Acts 21:1-40
21 Now when we had torn ourselves away from them and put out to sea, we ran with a straight course and came to Cos, but on the next [day] to Rhodes, and from there to Patʹa·ra.
2 And when we had found a boat that was crossing to Phoe·niʹcia, we went aboard and sailed away.
3 After coming in sight of the island of Cyʹprus+ we left it behind on the left side and sailed on to Syria,+ and landed at Tyre, for there the boat was to unload [its] cargo.+
4 By a search we found the disciples and remained here seven days. But through the spirit+ they repeatedly told Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5 So when we had completed the days, we went forth and started on our way; but they all, together with the women and children, conducted us as far as outside the city. And kneeling+ down on the beach we had prayer
6 and said good-bye+ to one another, and we went up into the boat but they returned to their homes.
7 We then completed the voyage from Tyre and arrived at Ptol·e·maʹis, and we greeted the brothers and stayed one day with them.
8 The next day we set out and arrived in Caes·a·reʹa,+ and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelizer,* who was one of the seven men,+ and we stayed with him.
9 This man had four daughters, virgins, that prophesied.+
10 But while we were remaining quite a number of days, a certain prophet named Agʹa·bus+ came down from Ju·deʹa,
11 and he came to us and took up the girdle of Paul, bound his own feet and hands and said: “Thus says the holy spirit, ‘The man to whom this girdle belongs the Jews will bind+ in this manner in Jerusalem and deliver+ into the hands of people of the nations.’”
12 Now when we heard this, both we and those of that place began entreating him not to go+ up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered: “What are YOU doing by weeping+ and making me weak at heart?+ Rest assured, I am ready not only to be bound but also to die+ at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
14 When he would not be dissuaded, we acquiesced with the words: “Let the will+ of Jehovah* take place.”
15 Now after these days we prepared for the journey and began going up to Jerusalem.+
16 But some of the disciples from Caes·a·reʹa+ also went with us, to bring us to the man at whose home we were to be entertained, a certain Mnaʹson of Cyʹprus, an early disciple.
17 When we got into Jerusalem,+ the brothers received us gladly.+
18 But on the following [day] Paul went in with us to James;+ and all the older men* were present.*
19 And he greeted them and began giving in detail an account+ of the things God did among the nations through his ministry.+
20 After hearing this they began to glorify God, and they said to him: “You behold, brother, how many thousands* of believers there are among the Jews; and they are all zealous for the Law.+
21 But they have heard it rumored about you that you have been teaching all the Jews among the nations an apostasy* from Moses,+ telling them neither to circumcise+ their children nor to walk in the [solemn] customs.
22 What, then, is to be done about it? In any case they are going to hear you have arrived.
23 Therefore do this which we tell you: We have four men with a vow upon themselves.
24 Take these men along+ and cleanse yourself ceremonially with them and take care of their expenses,+ that they may have their heads shaved.+ And so everybody will know that there is nothing to the rumors they were told about you, but that you are walking orderly, you yourself also keeping the Law.+
25 As for the believers from among the nations, we have sent out,* rendering our decision that they should keep themselves from what is sacrificed to idols+ as well as from blood+ and what is strangled*+ and from fornication.”+
26 Then Paul took the men along the next day and cleansed himself ceremonially with them+ and went into the temple, to give notice of the days to be fulfilled+ for the ceremonial cleansing, until the offering+ should be presented for each one of them.+
27 Now when the seven+ days were about to be concluded, the Jews from Asia on beholding him in the temple began to throw all the crowd into confusion,+ and they laid their hands upon him,
28 crying out: “Men of Israel, help! This is the man that teaches everybody everywhere against the people+ and the Law and this place and, what is more, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”+
29 For they had previously seen Trophʹi·mus+ the E·pheʹsian in the city with him, but they were imagining Paul had brought him into the temple.
30 And the whole city was set in an uproar,+ and a running together of the people occurred; and they laid hold of Paul and dragged him outside the temple.+ And immediately the doors were closed.
31 And while they were seeking to kill him, information came up to the commander* of the band that all Jerusalem was in confusion;+
32 and he at once took soldiers and army officers* and ran down to them.+ When they caught sight of the military commander+ and the soldiers, they quit beating Paul.
33 Then the military commander came near and took hold of him and gave command for him to be bound with two chains;+ and he proceeded to inquire who he might be and what he had done.
34 But some in the crowd began shouting out one thing, and others another.+ So, being unable himself to learn anything certain because of the tumult, he commanded him to be brought to the soldiers’ quarters.+
35 But when he got upon the stairs, the situation became such that he was being carried along by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;
36 for the multitude of the people kept following, crying out: “Take him away!”*+
37 And as he was about to be led into the soldiers’ quarters, Paul said to the military commander: “Am I allowed to say something to you?” He said: “Can you speak Greek?
38 Are you not really the Egyptian who before these days stirred up a sedition+ and led the four thousand dagger* men out into the wilderness?”
39 Then Paul said: “I am, in fact, a Jew,+ of Tarsus+ in Ci·liʹcia, a citizen of no obscure city. So I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”
40 After he gave permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned+ with his hand to the people. When a great silence fell, he addressed them in the Hebrew+ language, saying:
Footnotes
^ Or, “missionary.” Gr., eu·ag·ge·li·stouʹ; Lat., e·van·ge·liʹstae.
^ See App 1D.
^ Or, “elders.”
^ Or, “came there.”
^ Lit., “myriads; tens of thousands.”
^ “An apostasy.” Gr., a·po·sta·siʹan (from the verb a·phiʹste·mi, “stand away from”). The noun has the sense of desertion, abandonment or rebellion. See Jos 22:22; 2Ch 29:19; 2Th 2:3.
^ “Sent out,” BD; P74אAVg, “written.”
^ Or, “what is killed without draining its blood.”
^ Lit., “chiliarch,” a commander of 1,000 soldiers.
^ Lit., “centurions,” officers each in command of 100 soldiers.
^ Or, “Kill him!”
^ Lit., “Sicarii; assassins.” Gr., si·ka·riʹon.
