أعمال الرسل 21

1 وَبَعدَ أنْ تَرَكناهُمْ، أبحَرنا فِي اتِّجاهٍ مُستَقِيمٍ، فَوَصَلْنا إلَى جَزيرَةِ كُوسَ. وَفِي اليَومِ التّالِي وَصَلنا إلَى جَزِيرَةِ رُودُسَ، وَمِنْ هُناكَ ذَهَبنا إلَى باتَرا.

2 فَوَجَدنا سَفِينَةً مُسافِرَةً إلَى فِينِيقِيَّةَ، فَرَكِبناها وَأبحَرنا.

3 وَرَأينا قُبرُصَ، فَواصَلنا سَيرَنا عَنْ يَسارِها. وَأبحَرنا إلَى سُورِيَّةَ، وَرَسَونا فِي صُورَ، لِأنَّهُ كانَ عَلَى السَّفِينَةِ أنْ تُفرِغَ حُمُولَتَها هُناكَ.

4 فَعَثَرنا عَلَى بَعْضِ تَلاميذِ يَسُوعَ هُناكَ، وَبَقِينا مَعَهُمْ سَبعَةَ أيّامٍ. وَقَدْ قالُوا لِبُولُسَ أنْ لا يَذهَبَ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدسِ، بِناءً عَلَىْ ما أعلَنَهُ لَهُمُ الرُّوحُ القُدُسُ.

5 وَلَمّا انتَهَتْ مُدَّةُ إقامَتِنا، غادَرْنا وَتابَعْنا رِحلَتَنا. فَرافَقُونا جَمِيعاً مَعَ زَوجاتِهِمْ وَأبنائِهِمْ إلَى خارِجَ المَدِينَةِ. وَهُناكَ رَكَعنا عَلَى الشّاطِئِ وَصَلَّيْنا.

6 ثُمَّ وَدَّعْنا بَعضُنا بَعضاً، وَرَكِبنا السَّفِينَةَ. فَعادُوا هُمْ إلَى بُيُوتِهِمْ.

7 أمّا نَحنُ فَتابَعْنا رِحلَتَنا مِنْ صُورَ، وَرَسَونا فِي بُتُولِمايِسَ. وَسَلَّمْنا عَلَى الإخوَةِ هُناكَ، وَبَقِينا مَعَهُمْ يَوماً واحِداً.

8 وَفِي اليَومِ التّالِي غادَرْنا، وَوَصَلْنا إلَى قَيصَرِيَّةَ. وَدَخَلْنا بَيتَ فِيلِبُّسَ المُبَشِّرِ، وَهُوَ واحِدٌ مِنَ الخُدّامِ السَّبعَةِt المُختارِينَ وَبَقِينا مَعَهُ.

9 وَكانَتْ عِندَهُ أربَعُ بَناتٍ عازِباتٍ يَتَنَبَّأْنَ.

10 وَأثناءَ إقامَتِنا هُناكَ عِدَّةَ أيّامٍ، نَزَلَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ اليَهُودِيَّةِ اسْمُهُ أغابُوسَ.

11 وَلَمّا أقبَلَ عَلَينا، أخَذَ حِزامَ بُولُسَ وَرَبَطَ بِهِ قَدَمَيهِ وَيَدَيهِ وَقالَ: «هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ الرُّوحُ القُدُسُ: ‹هَكَذا سَيَربِطُ اليَهُودُ فِي القُدسِ صاحِبَ هَذا الحِزامِ، وَسَيُسَلِّمُونَهُ إلَى غَيرِ المُؤمِنينَ.›»

12 فَلَمّا سَمِعنا هَذا، رَجَوناهُ نَحنُ وَالآخَرونَ الَّذينَ كانوا هُناكَ ألّا يَذهَبَ إلَى القُدسِ.

13 فَأجابَ بُولُسُ: «لِماذا تَبكُونَ وَتَكسِرُونَ قَلبِي؟ إنَّنِي عَلَى استِعدادٍ لا لِأنْ أُربَطَ فَحَسبُ، بَلْ أنْ أمُوتَ أيضاً فِي القُدسِ مِنْ أجلِ اسْمِ الرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ.»

14 وَلَمّا رَفَضَ أنْ يَقتَنِعَ، تَوَقَّفنا عَنِ التَّوَسُّلِ إلَيهِ. وَقُلنا: «لِتَكُنْ مَشِيئَةُ الرَّبِّ.»

15 وَبَعدَ تِلكَ الأيّامِ قُمنا بِالإعداداتِ وَذَهَبْنا إلَى القُدسِ.

16 وَذَهَبَ مَعَنا أيضاً بَعضُ المُؤمِنِينَ مِنْ قَيصَرِيَّةَ، وَأخَذُونا إلَى بَيتِ مَناسُونَ الَّذِي كُنّا سَنُقِيمُ عِندَهُ. وَكانَ هَذا الرَّجُلُ القُبرُصِيُّ مِنْ أوائِلِ المُؤمِنِينَ.

