1And 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:2And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.3Now 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.4And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.5And 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.6And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.7And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.8And 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.9And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.10And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.11And 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.12And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.13Then 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.14And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.15And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.16There 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.17And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.18And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.19And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.20And 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:21And 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.22What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.23Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;24Them 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.25As 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.26Then 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.27And 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,28Crying 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.)30And 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.31And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.32Who 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.33Then 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.34And 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.35And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.36For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.37And 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?38Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?39But 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.40And 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,
Acts 21
English Standard Version
Paul Goes to Jerusalem
1And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.[1] (Ac 16:10; Ac 16:11)2And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.3When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo.4And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. (Ac 20:23; Ac 21:11)5When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed (Ac 20:36; Ac 20:38)6and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.7When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers[2] and stayed with them for one day. (Joh 21:23)8On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. (Ac 6:5; Ac 8:5; Eph 4:11; 2Ti 4:5)9He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. (Lu 2:36; Ac 2:17; Ac 13:1; 1Co 11:5)10While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. (Ac 11:28)11And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews[3] at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” (1Sa 15:27; 1Ki 11:30; Isa 20:3; Jer 13:1; Jer 27:2; Mt 20:19; Ac 9:16; Ac 20:23; Ac 21:31; Ac 21:33)12When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. (Mt 16:21)13Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Ac 5:41; Ac 15:26; Ac 20:24; Ac 21:12; Ro 8:36; 2Co 4:16; 2Co 12:10; Php 2:17)14And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Ru 1:18; Mt 6:10)15After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.16And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Paul Visits James
17When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. (Ac 15:4; Ac 21:7)18On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. (Ac 11:30; Ac 12:17)19After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. (Ac 1:17; Ac 14:27; Ro 15:18)20And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, (Ac 11:18; Ac 22:3; Ro 10:2; Ga 1:14)21and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. (Mr 7:5; Ac 6:14; Ac 15:1; Ac 21:28; Ro 2:28; 1Co 7:19; Ga 2:14; Jas 1:1)22What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.23Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; (Ac 18:18)24take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. (Joh 11:55; Ac 21:23; Ac 21:26; Ac 24:18)25But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled,[4] and from sexual immorality.” (Ac 15:19; Ac 15:29)26Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them. (Nu 6:9; Nu 6:13; Ac 21:24)
Paul Arrested in the Temple
27When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, (Ac 13:50; Ac 21:26; Ac 24:18; Ac 26:21)28crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” (Ac 6:13; Ac 21:21; Ac 24:6)29For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. (Ac 20:4)30Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. (2Ki 11:15; Ac 26:21)31And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. (Ac 10:1; Ac 21:30)32He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. (Ac 23:27)33Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. (Ac 12:6; Ac 20:23; Ac 21:11; Ac 22:29; Ac 26:29; Ac 28:20; Eph 6:20; 2Ti 1:16)34Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. (Ac 19:32; Ac 22:24; Ac 23:10)35And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,36for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!” (Lu 23:18; Joh 19:15; Ac 22:22)
Paul Speaks to the People
37As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek?38Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” (Mt 24:26; Ac 5:36)39Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” (Ac 9:11; Ac 22:3)40And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language,[5] saying: (Ac 12:17; Ac 22:2; Ac 26:14)