Paul Travels on to Jerusalem
1 And it happened that after we tore ourselves awayfrom them, we put out to sea, andrunning a straight course we came to Cos and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
2 And finding a ship that was crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard andput out to sea.
3 And after wesighted Cyprus and left it behind on the port side,we sailed to Syria and arrived at Tyre, because the ship was to unload itscargo there.
4 And we stayed there seven days after wefound the disciples, who kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5 And it happened that when our days were over, we departed andwent on our way, whileall of them accompanied us, together with theirwives and children, as far as outside the city. And afterfalling to our knees on the beach andpraying,
6 we said farewell to one another and embarked in the ship, and they returned to their own homes.
7 And whenwe had completed the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. And after wegreeted the brothers, we stayed one day with them.
8 And on the next day we departed andcame to Caesarea, and entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, andstayed with him.
9 (Now this man hadfour virgin daughters who prophesied.)
10 And while wewere staying theremany days, a certain prophet namedAgabus came down from Judea.
11 And he came to us and took Paul’s belt. Tying up his own feet and hands, he said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will deliver himinto the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”
12 And when we heard these things, both we and the local residents urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!”
14 And becausehe would not be persuaded, we remained silent, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”
15 So after these days we got ready andwent up to Jerusalem.
16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea also traveled together with us, bringing usto a certain Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing,with whom we were to be entertained as guests.
Paul Visits the Leaders of the Jerusalem Church
17 And whenwe came to Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.
18 And on the next day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
19 And aftergreeting them, he began to relateone after the otherthe things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 And whenthey heard this,they began to glorifyGod. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and they are all zealous adherents of the law.
21 And they have been informed about you that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles the abandonment of Moses, telling them not to circumcise theirchildren or to live according to ourcustoms.
22 What then is to be done?Doubtless they will all hear that you have come!
23 Therefore do this that we tell you: we havefour men who have taken a vow upon themselves.
24 Take these men andpurify yourself along with them and pay their expensesso that they can shave theirheads, and everyone will know that the things which they had been informed about you are nothing, but you yourself also agree with observing the law.
25 But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter afterdeciding they should avoid food sacrificed to idols and blood and what has been strangled and sexual immorality.”
26 Then Paul took along the men on the next day, andafter hehad purified himself together with them, he entered into the temple courts,announcing the completion of the days of purification until the timethe offering would be presented on behalf of each one of them.
Paul Arrested in the Temple Courts
27 But when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asiawho had seen him in the temple courtsstirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,
28 shouting, “Israelite men, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! And furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!”
29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought that Paul had brought into the temple.)
30 And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul anddragged him outside of the temple courts,and immediately the doors were shut.
31 And as theywere seeking to kill him, a report came up to the military tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
32 Heimmediately took along soldiers and centurions andran down to them. And whenthey saw the military tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 Then the military tribune came up andarrested him and ordered himto be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what it was that he had done.
34 But some in the crowd were shouting one thing and others another, and becausehe was not able to find out the truth on account of the commotion, he gave orders to bring him into the barracks.
35 And when he came to the steps, it happened that he had to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd,
36 for the crowd of people was following them,shouting, “Away with him!”
Paul Permitted to Address the Crowd
37 And as hewas about to be brought into the barracks,Paul said to the military tribune, “Is it permitted for me to say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek?
38 Then you are not the Egyptian who before these days raised a revolt and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?”
39 But Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no unimportant city. Now I ask you, allow me to speak to the people.”
40 So whenhe permitted him,Paul, standing there on the steps, motioned with hishand to the people. And when therewas a great silence, he addressed themin the Aramaic language, saying,
—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/38/32k/ACT/21-4d573cbb73996551633cd2f1a88283a4.mp3?version_id=90—