Acts 21
21
Paul Goes to Jerusalem
1We said goodbye to them and left. After sailing straight across, we came to Cos; the next day we reached Rhodes, and from there we went on to Patara. 2There we found a ship that was going to Phoenicia, so we went aboard and sailed away. 3We came to where we could see Cyprus, and then sailed south of it on to Syria. We went ashore at Tyre, where the ship was going to unload its cargo. 4There we found some believers and stayed with them a week. By the power of the Spirit they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem. 5But when our time with them was over, we left and went on our way. All of them, together with their wives and children, went with us out of the city to the beach, where we all knelt and prayed. 6Then we said goodbye to one another, and we went on board the ship while they went back home.
7We continued our voyage, sailing from Tyre to Ptolemais, where we greeted the believers and stayed with them for a day. 8#Acts 6.5; 8.5On the following day we left and arrived in Caesarea. There we stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen as helpers in Jerusalem. 9He had four unmarried daughters who proclaimed God's message. 10#Acts 11.28We had been there for several days when a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judea. 11He came to us, took Paul's belt, tied up his own feet and hands with it, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The owner of this belt will be tied up in this way by the Jews in Jerusalem, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles.”
12When we heard this, we and the others there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. 13But he answered, “What are you doing, crying like this and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be tied up in Jerusalem but even to die there for the sake of the Lord Jesus.”
14We could not convince him, so we gave up and said, “May the Lord's will be done.”
15After spending some time there, we got our things ready and left for Jerusalem. 16Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us and took us to the house of the man we were going to stay with#21.16 and took us to the house of the man we were going to stay with; or bringing with them the man at whose house we were going to stay. — Mnason, from Cyprus, who had been a believer since the early days.
Paul Visits James
17When we arrived in Jerusalem, the believers welcomed us warmly. 18The next day Paul went with us to see James; and all the church elders were present. 19Paul greeted them and gave a complete report of everything that God had done among the Gentiles through his work. 20After hearing him, they all praised God. Then they said, “Brother Paul, you can see how many thousands of Jews have become believers, and how devoted they all are to the Law. 21They have been told that you have been teaching all the Jews who live in Gentile countries to abandon the Law of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or follow the Jewish customs. 22They are sure to hear that you have arrived. What should be done, then? 23#Num 6.13–21This is what we want you to do. There are four men here who have taken a vow. 24Go along with them and join them in the ceremony of purification and pay their expenses; then they will be able to shave their heads.#21.24 shave their heads: See 18.18. In this way everyone will know that there is no truth in any of the things that they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in accordance with the Law of Moses. 25#Acts 15.29But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have sent them a letter telling them we decided that they must not eat any food that has been offered to idols, or any blood, or any animal that has been strangled, and that they must keep themselves from sexual immorality.”
26So Paul took the men and the next day performed the ceremony of purification with them. Then he went into the Temple and gave notice of how many days it would be until the end of the period of purification, when a sacrifice would be offered for each one of them.
Paul is Arrested in the Temple
27But just when the seven days were about to come to an end, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized Paul. 28“Men of Israel!” they shouted. “Help! This is the man who goes everywhere teaching everyone against the people of Israel, the Law of Moses, and this Temple. And now he has even brought some Gentiles into the Temple and defiled this holy place!” 29#Acts 20.4(They said this because they had seen Trophimus from Ephesus with Paul in the city, and they thought that Paul had taken him into the Temple.)
30Confusion spread through the whole city, and the people all ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the Temple. At once the Temple doors were closed. 31The mob was trying to kill Paul, when a report was sent up to the commander of the Roman troops that all Jerusalem was rioting. 32At once the commander took some officers and soldiers and rushed down to the crowd. When the people saw him with the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33The commander went over to Paul, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked, “Who is this man, and what has he done?” 34Some in the crowd shouted one thing, others something else. There was such confusion that the commander could not find out exactly what had happened, so he ordered his men to take Paul up into the fort. 35They got as far as the steps with him, and then the soldiers had to carry him because the mob was so wild. 36They were all coming after him and screaming, “Kill him!”
Paul Defends Himself
37As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the fort, he spoke to the commander: “May I say something to you?”
“You speak Greek, do you?” the commander asked. 38“Then you are not that Egyptian fellow who some time ago started a revolution and led 4,000 armed terrorists out into the desert?”
39Paul answered, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Please let me speak to the people.”
40The commander gave him permission, so Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand for the people to be silent. When they were quiet, Paul spoke to them in Hebrew:
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Acts 21: GNBUK
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Gevurot Meyruach Hakodesh 21
21
1And when it came about that we set sail, having parted from them, having run a straight course, we came to Cos. And on the next day we got to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
2And having found an oniyah crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.
3And having come within sight of Cyprus, and leaving Cyprus behind on our left, we were sailing to Syria and we arrived in Tzor, for there the oniyah was unloading its cargo.
4And after having searched for Moshiachʼs talmidim there, we stayed in Tzor shivah yamim. And Moshiachʼs talmidim were telling Rav Sha'ul by the Ruach Hakodesh not to make any aliyah (ascent) to Yerushalayim.
5But when our yamim there were ended, we departed and everyone, including nashim and yeladim, were accompanying us as far as the outskirts of the city; and falling down on the beach, we all were davening.
6And having bid them Shalom, we embarked in the oniyah, and they returned to their own batim.
7And when we had completed the voyage from Tzor, we arrived in Ptolemais, and, having given a Shalom greeting to the Achim b'Moshiach there, we stayed yom echad with them.
8And on the next day, having left, we came to Caesarea; and entered the bais of Philippos, the maggid of the Besuras HaGeulah who was one of HaShivah.#21:8 see Ac 6:3 And we stayed with him.
9And Philippos was the abba of arbah banot, betulot, who were gifted in giving a dvar nevuah.#21:9 Ex 15:20; Judg 4:4; Neh 6:14
10And remaining there many yamim, a certain one came down from Yehudah, a navi, Agav by name.
11And when he came to us, he took Rav Sha'ulʼs gartel and, having bound his own feet and hands with it, Agav said, So says the Ruach Hakodesh: this is the way the Yehudim in Yerushalayim will bind the man who owns this gartel, and they will hand him over to the Goyim.#21:11 1Kgs 22:11; Isa 20:2-4; Jer 13:1-11
12And when we heard these things, we were begging Rav Sha'ul, both we and the locals, not to make any aliyah (ascent) to Yerushalayim.
13Then Rav Sha'ul answered, What are you doing weeping and breaking my lev (heart)? For I am prepared not only to be bound but to die al kiddush ha-Shem in Yerushalayim, for haShem of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua.
14And not persuading him, we remained silent, having said, Let the ratzon Hashem be done.
15And after these yamim, having made preparations, we were making an aliyah to Yerushalayim.
16And also some of Moshiachʼs talmidim from Caesarea traveled with us, bringing us for hachnosas orchim to the bais of the Cyprian Mnason, one of Moshiachʼs talmidim of long standing.#21:16 an early disciple
17And when we arrived in Yerushalayim, the Achim b'Moshiach there gave us a kabbalat panim welcome with lev same'ach.
18And on the following day Rav Sha'ul was going in with us to Ya'akov,#21:18 See Ya'akov's letter which precedes the two Igrot Kodesh of Kefa. and all the Ziknei HaKehillah came.
19And having given them a Shalom greeting, Rav Sha'ul was explaining one by one the things Hashem did through his avodas kodesh as Moshiachʼs Shliach to the Umot ha-Olam.
20And the ones who heard were saying, Baruch Hashem! And they said to him, You see, Ach b'Moshiach, how many thousands there are among the Yehudim who have emunah#21:20 in our Moshiach and they all have kanous (zealousness), are shomer mitzvot for the Torah.#21:20 Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot
21And these Orthodox Jewish ma'aminim hameshichiyim have heard a rumor informing them about you, that you teach the Yehudim living among the Goyim in the Golus to be shmad and to commit apostasy from Moshe,#21:21 Rabbeinu, i.e., Orthodox Judaism telling them to abandon bris milah for Bnei Yisroel and not to be shomer regarding the darkhei haTorah#21:21 i.e. the Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot (ways of the Torah).#21:21 Num 6:2,5
22What then is to be done? Certainly these Orthodox Jewish ma'aminim hameshichiyim#21:22 i.e., who have emunah in our Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua, Ac 21:20 will get word that you have come.
23This, therefore, do what we tell you. There are with us arba'ah anashim who are under a neder Nezirim.
24Go! Take these for hitkaddeshut (purification) and purify yourself with them and pay expenses for them, that they may cut their hair; then all shall have da'as that there is no emes to the rumor; then it shall be clear that you yourself are in agreement and frum regarding the darkhei haTorah and that you are charedi and shomer mitzvot, in the ranks of those who practice Orthodox Judaism.#21:24 Num 6:1-21, Mishnah tractate Nazir
25And concerning the Goyim coming to#21:25 Orthodox Jewish emunah, we have sent an iggeret with our decision that they avoid what is offered to elilim and dahm and what is strangled and zenut.
26Then Rav Sha'ul took the anashim on the following day, and he went with them for hitkaddeshut (purification) and was entering the Beis Hamikdash, giving notice of the completion of the yamim of the tohorah until was offered for each one of them the korban.#21:26 Num 6:13-20
27Now when the shivat yamim were about to be completed, unbelieving Yehudim from the Province of Asia [Ephesus], having seen Rav Sha'ul in the Beis Hamikdash, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid their hands on him,#21:27 Jer 26:8
28Crying out, Anashim, Bnei Yisroel, help us! This one is the ish who is giving shiurim to everyone everywhere keneged (against, in opposition to) HaAm#21:28 Yisroel and the Torah of Moshe Rabbenu and this Makom HaKadosh, and in addition also he brought Yevanim into the Beis Hamikdash and has defiled Makom HaKadosh HaZeh.#21:28 the Beis Hamikdash
29— For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Rav Sha'ul and they had jumped to the conclusion and made the unwarranted assumption that Rav Sha'ul had brought Trophimus past the Soreg#21:29 barrier of the holy precinct in the Beis Hamikdash.
30— And the whole city was aroused and the people were rushing together, and they seized Rav Sha'ul, and they were dragging him outside the Beit Hamikdash; and immediately the delatot were shut.
31And while they were trying to kill him, a report went up to a tribune of the Roman cohort that all Yerushalayim was in an oifshtand (uprising) uproar.
32At once he took his chaiyalim and centurions and ran down to them, and when the rioters saw the Roman tribune and the chaiyalim, they stopped beating Rav Sha'ul.
33Then the Roman tribune came near and took hold of Rav Sha'ul and ordered him to be bound with two sharsherot (chains), and the tribune was inquiring who he might be and what he had done.
34Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another, and the tribune was not able to have da'as of anything definite because of the noise, so he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.
35And when Rav Sha'ul was on the steps, it came about that he was carried by the chaiyalim, because of the violence of the multitude,
36For the crowd kept following and shouting, Away with him!
37And just when he was about to be brought into the barracks, Rav Sha'ul says to the Roman tribune, Is it permissible for me to say something to you? And the tribune said, Ellinisti Ginoskeis? (Do you know Greek?)
38Then you are not the Egyptian who recently stirred up an intifada and led out four thousand assassins into the wilderness?
39And Rav Sha'ul said, I gufa (myself) am an ish Yehudi from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. And I ask you to allow me to speak to the people.
40And when the tribune had given permission, Rav Sha'ul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. And a great silence fell upon the crowd. Then Rav Sha'ul addressed the multitude in the language of the Hebrews.
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