Acts 21

Warnings on the Journey to Jerusalem

1 Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.2 And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.3 When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo.4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed.6 When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home.7 And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.8 On the next day we who were Pauls companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.11 When he had come to us, he took Pauls belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.13 Then Paul answered, What do you mean by 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 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Paul Urged to Make Peace

15 And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem.16 Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.19 When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law;21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.23 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.24 Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.

Arrested in the Temple

26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,28 crying out, Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.33 Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done.34 And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another.35 When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob.36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, Away with him!

Addressing the Jerusalem Mob

37 Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, May I speak to you?38 Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?39 But Paul said, I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.40 So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

ACTS 21

Paul Goes to Jerusalem

1 After saying goodbye, we sailed straight to Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and from there sailed on to Patara.

2 We found a ship going to Phoenicia, so we got on board and sailed off.
3 We came within sight of Cyprus and then sailed south of it on to the port of Tyre in Syria, where the ship was going to unload its cargo. 4 We found the Lord's followers and stayed with them for a week. The Holy Spirit had told them to warn Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when the week was over, we started on our way again. All the men, together with their wives and children, walked with us from the town to the seashore. We knelt on the beach and prayed.

6 Then after saying goodbye to each other, we got into the ship, and they went back home.
7 We sailed from Tyre to Ptolemais, where we greeted the followers and stayed with them for a day. 8 t The next day we went to Caesarea and stayed with Philip, the preacher. He was one of the seven men who helped the apostles,

9 and he had four unmarriedt daughters who prophesied.
10  t We had been in Caesarea for several days, when the prophet Agabus came to us from Judea. 11 He took Paul's belt, and with it he tied up his own hands and feet. Then he told us, “The Holy Spirit says that some of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. They will also hand him over to the Gentiles.”

12 After Agabus said this, we and the followers living there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.

13 But Paul answered, “Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am not only willing to be put in jail for the Lord Jesus, but I am even willing to die for him in Jerusalem!”

14 Since we could not get Paul to change his mind, we gave up and prayed, “Lord, please make us willing to do what you want.”
15 Then we got ready to go to Jerusalem.

16 Some of the followers from Caesarea went with us and took us to stay in the home of Mnason. He was from Cyprus and had been a follower from the beginning.

Paul Visits James

20 Everyone who heard this praised God and said to Paul:
My friend, you can see how many tens of thousands of our people have become followers! And all of them are eager to obey the Law of Moses.

21 But they have been told that you are teaching those who live among the Gentiles to disobey this Law. They claim that you are telling them not to circumcise their sons or to follow our customs.
22 What should we do now that our people have heard you are here? 23 t Please do what we ask, because four of our men have made special promises to God.

24 Join with them and prepare yourself for the ceremony that goes with the promises. Pay the cost for their heads to be shaved. Then everyone will learn that the reports about you are not true. They will know you do obey the Law of Moses.

25  t Some while ago we told the Gentile followers what we think they should do. We instructed them not to eat anything offered to idols. They were told not to eat any meat with blood still in it or the meat of an animal that has been strangled. They were also told not to commit any terrible sexual sins.t

26 The next day Paul took the four men with him and got himself ready at the same time they did. Then he went into the temple and told when the final ceremony would take place and when an offering would be made for each of them.

Paul Is Arrested

29 t Some of them thought that Paul had brought Trophimus from Ephesus into the temple, because they had seen them together in the city.
30 The whole city was in an uproar, and the people turned into a mob. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Then suddenly the doors were shut. 31 The people were about to kill Paul when the Roman army commander heard that all Jerusalem was starting to riot.

32 So he quickly took some soldiers and officers and ran to where the crowd had gathered.
As soon as the mob saw the commander and soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 The army commander went over and arrested him and had him bound with two chains. Then he tried to find out who Paul was and what he had done. 34 Part of the crowd shouted one thing, and part of them shouted something else. But they were making so much noise that the commander could not find out a thing. Then he ordered Paul to be taken into the fortress. 35 As they reached the steps, the crowd became so wild that the soldiers had to lift Paul up and carry him.

36 The crowd followed and kept shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”

Paul Speaks to the Crowd

37 When Paul was about to be taken into the fortress, he asked the commander, “Can I say something to you?”
“How do you know Greek?” the commander asked.

38 “Aren't you that Egyptian who started a riot not long ago and led 4,000 terrorists into the desert?”

39 “No!” Paul replied. “I am a Jew from Tarsus, an important city in Cilicia. Please let me speak to the crowd.”
40 The commander told him he could speak, so Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. When they were quiet, he spoke to them in Aramaic:t