded that he should be led into the castle.
35 [The soldiers] led Paul to the steps [of the barracks], but many people continued to follow them, trying to kill [Paul. So the commander told] the soldiers to carry Paul [up the steps into the barracks].
Then when he was on the threshold, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers, on account of the violence of the mob;
36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”
for the multitude of the people were following, crying out, Take him away.
37 As Paul was about to be taken {[the soldiers] were about to take Paul} into the barracks, he said [in Greek] to the commander, “May I speak to you?” The commander said, “(I am surprised that you can speak the Greek [language]!/Can you [(sg)] speak the Greek [language]?)” [RHQ]
And Paul, being about to be led into the castle, says to the chiliarch, Is it lawful for me to say something to thee? And he said, Do you speak Greek?
38 “(I [thought] that you [(sg)] were that fellow/Are you not that fellow) from Egypt [RHQ] who wanted to rebel [against the government not long ago], and who took 4,000 violent terrorists [with him] out into the desert, [so that we could not catch him]?”
Are you not that Egyptian who before these days rising up and leading away into the desert four hundred men of daggers?
39 Paul answered, “[No, I am not!] I am a Jew. I [was born] in Tarsus, which is an important [LIT] city in Cilicia [province]. I ask that you [(sg)] let me speak to the people.”
But Paul said, I am indeed a Jewish man, a Tarsean, a citizen of Cilicia, no mean city: but, I pray you, permit me to speak to the people.
40 Then the commander permitted Paul [to speak. So] Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand [for the crowd to be quiet. And after] the people in the crowd became quiet, Paul spoke to them in [their own] Hebrew language [MTY].
And he permitting, Paul, standing on the threshold, beckoned with his hand to the people: and there being great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying:
