21:1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara.
21:2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail.
21:3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo.
21:4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
21:5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.
21:6 After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
21:7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.
21:8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven.
21:9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
21:10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
21:11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
21:12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
21:13 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.”
21:14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
21:15 After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.
21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.
21:17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly.
21:18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present.
21:19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
21:20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.
21:21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.
21:22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come,
21:23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.
21:24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.
21:25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
21:26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.
21:27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,
21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.”
21:29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.)
21:30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.
21:31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.
21:32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
21:33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
21:34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.
21:35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers.
21:36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”
21:37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied.
21:38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?”
21:39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”
21:40 Having received the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic:
21:1 And when we parted from them and set sail, we took a straight course and came to Cos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
21:2 And having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.
21:3 And when we sighted Cyprus and left it on the left, we sailed to Syria and came down to Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo.
21:4 And when we had sought out the disciples, we remained there seven days. These told Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.
21:5 And when we completed the days, we went forth and went on our way, with all of them, including the women and children, escorting us until we were outside the city. And when we had knelt down on the beach and prayed,
21:6 We took leave of one another and went on board the ship; and they returned home.
21:7 And when we finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the brothers and remained with them one day.
21:8 And on the next day we went forth and came to Caesarea; and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we remained with him.
21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
21:10 And while we remained there many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
21:11 And he came to us and took Paul s belt; and having bound his own feet and hands, he said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, In this way will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man whose belt this is and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
21:12 And when we heard these things, both we and those in that place entreated him not to go up to Jerusalem.
21:13 Then Paul answered, What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
21:14 And since he would not be persuaded, we became silent, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
21:15 And after these days we gathered our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.
21:16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing us to a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.
21:17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.
21:18 And on the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
21:19 And having greeted them, he related one by one the things which God did among the Gentiles through his ministry.
21:20 And when they heard it, they glorified God and said to him, You observe, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews who have believed; and all are zealous for the law.
21:21 And they have been informed concerning you that you are teaching all the Jews throughout the nations apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor to walk according to the customs.
21:22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
21:23 Therefore do this that we tell you: We have four men who have a vow on themselves;
21:24 Take these and be purified with them, and pay their expenses that they may shave their heads. And all will know that there is nothing to the things that they have been informed of concerning you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law.
21:25 But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we have already written, having decided that they should keep themselves from idol sacrifices and blood and anything strangled and fornication.
21:26 Then Paul took the men and on the following day, being purified with them, entered into the temple, giving notice of the completion of the days of the purification, until the offering was offered for each one of them.
21:27 And when the seven days were about to be concluded, the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple and threw all the crowd into confusion; and they laid their hands on him,
21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people and the law and this place; and further, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has profaned this holy place.
21:29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they supposed Paul had brought into the temple.
21:30 And the whole city was stirred, and the people ran together; and they laid hold of Paul and dragged him outside the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.
21:31 And as they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
21:32 And he at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
21:33 Then the commander drew near and laid hold of him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. And he inquired who he might be and what he had done.
21:34 And some among the crowd were shouting one thing, and some another. And since he could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.
21:35 And when Paul came to the stairs, it so happened that he was being carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;
21:36 For the multitude of the people were following and crying out, Away with him!
21:37 And when he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, Am I allowed to say anything to you? And he said, You know Greek?
21:38 You are not then the Egyptian who some days ago revolted and led out the four thousand men of the Assassins into the wilderness?
21:39 But Paul said, I am a Jewish man of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city, and I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.
21:40 And 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 addressed them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,