Acts 21
1 When we had gone away from them and set sail, we took a straight course to the city of Cos, and the next day to the city of Rhodes, and from there to the city of 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 When we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.
where we found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, and went on board and set sail.
3 After sighting Cyprus, leaving it on the left side of the boat, 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 After we found the disciples, we stayed there seven days. Through the Spirit they kept urging Paul not to go 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 When our days there were over, we left and went on our way, and they all, with their wives and children, accompanied out of the city. Then we knelt down on the beach, prayed,
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 said farewell to each other. Then we went on board 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 the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. There we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one 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 On the next day we left and went to Caesarea. We entered the house of Philip, the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and we stayed with him.
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 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
He had four unmarried daughters, who had the gift of prophecy.
10 As we stayed there for some days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet named Agabus.
During our visit, which lasted several days, a prophet, named Agabus, came down from Judea.
11 He came to us and took Paul's belt. With it he tied his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews in Jerusalem tie up the man who owns this belt, and they will hand him over into the hands of 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 these things, both we and the people who lived in that place begged 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, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready, not only to be tied up, 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 Since Paul did not wish to be persuaded, we stopped trying and said, “May the will of the Lord 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 picked up our bags and went up to Jerusalem.
At the end of our visit, we made our preparations, and started on our way up to Jerusalem.
16 There also went with us some of the disciples from Caesarea. They brought with them a man named Mnason, a man from Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.
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 had arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.
On our arrival at Jerusalem, the followers of the Lord there gave us a hearty welcome;
18 The next day Paul went with us to 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 When he had greeted them, he reported 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 it, they praised God, and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands have believed among the Jews. They are all determined to keep 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 They have been told about you, that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise their children, and not to follow the old 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 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 So do what we say to you. We have four men who made a vow.
We have four men here, who have of their own accord put themselves under a vow.
24 Take these men and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, so that they may shave their heads. So everyone will know that the things they have been told about you are false. They will learn that you also follow 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 But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote and gave the instructions that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, 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 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself with them, went into the temple, announcing the period of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one 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 finished, some Jews from Asia, seeing Paul in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and laid hands on 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 They were shouting, “Men of Israel, help us. This is the man who teaches all men everywhere things that are against the people, the law, and this place. Besides, he has also brought Greeks into the temple and has 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 thought 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 All the city was excited, and the people ran together and laid hold of Paul. They dragged him out of the temple, and the doors were immediately 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 As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the chief captain of the guard that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
They were bent on killing him, when it was reported to the officer commanding the garrison, that all Jerusalem was in commotion.
32 Right away he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the chief captain 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 Then the chief captain approached and laid hold of Paul, and commanded him to 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 others another. Since the captain could not tell anything because of all the noise, he ordered that Paul be brought into the fortress.
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 he came to the steps, he was carried by the soldiers because of the crowd's violence.
When Paul reached the steps, he was actually being carried by the soldiers, owing to the violence of the mob;
36 For the crowd of people followed after and kept shouting out, “Away with him!”
for the people were following in a mass, shouting out, ‘Kill him!’
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the fortress, he said to the chief captain, “May I say something to you?” The captain said, “Do you speak Greek?
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 Are you not then the Egyptian, who previously led a rebellion and led the four thousand men of the 'Assassins' out 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 Paul said, “I am a Jew, from the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. I am a citizen of an important city. I ask you, 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 When the captain had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with the hand to the people. When there was a deep silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language. He said,
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:
