Acts 21

¹When it happened that we had parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

²Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.

³When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

⁴Having found the disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

⁵When it happened that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

⁶After saying goodbye to each other, we went on board the ship, and they returned home again.

⁷When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers, and stayed with them one day.

⁸On the next day, we departed and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

⁹Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

¹⁰As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

¹¹Coming to us, and taking Paul's belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit: 'So will the Judeans at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

¹²When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

¹³Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

¹⁴When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The Lord's will be done."

¹⁵After these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.

¹⁶Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.

¹⁷When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.

¹⁸The day following, Paul went in with us to Jacob; and all the elders were present.

¹⁹When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry.

²⁰They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Judeans of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law.

²¹They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.

²²What then? They will certainly hear that you have come.

²³Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow.

²⁴Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the Law.

²⁵But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality."

²⁶Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

²⁷When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him,

²⁸crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the Law, and this place. Moreover, he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!"

²⁹For they had previously seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

³⁰All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the doors were shut.

³¹As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

³²Immediately he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul.

³³Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.

³⁴Some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he could not find out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.

³⁵When he came to the stairs, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;

³⁶for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!"

³⁷As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, "May I speak something to you?" He said, "Do you know Greek?

³⁸Are not you then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?"

³⁹But Paul said, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

⁴⁰When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

Acts 21

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 Cesarea: 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 Judea 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 Cesarea, 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,