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].
Now as soon as we had parted from them, and set sail, we came in a strait course to Coos, and the day following to Rhodes, and from 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 there, which was passing over to Phenicia, we went aboard it, and set sail.
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 fight of Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed to Syria, and came down to Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade.
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 we stayed there seven days; having met with some disciples: who told Paul by the Spirit, not to 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.
But when we had completed these days, we departed and went our way, all of them attending us with their 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 having taken leave of each other, we went into the ship, and they returned home.
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 finishing our voyage, came down from Tyre to Ptolemais, and saluting the brethren stayed 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].
On the morrow Paul and those that were with him departed from Ptolemais, and came to Cesarea; and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven deacons, we stayed 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 he had four daughters virgins, that were prophetesses.
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 abode there several days, there came down from Judea 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 he came to us, and taking up Paul's girdle, and binding his own hands and feet, he said, Thus saith the holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man whose girdle this is, 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 those of the place intreated 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.”
But Paul answered, What do ye mean, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not only to be bound, 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 as 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 these days were expired, we packed up our things, and went 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 there went also with us from Cesarea some of the disciples, who brought us to one Mnason a Cyprian, an old disciple, with whom we were to 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 with joy.
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 next day Paul went in with us to 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 gave a particular narrative of the things which God had done 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 to him, Thou seest, brother, how many myriads there are of the believing Jews, and they are all zealous for 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 heard of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews, who are among the Gentiles, to forsake the law of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor to walk after our 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 then is to be done? The people must necessarily meet together; for they will hear that thou art 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 this therefore, which we advise thee. Here are four men with us, that have a vow upon them: take these and be purified with 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].
and join in their expences, that they may shave their head: and that all may know, that there is nothing in what they have heard of thee; but thou thyself walkest according to 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 as to the believing Gentiles, we have written and determined, that they need observe no such thing; only to keep themselves from what is offered to idols, and from blood, and from any thing 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 being purified with them entered into the temple to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification till 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!”
But when the seven days were near ended, the Jews that came from Asia seeing him in the temple, raised a tumult among 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 of the Jews, and the law, and this sacred place? and besides, hath brought Greeks too into the temple, and polluted this holy place.
(For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought 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 the whole city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people: and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the gates 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 were going to kill him, a report came to the tribune of the cohort, 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 to them. And when they saw the chiliarch and the soldiers, they left off 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 commanding officer came near and took him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and inquired, 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].
But some in the croud bawled out one thing and some another: and as 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 was upon the stairs, he was even borne by the soldiers, because of the violence of the people.
36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”
For the multitude followed crying out, 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 going to be led into the castle, he said to the tribune, May I be allowed to speak a word to thee? And he said, Canst thou 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]?”
Art not thou that Egyptian, who before this madest a sedition, and didst lead out into the wilderness four thousand murtherers?
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 Jew, a man of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beg thou wouldest 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 when he gave him leave, Paul standing on the stairs made a sign with the hand to the people: and there being a great silence made, He spake to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
