Acts 21

Paul travels to Jerusalem

1 After we tore ourselves away from them, we set sail on a straight course to Cos, reaching Rhodes the next day, and then Patara.2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, boarded, and put out to sea.3 We spotted Cyprus, but passed by it on our left. We sailed on to the province of Syria and landed in Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo.4 We found the disciples there and stayed with them for a week. Compelled by the Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem.5 When our time had come to an end, we departed. All of them, including women and children, accompanied us out of town where we knelt on the beach and prayed.

6 We said good-bye to each other, then we boarded the ship and they returned to their homes.
7 Continuing our voyage, we sailed from Tyre and arrived in Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and sisters there and spent a day with them.8 The next day we left and came to Caesarea. We went to the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven, and stayed with him.9 He had four unmarried daughters who were involved in the work of prophecy.10 After staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.11 He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In Jerusalem the Jews will bind the man who owns this belt, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles.’"

12 When we heard this, we and the local believers urged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Paul replied, "Why are you doing this? Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I’m ready not only to be arrested but even to die in Jerusalem for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus."

14 Since we couldn’t talk him out of it, the only thing we could say was, "The Lord’s will be done."
15 After this, we got ready and made our way up to Jerusalem.16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and led us to Mnason’s home, where we were guests. He was from Cyprus and had been a disciple a long time.

17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us warmly.

Meeting the Jerusalem church leaders

18 On the next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James. All of the elders were present.19 After greeting them, he gave them a detailed report of what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.20 Those who heard this praised God. Then they said to him, "Brother, you see how many thousands of Jews have become believers, and all of them keep the Law passionately.21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to reject Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to live according to our customs.22 What about this? Without a doubt, they will hear that you have arrived.23 You must therefore do what we tell you. Four men among us have made a solemn promise.24 Take them with you, go through the purification ritual with them, and pay the cost of having their heads shaved. Everyone will know there is nothing to those reports about you but that you too live a life in keeping with the Law.25 As for the Gentile believers, we wrote a letter about what we decided, that they avoid food offered to idols, blood, the meat from strangled animals, and sexual immorality."

26 The following day Paul took the men with him and went through the purification ritual with them. He entered the temple and publicly announced the completion of the days of purification, when the offering would be presented for each one of them.

Paul seized by the people

27 When the seven days of purification were almost over, the Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the temple. Grabbing him, they threw the whole crowd into confusion by shouting,28 "Fellow Israelites! Help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, the Law, and this place. Not only that, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place." (29 They said this because they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him earlier, and they assumed Paul had brought him into the temple.)30 The entire city was stirred up. The people came rushing, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the gates were closed.31 While they were trying to kill him, a report reached the commander of a company of soldiers that all Jerusalem was in a state of confusion.32 Without a moment’s hesitation, he took some soldiers and officers and ran down to the mob. When the mob saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 When the commander arrived, he arrested Paul and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Only then did he begin to ask who Paul was and what he had done.
34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, others shouted something else. Because of the commotion, he couldn’t learn the truth, so he ordered that Paul be taken to the military headquarters.35 When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers in order to protect him from the violence of the crowd.

36 The mob that followed kept screaming, "Away with him!"

37 As Paul was about to be taken into the military headquarters, he asked the commander, "May I speak with you?"
He answered, "Do you know Greek?

38 Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists into the desert some time ago?"
39 Paul replied, "I’m a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Please, let me speak to the people."

40 With the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and gestured to the people. When they were quiet, he addressed them in Aramaic.

Acts 21

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

1 Aftert wes tore ourselves awayt from them, we put out to sea,t and sailing a straight course,t we came to Cos,s on the next day to Rhodes,s and from there to Patara.s2 We foundt a ship crossing over to Phoenicia,s went aboard,t and put out to sea.t3 After we sighted Cypruss and left it behind on our port side,s we sailed on to Syria and put int at Tyre,ss because the ship was to unload its cargo there.4 After we locatedt the disciples, we stayed theret seven days. They repeatedly toldt Paul through the Spirits not to set foott in Jerusalem.s5 Whent our time was over,t we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompaniedt us outside of the city. Aftert kneeling down on the beach and praying,s6 we said farewellt to one another.s Thent we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes.t7 We continued the voyage from Tyres and arrived at Ptolemais,s and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day.8 On the next day we leftt and came to Caesarea,ss and enteredt the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven,s and stayed with him.

9 (He had four unmarriedt daughters who prophesied.)s
10 While we remained there for a number of days,t a prophet named Agabuss came down from Judea.11 He camet to us, tookt Paul’s belt,s tiedt his own hands and feet with it,t and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him overts to the Gentiles.’”12 When we heard this, both we and the local peoplet begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breakingt my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up,t but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

14 Because he could not be persuaded,t we said no more except,t “The Lord’s will be done.”s
15 After these days we got readyt and started upts to Jerusalem.16 Some of the disciples from Caesareass came along with us too, and brought us to the houset of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times,t with whom we were to stay.17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.t18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there.ts19 When Pault had greeted them, he began to explaint in detailt what Gods had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.20 When they heard this, they praisedt God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jewsts there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observerst of the law.s21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now livingt among the Gentiles to abandonts Moses, telling them not to circumcise their childrens or livet according to our customs.22 What then should we do? They will no doubtt hear that you have come.23 So do whatt we tell you: We have four ment who have takent a vow;t24 take them and purifys yourself along with them and pay their expenses,t so that they may have their heads shaved.ts Thent everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been toldt about you, but that you yourself live in conformity witht the law.s25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decidedts that they should avoidt meat that has been sacrificed to idolst and blood and what has been strangleds and sexual immorality.”26 Then Paul took the men the next day,t and after he had purified himselft along with them, he went to the temple and gave noticet of the completion of the days of purification,s whent the sacrifice would be offered for eacht of them.27 When the seven days were almost over,t the Jews from the province of Asiats who had seen him in the temple areat stirred up the whole crowdt and seizedt him,28 shouting, “Men of Israel,t help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law,s and this sanctuary!ts Furthermoret he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the templet and made this holy place ritually unclean!”ts29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, andt they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.)ts30 The whole city was stirred up,t and the people rushed together.t They seizedt Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts,t and immediately the doors were shut.31 While they were tryingt to kill him, a reportt was sent upt to the commanding officert of the cohorts that all Jerusalem was in confusion.t32 Het immediately tookt soldiers and centurionss and ran down to the crowd.t When they sawt the commanding officert and the soldiers, they stopped beatings Paul.33 Then the commanding officert came up and arrestedt him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains;t het then asked who he was and whatt he had done.34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else,t and when the commanding officert was unablet to find out the trutht because of the disturbance,t he ordered Pault to be brought into the barracks.t35 When he came to the steps, Pault had to be carrieds by the soldiers because of the violencet of the mob,36 for a crowd of peoplet followed them,t screaming, “Away with him!”37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks,t he saidt to the commanding officer,t “May I sayt something to you?” The officert replied,t “Do you know Greek?s38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebelliont and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ts into the wildernesst some time ago?”t39 Paul answered,t “I am a Jewt from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city.t Pleaset allow me to speak to the people.”

40 When the commanding officert had given him permission,t Paul stoodt on the steps and gesturedt to the people with his hand. When they had become silent,t he addressedt them in Aramaic,t