HANDELINGE 21
Paulus reis Jerusalem toe
1 Nadat ons swaar van hulle afskeid geneem het, het ons aan boord gegaan. Ons het reguit koers gehou en by die eiland Kos aangekom. Die volgende dag het ons Rodos bereik en daarvandaan by Patara aangekom. 2 Daar het ons 'n skip gekry wat na Fenisië toe sou vaar, en ons het aan boord gegaan en weggevaar. 3 Ons het Siprus in sig gekry en is aan die suidekant daarvan verby Sirië toe. In Tirus, waar die skip sy vrag moes aflaai, het ons afgeklim. 4 Ons het die gelowiges daar opgesoek en sewe dae by hulle gebly. Deur die Gees gelei, het hulle vir Paulus gesê om nie Jerusalem toe te gaan nie. 5 Maar toe die sewe dae verby was, het ons verder gereis, en hulle is almal met hulle vrouens en kinders saam met ons tot buitekant die stad. Ons het op die strand gekniel en gebid 6 en van mekaar afskeid geneem. Daarna het ons aan boord gegaan, en hulle het omgedraai huis toe.
7 Van Tirus af het ons die seereis voortgesit na Ptolemaïs toe. Daar het ons die gelowiges gegroet en 'n dag by hulle gebly. 8 Die volgende dag het ons vertrek en in Sesarea aangekom. Ons het die evangelis Filippus, een van die sewet, opgesoek en by hom tuis gegaan. 9 Hy het vier ongetroude dogters gehad wat die gawe besit het om te profeteer.
10 Nadat ons reeds 'n hele paar dae daar was, het daar 'n profeet met die naam Agabus van Judea af aangekom. 11 Hy het na ons toe gekom, Paulus se gordel gevat, sy eie hande en voete daarmee vasgebind en gesê: “So sê die Heilige Gees: Die Jode sal in Jerusalem die eienaar van hierdie gordel net so vasbind en hom aan die heidene uitlewer.”
12 Toe ons dit hoor, het ons en die mense daar vir Paulus gesmeek om nie Jerusalem toe te gaan nie. 13 Toe antwoord Paulus: “Waarom wil julle my hart sag maak met julle trane? Ter wille van die Naam van die Here Jesus is ek bereid om in Jerusalem nie net gevange geneem te word nie, maar selfs ook te sterwe.”
14 Toe ons hom nie kon oorreed nie, het ons daarin berus en gesê: “Laat die wil van die Here geskied.”
15 Na 'n paar dae het ons ons voorbereidings afgehandel en na Jerusalem toe vertrek. 16 Party van die gelowiges het van Sesarea af saam met ons gegaan. Hulle het ons by Mnason gebring, wat oorspronklik van Siprus afkomstig was en wat van vroeg af reeds 'n gelowige was. By hom sou ons tuis gaan.
Paulus besoek vir Jakobus
17 By ons aankoms in Jerusalem het die broers ons hartlik ontvang.
18 Die volgende dag het ons saam met Paulus na Jakobus toe gegaan. Al die ouderlinge was daar teenwoordig. 19 Paulus het hulle gegroet en in besonderhede vertel wat God deur sy diens onder die heidene gedoen het.
20 Toe hulle dit hoor, het hulle God geprys en vir Paulus gesê: “Jy sien, broer, hier is duisende Jode wat gelowig geword het, maar almal onderhou die wet van Moses nog stiptelik. 21 Hulle het gehoor dat jy al die Jode wat onder die heidene woon, leer om van die wet van Moses af te sien. Jy sou hulle geleer het om nie meer hulle kinders te laat besny nie en om nie die Joodse gebruike te onderhou nie.
22 “Wat moet ons nou doen? Hulle sal beslis te hore kom dat jy hier is. 23 Maak nou soos ons vir jou sê. Hier by ons is daar vier mans wat 'n gelofte afgelê het. 24 Neem hulle saam met jou vir die reinigingshandeling en betaal die koste daarvan, sodat hulle hulle hare kan laat afsny. Dan sal almal weet dat nie een van die gerugte wat oor jou versprei word, waar is nie, maar dat jy self die wet onderhou. 25 Ons het tog al vir die gelowiges wat vroeër heidene was, laat weet van ons besluit dat hulle nie vleis wat aan 'n afgod geoffer is, en bloed en 'n dier wat verwurg is, moet eet nie, en dat hulle onsedelikheid moet vermy.”
26 Die volgende dag het Paulus die manne geneem en die reinigingshandeling saam met hulle verrig. Hy het tempel toe gegaan en kennis gegee op watter dag die reiniging verby sou wees, wanneer die offer vir elkeen van hulle gebring sou word.
Paulus word by die tempel gevange geneem
27 Toe die sewe dae van die reiniging byna om was, het Jode van die provinsie Asië vir Paulus by die tempel gesien. Hulle het die hele skare aangehits en vir Paulus gegryp. 28 “Israeliete, kom help!” het hulle geskreeu. “Hier is die man wat ons volk, die wet van Moses en die tempel oral aanval. Nou het hy boonop nog Grieke in die tempel ingebring en hierdie heilige plek ontheilig.”
29 Hulle het dit gesê omdat hulle vantevore vir Trofimus van Efese saam met Paulus in die stad gesien het en gedink het dat Paulus hom in die tempel in geneem het.
30 Die hele stad het in beroering gekom. Die mense het saamgedrom, vir Paulus gegryp en hom uit die tempel uitgesleep. Die deure is dadelik agter hulle toegesluit. 31 Die mense wou hom net doodmaak. 'n Boodskap is toe na die kommandant van die Romeinse garnisoen toe gestuur dat die hele Jerusalem in oproer is. 32 Hy het onmiddellik met soldate en offisiere na die oproer toe gehardloop. Toe die skare die kommandant en sy soldate sien, het hulle opgehou om vir Paulus te slaan. 33 Die kommandant het na Paulus toe gegaan, hom gevange geneem en beveel dat hy met twee kettings geboei moet word. Daarna het hy probeer vasstel wie die man is en wat hy gedoen het.
34 Die skare het so deurmekaar geskreeu dat hy in die lawaai nie kon uitvind wat presies aan die gang is nie. Hy het toe beveel dat Paulus na die kaserne toe gevat moet word. 35 By die trap van die kaserne het die gepeupel so saamgedrom dat die soldate Paulus moes dra, 36 want al die mense het agterna geloop en geskreeu: “Weg met hom!”
Paulus verdedig homself
37 Net voor hulle Paulus die kaserne wou inbring, sê hy vir die kommandant: “Mag ek u iets vra?” Daarop sê die kommandant: “Ken jy Grieks?
38 Dan is jy nie die Egiptenaar wat 'n rukkie gelede in opstand gekom en met vier duisend terroriste die woestyn in getrek het nie?”
39 Daarop antwoord Paulus hom: “Ek is 'n Jood van Tarsus in Silisië, 'n burger van 'n belangrike stad. Laat my asseblief toe om die volk toe te spreek.”
40 Die kommandant het ingewillig, en Paulus het op die trap gaan staan en met sy hand vir die mense gewys om stil te bly. Toe dit baie stil geword het, het hy hulle in Hebreeus toegespreek.
Acts 21
1 AND WHEN we had torn ourselves away from them and withdrawn, we set sail and made a straight run to Cos, and on the following [day came] to Rhodes and from there to Patara.2 There we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia; so we went aboard and sailed away.3 After we had sighted Cyprus, leaving it on our left we sailed on to Syria and put in at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo.4 And having looked up the disciples there, we remained with them for seven days. Prompted by the [Holy] Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.5 But when our time there was ended, we left and proceeded on our journey; and all of them with their wives and children accompanied us on our way till we were outside the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed.6 Then when we had told one another farewell, we went on board the ship, and they returned to their own homes.7 When we had completed the voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, where we paid our respects to the brethren and remained with them for one day.8 On the morrow we left there and came to Caesarea; and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven [first deacons], and stayed with him. 9 And he had four maiden daughters who had the gift of prophecy.10 While we were remaining there for some time, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.11 And coming to [see] us, he took Paul’s belt and with it bound his own feet and hands and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit: The Jews at Jerusalem shall bind like this the man who owns this belt, and they shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles (heathen).12 When we heard this, both we and the residents of that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.13 Then Paul replied, What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart like this? For I hold myself in readiness not only to be arrested and bound and imprisoned at Jerusalem, but also [even] to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.14 And when he would not yield to [our] persuading, we stopped [urging and imploring him], saying, The Lord’s will be done!15 After these days we packed our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea came with us, conducting us to the house of Mnason, a man from Cyprus, one of the disciples of long standing, with whom we were to lodge.17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received and welcomed us gladly.18 On the next day Paul went in with us to [see] James, and all the elders of the church were present [also].19 After saluting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.20 And upon hearing it, they adored and exalted and praised and thanked God. And they said to [Paul], You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and all of them are enthusiastic upholders of the [Mosaic] Law.21 Now they have been informed about you that you continually teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn back from and forsake Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or pay any attention to the observance of the [Mosaic] customs.22 What then [is best that] should be done? A multitude will come together, for they will surely hear that you have arrived.23 Therefore do just what we tell you. With us are four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.24 Take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses [for the temple offering], so that they may have their heads shaved. Thus everybody will know that there is no truth in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself walk in observance of the Law.25 But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ), we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should keep themselves free from anything that has been sacrificed to idols and from [tasting] blood and [eating the meat of animals] which have been strangled and from all impurity and sexual immorality.26 Then Paul took the [four] men with him and the following day [he went through the rites of] purifying himself along with them. And they entered the temple to give notice when the days of purification (the ending of each vow) would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented on behalf of each of them.27 When the seven days were drawing to a close, some of the Jews from [the province of] Asia, who had caught sight of Paul in the temple, incited all the rabble and laid hands on him,28 Shouting, Men of Israel, help! [Help!] This is the man who is teaching everybody everywhere against the people and the Law and this place! Moreover, he has also [actually] brought Greeks into the temple; he has desecrated and polluted this holy place!29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and they supposed that he had brought the man into the temple [into the inner court forbidden to Gentiles].30 Then the whole city was aroused and thrown into confusion, and the people rushed together; they laid hands on Paul and dragged him outside the temple, and immediately the gates were closed.31 Now while they were trying to kill him, word came to the commandant of the regular Roman garrison that the whole of Jerusalem was in a state of ferment.32 So immediately he took soldiers and centurions and hurried down among them; and when the people saw the commandant and the troops, they stopped beating Paul.33 Then the commandant approached and arrested Paul and ordered that he be secured with two chains. He then inquired who he was and what he had done.34 Some in the crowd kept shouting back one thing and others something else, and since he could not ascertain the facts because of the furor, he ordered that Paul be removed to the barracks.35 And when [Paul] came to mount the steps, he was actually being carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob;36 For the mass of the people kept following them, shouting, Away with him! [Kill him!]37 Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commandant, May I say something to you? And the man replied, Can you speak Greek?38 Are you not then [as I supposed] the Egyptian who not long ago stirred up a rebellion and led those 4,000 men who were cutthroats out into the wilderness (desert)?39 Paul answered, I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant or undistinguished city. I beg you, allow me to address the people.40 And when the man had granted him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, gestured with his hand to the people; and there was a great hush. Then he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying: