Acts 21
21
Paul Continues His Journey to Jerusalem
1After we had torn ourselves away from the Ephesian elders, we headed out to sea. We sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes. From there we continued on to Patara. 2We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia. So we went on board and headed out to sea. 3We came near Cyprus and passed to the south of it. Then we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre. There our ship was supposed to unload. 4We looked for the believers there and stayed with them for seven days. The believers tried to keep Paul from going on to Jerusalem. They were led by the Holy Spirit to do this. 5When it was time to leave, we continued on our way. All the believers, including their whole families, went with us out of the city. There on the beach we got down on our knees to pray. 6We said goodbye to each other. Then we went on board the ship. And they returned home.
7Continuing on from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais. There we greeted the brothers and sisters. We stayed with them for a day. 8The next day we left and arrived at Caesarea. We stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist. He was one of the seven deacons. 9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10We stayed there several days. Then a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11He came over to us. Then he took Paul’s belt and tied his own hands and feet with it. He said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘This is how the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the owner of this belt. They will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ”
12When we heard this, we all begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13He asked, “Why are you crying? Why are you breaking my heart? I’m ready to be put in prison. In fact, I’m ready to die in Jerusalem for the Lord Jesus.” 14We couldn’t change his mind. So we gave up. We said, “May what the Lord wants to happen be done.”
15After this, we started on our way to Jerusalem. 16Some of the believers from Caesarea went with us. They brought us to Mnason’s home. We were supposed to stay there. Mnason was from Cyprus. He was one of the first believers.
Paul Arrives in Jerusalem
17When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters gave us a warm welcome. 18The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James. All the elders were there. 19Paul greeted them. Then he reported everything God had done among the Gentiles through his work.
20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they spoke to Paul. “Brother,” they said, “you see that thousands of Jews have become believers. All of them try very hard to obey the law. 21They have been told that you teach Jews to turn away from the Law of Moses. You teach this to the Jews who live among the Gentiles. They think that you teach those Jews not to circumcise their children. They think that you teach them to give up our Jewish ways. 22What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23So do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a promise to God. 24Take them with you. Join them in the Jewish practice that makes people pure and ‘clean.’ Pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that these reports about you are not true in any way. They will know that you yourself obey the law. 25We have already given written directions to the believers who are not Jews. They must not eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. They must not drink blood. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not commit sexual sins.”
26The next day Paul took the men with him. They all made themselves pure and “clean” in the usual way. Then Paul went to the temple. There he reported the date when the days of cleansing would end. At that time the proper offering would be made for each of them.
Paul Is Arrested
27The seven days of cleansing were almost over. Some Jews from Asia Minor saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and grabbed Paul. 28“Fellow Israelites, help us!” they shouted. “This is the man who teaches everyone in all places against our people. He speaks against our law and against this holy place. Besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple. He has made this holy place ‘unclean.’ ” 29They said this because they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul. They thought Paul had brought him into the temple.
30The whole city was stirred up. People came running from all directions. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Right away the temple gates were shut. 31The people were trying to kill Paul. But news reached the commander of the Roman troops. He heard that people were making trouble in the whole city of Jerusalem. 32Right away he took some officers and soldiers with him. They ran down to the crowd. The people causing the trouble saw the commander and his soldiers. So they stopped beating Paul.
33The commander came up and arrested Paul. He ordered him to be held with two chains. Then he asked who Paul was and what he had done. 34Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another. But the commander couldn’t get the facts because of all the noise. So he ordered that Paul be taken into the fort. 35Paul reached the steps. But then the mob became so wild that he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
37The soldiers were about to take Paul into the fort. Then he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”
“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who turned some of our people against their leaders? Didn’t you lead 4,000 terrorists out into the desert some time ago?”
39Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia. I am a citizen of an important city. Please let me speak to the people.”
40The commander told him he could. So Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When all of them were quiet, he spoke to them in the Aramaic language.
