Acts 21

1After we had torn ourselves away from them and put out to sea, we ran a straight course and came to Cos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

2And after finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

3After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on our left, we sailed on to Syria and came down to Tyre, for there the ship was unloading its cargo.

4After finding the disciples, we stayed there seven days. They kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.

5When it came time for us to complete those days, we departed and went on our way, while they all, with wives and children, were accompanying us as far as outside the city. And after kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

6After we had said farewell to one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned to their own homes.

7We, having finished the voyage from Tyre, arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting the brothers, we stayed with them one day.

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

9He had four unmarried daughters who were prophesying.

10While we were staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11And coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man to whom this belt belongs and will hand him over into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

12When we heard these things, we and the local people urged 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 even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

14And since he would not be persuaded, we became quiet, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.”

15After these days, having packed up, we went up to Jerusalem.

16And some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing us to Mnason, a certain Cypriot, an early disciple, with whom we were to stay.

17When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.

18On the next day, Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

19And after greeting them, he began to relate one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20When they heard this, they glorified God, and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jews who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.”

21But they have been informed about you that you are teaching all the Jews among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.

22What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.

23Therefore do what we tell you: we have four men who are under a vow of their own.

24Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself also are living in observance of the law.

25But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we sent word, having decided that they should keep themselves from what is sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.

26Then Paul took the men, and on the next day, having purified himself with them, he entered the temple, giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the offering was presented for each one of them.

27As the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,

28shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. And besides that, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”

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

30And the whole city was stirred up, and a crowd of the people formed; and after seizing Paul, they dragged him outside the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.

31And as they were seeking to kill him, a report went up to the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32He immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them, and when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33Then the commander came up, seized him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains, and was asking who he was and what he had done.

34But some in the crowd were shouting one thing, and others another. Since he was not able to learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

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

36For the crowd of the people was following, shouting, “Take him away!”

37As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “Is it permitted for me to say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek?”

38Then you are not the Egyptian who some days ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the assassins out into the wilderness?

39But Paul said, “I am indeed a Jewish man, a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, of no insignificant city. And I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”

40And when he had given permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when a great silence had come, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying: