Acts 21

1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we sailed directly to Cos, and the next day on to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

2 Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded it and set sail.

3 After sighting Cyprus and passing south of it, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo.

4 We sought out disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

5 But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to pray with us.

6 And after we had said our farewells, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

7 When we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.

8 Leaving the next day, Paul and his companions went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven.

9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

10 After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

14 When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

15 After these days, we packed up and went on to Jerusalem.

16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to stay at the home of Mnason the Cypriot, an early disciple.

17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully.

18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.

19 Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 When they heard this, they glorified the Lord. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

21 But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.

22 What then should we do? Certainly a multitude will gather, for they will hear that you have come.

23 Therefore do what we advise you. There are four men with us who have taken a vow.

24 Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is no truth to these rumors about you, but that you also live in obedience to the law.

25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”

26 So the next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he entered the temple to give notice of the date when their purification would be complete and the offering would be made for each of them.

27 When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

29 For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

30 The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.

31 While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil.

32 Immediately he took some soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

34 Some in the crowd were crying out one thing, and some another. And since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks.

35 When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob.

36 For the crowd that followed him kept shouting, “Away with him!”

37 As they were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I speak to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied.

38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the Assassins into the wilderness?”

39 But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”

40 Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:

1 ¶ And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the [day] following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:

2 And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.

3 Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.

4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till [we were] out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

6 And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.

7 And when we had finished [our] course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

8 ¶ And the next [day] we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was [one] of the seven; and abode with him.

9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

10 And as we tarried [there] many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles.

12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

15 ¶ And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.

16 There went with us also [certain] of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

18 And the [day] following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.

19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

20 And when they heard [it], they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, neither to walk after the customs.

22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave [their] heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but [that] thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written [and] concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from [things] offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

27 ¶ And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all [men] every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.

33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded [him] to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.

35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.

36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.

37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?

38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?

39 But Paul said, I am a man [which am] a Jew of Tarsus, [a city] in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto [them] in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

1 And it came to pass, when we were turned from them, that we came running straightway to Kos, and the next day to Rhodus, and thence to Patara.

2 And when we found a ship going to Phoenicia, we got into it, and went.

3 And when we saw Cyprus, we left her on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and arrived at Tyre: for there the ship was to lay up the merchandise.

4 And when we had found disciples, we abode there seven days. And they told Paul by the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

5 And it came to pass, when we had spent the days, that we went out and walked. And they escorted us all, with wives and children, unto the uttermost part of the city, and kneeled down by the riverside, and prayed.

6 And when we had blessed one another, we entered into the ship: but they turned again to their own.

7 And we took ship from Tyre, and came to Ptolemais, and greeted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

8 And the next day we that were about Paul departed, and came to Caesarea, and entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven, and abode with him.

9 The same had four daughters, which were virgins, and prophesied.

10 And it came to pass, as we tarried more days, that a prophet came down from Judaea, named Agabus, and came unto us.

11 And he took Paul's girdle, and bound his hands and his feet, and said, These things saith the Holy Ghost: The man whose girdle is this shall the Jews bind at Jerusalem, and deliver into the hands of the Gentiles.

12 And when we heard these things, we besought him, and they that were of the same place, that he would not go up to Jerusalem.

13 And Paul answered, Why do ye weep, and break 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 But when he would not be persuaded, we held our peace, and said: The will of the LORD be done.

15 And after those days we removed, and went up to Jerusalem.

16 And there came with us also certain disciples from Caesarea, and brought us unto one named Mnason, of Cyprus, which was an old disciple, with whom we lodged.

17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

18 And the next day Paul went in with us unto James, and the elders all came thither.

19 And when he had greeted them, he told them one by one what God had done among the Gentiles by his ministry.

20 And when they heard it, they praised the LORD, and said unto him, Brother, thou seest how many thousands of the Jews there are which have believed, and are all zealous for the law.

21 And they were reported against thee, because thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to fall away from Moses, and sayest that they should not circumcise their children, neither walk after the same manner.

22 What is it then? The multitude must come together: for it shall come to pass before them, that thou art come.

23 Do therefore what we say unto thee:

24 We have four men, which have a vow upon them: take the same unto thee, and be cleansed with them, and bear the charge upon them, that they may give their head, and that they all may know that it is not what they have reported against thee, but that thou also wentest, and hadst the law.

25 For unto the Gentile believers we have written, and ordained that they should keep none of these things, but that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed unto idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication.

26 Then Paul took the men, and was cleansed the next day with them, and went into the temple, and was seen how he endured the days of cleansing, until the sacrifice was offered for every one of them.

27 And when the seven days should be fulfilled, the Jews which were of Asia saw him in the temple, and stirred up all the people, and laid their hands on him, and cried out:

28 Ye men of Israel, help. This is the man that teacheth all men in every place against this people, against the law, and against this place: for this cause also hath he brought the Grecians into the temple, and hath made this holy place common.

29 For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city; whom they thought Paul had led into the temple.

30 And the whole city was moved, and there was a multitude of people. And they took Paul, and drew him out unto the temple: and straightway the doors were shut.

31 And when they were about to kill him, the cry went up before the chief captain of the host, as all Jerusalem was moved with indignation.

32 And from that time he took the soldiers and captains, and ran among them. When they saw the captain and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 And when the centurion came near, he took him, and bound him with two chains, and asked who he was, and what he had done.

34 And one called this, and another called that among the people. But since he could learn nothing certain because of the tumult, he ordered him to be led into the camp.

35 And when he was come to the steps, the soldiers bare him before the violence of the people.

36 For much people followed after, crying, Away with him.

37 And when Paul was brought into the camp, he said unto the centurion, May I speak unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?

38 Art thou not the Egyptian, which before these days made a rebellion, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand assassins?

39 And Paul said: I am a Jewish man of Tarsus, a citizen of a notable city of Cilicia; I beseech thee, allow me to speak unto the people.

40 And when he had given him leave, Paul stood upon the stairs, and beckoned unto the people with his hand. And when there was a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue: