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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