1Depois de nos separarmos deles, embarcamos e navegamos diretamente para Cós. No dia seguinte fomos para Rodes e dali até Pátara.2Encontrando um navio que ia fazer a travessia para a Fenícia, embarcamos nele e partimos.3Depois de avistarmos Chipre e seguirmos rumo sul, navegamos para a Síria. Desembarcamos em Tiro, onde o nosso navio deveria deixar sua carga.4Encontrando os discípulos dali, ficamos com eles sete dias. Eles, pelo Espírito, recomendavam a Paulo que não fosse a Jerusalém.5Mas, quando terminou o nosso tempo ali, partimos e continuamos nossa viagem. Todos os discípulos, com suas mulheres e filhos, nos acompanharam até fora da cidade e ali na praia nos ajoelhamos e oramos.6Depois de nos despedirmos, embarcamos, e eles voltaram para casa.7Demos prosseguimento à nossa viagem partindo de Tiro e aportamos em Ptolemaida, onde saudamos os irmãos e passamos um dia com eles.8Partindo no dia seguinte, chegamos a Cesareia e ficamos na casa de Filipe, o evangelista, um dos sete.9Ele tinha quatro filhas virgens, que profetizavam.10Depois de passarmos ali vários dias, desceu da Judeia um profeta chamado Ágabo.11Vindo ao nosso encontro, tomou o cinto de Paulo e, amarrando as suas próprias mãos e pés, disse: “Assim diz o Espírito Santo: ‘Desta maneira os judeus amarrarão o dono deste cinto em Jerusalém e o entregarão aos gentios’ ”.12Quando ouvimos isso, nós e o povo dali rogamos a Paulo que não subisse para Jerusalém.13Então Paulo respondeu: “Por que vocês estão chorando e partindo o meu coração? Estou pronto não apenas para ser amarrado, mas também para morrer em Jerusalém pelo nome do Senhor Jesus”.14Como não pudemos dissuadi-lo, desistimos e dissemos: “Seja feita a vontade do Senhor”.15Depois disso, preparamo-nos e subimos para Jerusalém.16Alguns dos discípulos de Cesareia nos acompanharam e nos levaram à casa de Mnasom, onde devíamos ficar. Ele era natural de Chipre e um dos primeiros discípulos.
A Chegada de Paulo a Jerusalém
17Quando chegamos a Jerusalém, os irmãos nos receberam com alegria.18No dia seguinte Paulo foi conosco encontrar-se com Tiago, e todos os presbíteros estavam presentes.19Paulo os saudou e relatou minuciosamente o que Deus havia feito entre os gentios por meio do seu ministério.20Ouvindo isso, eles louvaram a Deus e disseram a Paulo: “Veja, irmão, quantos milhares de judeus creram, e todos eles são zelosos da lei.21Eles foram informados de que você ensina todos os judeus que vivem entre os gentios a se afastarem de Moisés, dizendo-lhes que não circuncidem seus filhos nem vivam de acordo com os nossos costumes.22Que faremos? Certamente eles saberão que você chegou;23portanto, faça o que dizemos. Estão conosco quatro homens que fizeram um voto.24Participe com esses homens dos rituais de purificação e pague as despesas deles, para que rapem a cabeça. Assim, todos saberão que não é verdade o que falam de você, mas que você continua vivendo em obediência à lei.25Quanto aos gentios convertidos, já lhes escrevemos a nossa decisão de que eles devem abster-se de comida sacrificada aos ídolos, do sangue, da carne de animais estrangulados e da imoralidade sexual”.26No dia seguinte Paulo tomou aqueles homens e purificou-se com eles. Depois foi ao templo para declarar o prazo do cumprimento dos dias da purificação e da oferta que seria feita individualmente em favor deles.
A Prisão de Paulo
27Quando já estavam para terminar os sete dias, alguns judeus da província da Ásia, vendo Paulo no templo, agitaram toda a multidão e o agarraram,28gritando: “Israelitas, ajudem-nos! Este é o homem que ensina a todos em toda parte contra o nosso povo, contra a nossa lei e contra este lugar. Além disso, ele fez entrar gregos no templo e profanou este santo lugar”.29Anteriormente eles haviam visto o efésio Trófimo na cidade com Paulo e julgaram que Paulo o tinha introduzido no templo.30Toda a cidade ficou alvoroçada, e juntou-se uma multidão. Agarrando Paulo, arrastaram-no para fora do templo, e imediatamente as portas foram fechadas.31Tentando eles matá-lo, chegaram notícias ao comandante das tropas romanas de que toda a cidade de Jerusalém estava em tumulto.32Ele reuniu imediatamente alguns oficiais e soldados e com eles correu para o meio da multidão. Quando viram o comandante e os seus soldados, pararam de espancar Paulo.33O comandante chegou, prendeu-o e ordenou que ele fosse amarrado com duas correntes. Então perguntou quem era ele e o que tinha feito.34Alguns da multidão gritavam uma coisa, outros gritavam outra; não conseguindo saber ao certo o que havia acontecido, por causa do tumulto, o comandante ordenou que Paulo fosse levado para a fortaleza.35Quando chegou às escadas, a violência do povo era tão grande que ele precisou ser carregado pelos soldados.36A multidão que o seguia continuava gritando: “Acaba com ele!”
O Discurso de Paulo
37Quando os soldados estavam para introduzir Paulo na fortaleza, ele perguntou ao comandante: “Posso dizer-te algo?” “Você fala grego?”, perguntou ele.38“Não é você o egípcio que iniciou uma revolta e há algum tempo levou quatro mil assassinos para o deserto?”39Paulo respondeu: “Sou judeu, cidadão de Tarso, cidade importante da Cilícia. Permite-me falar ao povo”.40Tendo recebido permissão do comandante, Paulo levantou-se na escadaria e fez sinal à multidão. Quando todos fizeram silêncio, dirigiu-se a eles em aramaico[1]:
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] (At 16:10; At 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. (At 20:23; At 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 (At 20:36; At 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. (Jo 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. (At 6:5; At 8:5; Ef 4:11; 2 Tm 4:5)9He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. (Lc 2:36; At 2:17; At 13:1; 1 Co 11:5)10While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. (At 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.’” (1 Sm 15:27; 1 Rs 11:30; Is 20:3; Jr 13:1; Jr 27:2; Mt 20:19; At 9:16; At 20:23; At 21:31; At 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.” (At 5:41; At 15:26; At 20:24; At 21:12; Rm 8:36; 2 Co 4:16; 2 Co 12:10; Fp 2:17)14And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Rt 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. (At 15:4; At 21:7)18On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. (At 11:30; At 12:17)19After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. (At 1:17; At 14:27; Rm 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, (At 11:18; At 22:3; Rm 10:2; Gl 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. (Mc 7:5; At 6:14; At 15:1; At 21:28; Rm 2:28; 1 Co 7:19; Gl 2:14; Tg 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; (At 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. (Jo 11:55; At 21:23; At 21:26; At 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.” (At 15:19; At 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. (Nm 6:9; Nm 6:13; At 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, (At 13:50; At 21:26; At 24:18; At 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.” (At 6:13; At 21:21; At 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. (At 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. (2 Rs 11:15; At 26:21)31And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. (At 10:1; At 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. (At 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. (At 12:6; At 20:23; At 21:11; At 22:29; At 26:29; At 28:20; Ef 6:20; 2 Tm 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. (At 19:32; At 22:24; At 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!” (Lc 23:18; Jo 19:15; At 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; At 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.” (At 9:11; At 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: (At 12:17; At 22:2; At 26:14)