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 it came to pass, that after we were got from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto 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 over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.
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.
Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unload her burden.
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 said to Paul through the Spirit, (pneuma) that he should not go up 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 we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and 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.
And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.
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 when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode 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 the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and 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 the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
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 as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
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 when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, (pneuma) So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him 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 things, both we, and they of that place, besought 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 answered, What mean all of you to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at 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 when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, 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 we took up our carriages, and 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].
There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, [a group of] the believers greeted us happily.
And when we were come to 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 the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
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 when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by 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 when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous 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 are informed of you, that you teach all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after 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].
What is it therefore? the multitude must essentially come together: for they will hear that you are 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].
Do therefore this that we say to you: We have four men which have a vow on 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].
Them take, and purify yourself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning you, are nothing; but that you yourself also walk orderly, and keep 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.”
As concerning the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from 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 took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every 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 almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teaches all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and has polluted this holy place.
(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought 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 all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
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 as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
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 took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of 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 chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, 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 some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried 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].
And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”
For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
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 as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto you? Who said, Can 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 not you that Egyptian, which before these days made an uproar, and led out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
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 a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I plead to you, suffer me to speak unto 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 when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