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Acts 21: NIrV
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Acts 21
21
Paul Goes to Jerusalem
1And when #See ch. 16:10 we had parted from them and set sail, we #ch. 16:11came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.#21:1 Some manuscripts add and Myra 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 #ver. 11; ch. 20:23through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, #ch. 20:38 accompanied us until we were outside the city. And #ch. 20:36kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 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 #See John 21:23the brothers#21:7 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17 and stayed with them for one day. 8On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of #ch. 6:5; 8:5 Philip #Eph. 4:11; 2 Tim. 4:5the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9He had four unmarried daughters, #ch. 2:17, 18; Luke 2:36; 1 Cor. 11:5; See ch. 13:1who prophesied. 10While we were staying for many days, a prophet named #ch. 11:28Agabus came down from Judea. 11And coming to us, he #[1 Sam. 15:27, 28; 1 Kgs. 11:30; Isa. 20:3; Jer. 13:1-11; 27:2] took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, #See ch. 20:23 “Thus says the Holy Spirit, #[ver. 33]; See ch. 9:16 ‘This is how the Jews#21:11 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and #[ver. 31-33; Matt. 20:19]deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12When we heard this, we and the people there #[Matt. 16:21-23]urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, #[See ver. 12 above] “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For #ch. 20:24; Rom. 8:36; 2 Cor. 4:16; 12:10; Phil. 2:17; [ch. 15:26] I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem #See ch. 5:41for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14And since he would not be persuaded, #[Ruth 1:18] we ceased and said, #See Matt. 6:10“Let the will of the Lord be done.”
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, #ver. 7; [ch. 15:4]the brothers received us gladly. 18On the following day Paul went in with us to #See ch. 12:17 James, and all #See ch. 11:30the elders were present. 19After greeting them, #See ch. 14:27 he related one by one #[Rom. 15:18, 19] the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his #See ch. 1:17ministry. 20And when they heard it, they #ch. 11:18 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 #ch. 22:3; Rom. 10:2; Gal. 1:14zealous for the law, 21and they have been told about you that you teach all #[James 1:1] the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, #ver. 28 telling them #[Rom. 2:28, 29; 1 Cor. 7:19] not to circumcise their children or #[Mark 7:5; Gal. 2:14] walk according to #ch. 6:14; 15:1our customs. 22What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men #[ch. 18:18]who are under a vow; 24take these men and #ver. 26; ch. 24:18; [John 11:55] purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, #[See ver. 23 above]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. 25But as for the Gentiles who have believed, #See ch. 15:19, 20, 29we 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,#21:25 Some manuscripts omit and from what has been strangled and from sexual immorality.” 26Then Paul took the men, and the next day #[See ver. 24 above] he purified himself along with them and #[Num. 6:13] went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and #[Num. 6:9-12]the offering presented for each one of them.
Paul Arrested in the Temple
27When #[See ver. 26 above] the seven days were almost completed, #See ch. 13:50 the Jews from Asia, #ch. 24:18; 26:21seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who #ver. 21 is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and #See ch. 6:13 the law and #See ch. 6:13 this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and #ch. 24:6has defiled #See ch. 6:13 this holy place.” 29For they had previously seen #ch. 20:4Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and #ch. 26:21; [2 Kgs. 11:15]dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31#[See ver. 30 above] And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of #See ch. 10:1the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32#[ch. 23:27]He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him #ch. 20:23; [ver. 11] to be bound #ch. 12:6; [ch. 22:29; 26:29; 28:20; Eph. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:16]with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34#ch. 19:32 Some 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 #ch. 22:24; 23:10the barracks. 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, #ch. 22:22; [Luke 23:18; John 19:15]“Away with him!”
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 #[ch. 5:36] the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out #Matt. 24:26into the wilderness?” 39Paul replied, #ch. 9:11; 22:3“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, #See ch. 12:17 motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in #ch. 22:2; 26:14the Hebrew language,#21:40 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic) saying:
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