بُولُسُ يَزُورُ يَعقُوب

17 وَلَمّا وَصَلْنا إلَى القُدسِ، استَقبَلَنا الإخوَةُ استِقبالاً دافِئاً.

18 وَفِي اليَومِ التّالِي ذَهَبَ بُولُسُ مَعَنا لِرُؤيَةِ يَعقُوبَ. وَكانَ كُلُّ الشُّيُوخِt الآخَرِينَ حاضِرِينَ.

19 فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيهِمْ بُولُسُ، وَحَدَّثَهُمْ بِالتَّفصِيلِ بِكُلِّ الأشياءِ الَّتِي فَعَلَها اللهُ بَينَ غَيرِ اليَهُودِ مِنْ خِلالِ خِدمَتِهِ.

20 فَلَمّا سَمِعُوا ما قالَهُ، سَبَّحُوا اللهَ وَقالُوا لِبُولُسَ: «أيُّها الأخُ، أنتَ تَرَى أنَّ هُناكَ آلافاً كَثِيرَةً مِنَ اليَهُودِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا، وَهُمْ جَمِيعاً مُتَحَمِّسُونَ لِلشَّرِيعَةِ.

21 وَقَدْ سَمِعُوا أنَّكَ تُعَلِّمُ كُلَّ اليَهُودِ الَّذِينَ يَعِيشُونَ بَينَ غَيرِ اليَهُودِ أنْ يَهجُرُوا تَعلِيمَ مُوسَى. وَأنَّكَ تَطلُبُ مِنهُمْ ألّا يَختِنُوا أولادَهُمْ أوْ يَتَّبِعُوا عاداتِنا.

22 «فَما العَمَلُ؟ فَمِنَ المُؤَكَّدِ أنَّهُمْ سَيَسمَعُونَ بِقُدُومِكَ.

23 فَافعَلْ بِما نَنصَحُكَ بِهِ: بَينَنا أربَعَةُ رِجالٍ نَذَرُوا نُذُوراً،t

24 فَخُذْهُمْ وَاشتَرِكْ مَعَهُمْ فِي طُقوسِ التَّطهِيرِt وَادفَعِ الأجرَ المَطلوبَ لِكَي يَحلِقُوا رُؤُوسَهُمْ.t حينَئِذٍ سَيَعلَمُ الجَمِيعُ أنَّ ما سَمِعُوهُ عَنكَ لَيسَ صَحِيحاً، وَسَيَعلَمُونَ أنَّكَ أنتَ نَفسَكَ تُطِيعُ الشَّرِيعَةَ.

25 أمّا بِالنِّسبَةِ لِلمُؤمِنِينَ غَيرِ اليَهُودِ، فَقَدْ أرسَلْنا إلَيْهِمْ، وَأشَرنا عَلَيهِمْ بِأنْ يَمتَنِعوا عَنِ الطَّعامِ المُقَدَّمِ لِلأصنامِ، وَعَنِ الدَّمِ وَالحَيواناتِ المَخنُوقَةِ، وَالزِّنى.»

القَبضُ عَلَى بُولُس

26 فَأخَذَ بُولُسُ الرِّجالَ الأرْبَعَةَ مَعَهُ. وَفِي اليَومِ التّالي، طَهَّرَ نَفسَهُ مَعَهُمْ، ثُمَّ دَخَلَ إلَى ساحَةِ الهَيكَلِ. وَأعلَنَ مَوعِدَ انتِهاءِ أيّامِ التَّطهِيرِ وَمَوعِدَ تَقْديمِ التَّقدِماتِ عَنْ كُلِّ واحِدٍ مِنهُمْ.

27 وَلَمّا قارَبَتِ الأيّامُ السَّبعَةُ عَلَى الانتِهاءِ، جاءَ بَعضُ اليَهُودِ مِنْ مُقاطَعَةِ أسِيّا وَدَخَلوا ساحَةَ الهَيكَلِ. فَلَمّا رَأَوْا بُولُسَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ، هَيَّجُوا النّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ وَأمسَكُوا بِهِ.

28 وَصَرَخُوا وَقالوا: «يا رِجالَ إسرائِيلَ، أنجِدُونا! هَذا هُوَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي يُعَلِّمُ الجَمِيعَ فِي كُلِّ مَكانٍ أُمُوراً ضِدَّ شَعبِنا وَشَرِيعَتِنا وَضِدَّ هَذا المَكانِ. بَلْ إنَّهُ أحضَرَ أشخاصاً غَيرَ يَهُودٍ إلَى ساحَةِ الهَيْكَلِ، فَنَجَّسَ هَذا المَكانَ المُقَدَّسَ.»

29 قالوا هَذا لِأنَّهُ سَبَقَ لَهُمْ أنْ رَأَوْا تْرُوفِيمُسَ الأفَسُسِيِّ فِي المَدِينَةِ مَعَهُ، وَافتَرَضُوا أنَّ بُولُسَ أدخَلَهُ إلَى ساحَةِ الهَيْكَلِ.

30 فَثارَتِ المَدِينَةُ كُلُّها، وَرَكَضَ النّاسُ مَعاً وَأمسَكُوا بِبُولُسَ، وَجَرُّوهُ خارِجَ ساحَةِ الهَيْكَلِ. وَأُغلِقَتِ الأبوابُ فَوراً.

31 وَبَينَما كانُوا يُحاوِلُونَ قَتلَهُ، بَلَغَ الخَبَرُ إلَى آمِرِ الكَتِيبَةِ الرُّومانِيَّةِ بِأنَّ القُدسَ كُلُّها فِي حالَةِ فَوضَى.

32 فَأخَذَ بَعضَ الجُنُودِ وَالضُّبّاطِt وَنَزَلَ عَلَى الفَورِ مُسْرِعاً إلَيْهِمْ. فَلَمّا رَأى اليَهُودُ الآمِرَ وَالجُنُودَ، تَوَقَّفُوا عَنْ ضَربِ بُولُسَ.

33 ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ الآمِرُ مِنهُ، وَقَبَضَ عَلَيهِ، وَأمَرَ بِأنْ يُربَطَ بِسِلسِلَتَينِ. ثُمَّ سَألَ مَنْ يَكُونُ بُولُسُ وَماذا فَعَلَ.

34 فَأخَذَ بَعضُ الجُمهُورِ يُجِيبُونَ صارِخِينَ بِكَلامٍ، وَبَعضُهُمْ بِكَلامٍ آخَرَ. وَلَمّا عَجِزَ الآمِرُ عَنِ استِخلاصِ الحَقِيقَةِ بِسَبَبِ الفَوضَى، أمَرَ بِأنْ يُؤخَذَ بُولُسُ إلَى الثُّكْنَةِ.

35 وَعِندَما وَصَلَ بُولُسُ إلَى الدَّرَجِ، اضطَّرَ الجُنُودُ إلَى حَملِهِ بِسَبَبِ عُنفِ الجُمهُورِ.

36 إذْ كانَ عامَّةُ النّاسِ يَتبَعُونَهُ صارِخِينَ: «اقتُلُوهُ!»

37 وَلَمّا أوشَكَ بُولُسُ أنْ يُدخَلَ إلَى الثُّكْنَةِ، قالَ بُولُسُ لِلآمِرِ: «أتَأْذَنُ لِي بِأنْ أقُولُ لَكَ شَيئاً؟» فَقالَ الآمِرَ: «هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمُ اليُونانِيَّةَ؟»

38 إذاً فَلَستَ ذَلِكَ المِصرِيَّ الَّذِي أشْعَلَ ثَورَةً قَبلَ مُدَّةٍ، وَقادَ أربَعَةَ آلافِ إرهابِيٍّ إلَى الصَّحراءِ؟»

39 فَقالَ بُولُسُ: «أنا رَجُلٌ يَهُودِيٌّ مِنْ مَدِينَةِ طَرسُوسَ فِي كِيلِيكِيَّةَ. فَأنا لَستُ مِنْ مَدِينَةٍ قَلِيلَةِ الأهَمِّيَّةِ، وَأطلُبُ مِنكَ أنْ تَأْذَنَ لِي بِالحَدِيثِ إلَى النّاسِ.»

40 فَلَمّا أذِنَ لَهُ الآمِرُ، وَقَفَ بُولُسُ عَلَى الدَّرَجِ، وَأشارَ بِيَدِهِ إلَى النّاسِ لِيَسكُتُوا، فَسادَ هُدُوءٌ عَظِيمٌ، وَبَدَأ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِالأرامِيَّةِ.

Acts 21

Paul Sails from Miletus

1 When we had parted from them and had set sail, we ran a straight course to Cos and the next day to Rhodes and from there to Patara;2 and having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.3 When we came in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo.4 After looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.5 When our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, escorted us until we were out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another.6 Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home again.

7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting the brethren, we stayed with them for a day.8 On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.11 And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"12 When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him 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 bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."14 And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done!"

Paul at Jerusalem

15 After these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem.16  Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge.

17 After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.18 And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.19 After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.25 But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication."26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

Paul Seized in the Temple

27 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him,28 crying out, "Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place."29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.30 Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.31 While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the tcommander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.32 At once he took along some 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 up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done.34 But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.35 When he got to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob;36 for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, "Away with him!"

37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I say something to you?" And he *said, "Do you know Greek?38 Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?"39 But Paul said, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."40 When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,