‏ Acts 21

1When at least we had torn ourselves away, and had set sail, we ran a straight course to Cos, and next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2And when we had found a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on the left hand, we sailed for Syria, and put in at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. 4We looked up the local disciples and remained there seven days; and these disciples kept telling Paul, through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem. 5When, however, our time was up, we left and started on our journey; and all of them, with wives and children, were escorting us on our way until we were out of the city; then, kneeling down on the beach, we prayed, 6and said good-bye, and went on board the ship, while they returned home again. 7And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we reached Ptolemais, and greeted the brothers and stayed with them one day.

8On the morrow we started for Caesarea, where we went into the house of Philip, the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9Now Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied, 10and while we remained there many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11He came to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, saying, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘so will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the owner of this girdle, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’" 12As soon as we heard these words, both we and those who were standing near entreated Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13"What do you mean by thus breaking my heart with your grief?" answered Paul. "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."

15A few days after this we took up our luggage and went up to Jerusalem. 16And some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us. They led us to the house of Mnason, a Cypriote, a disciple of long standing, with whom we were to lodge. 17At length we reached Jerusalem, and the brothers there received us gladly. 18On the following day we went with Paul to call on James, and all the elders were present. 19After saluting them Paul rehearsed, one by one, the things that God had done among the Gentiles by his ministry. 20And they, when they heard it, glorified God, and said to him. "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews, of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law. 21"Now what they have been told about you, again and again, is that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and not to circumcise their children, nor to follow the old customs. 22"What then ought to be done? They will certainly hear that you are come. 23"So do this that we tell you. 24"We have four men here under a vow; associate yourself with them, purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses so that they may have their heads shaved; then every one will know that there is no truth in the rumors that they have heard about you; but that you yourself walk orderly obeying the law. 25"As for the Gentile believers, we wrote giving judgment that they should abstain from anything sacrificed to an idol, from blood, from what is strangled, and from fornication." 26Then Paul took the men, and after purifying himself with them next day, went into the temple to declare the fulfilment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

27But when the seven days were almost over, the Asiatic Jews caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up all the crowd, and laid hands on him, shouting. 28"Men of Israel, help! This is the man who goes everywhere preaching to everybody against the people, and the Law, and this place. And he has actually brought Gentiles even into the temple, and has desecrated the holy place." 29(For they had formerly seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.) 30The whole city was thrown into uproar. The mob surged together, seized Paul, and began to drag him outside the temple. Whereupon the doors were at once shut. 31While they were attempting to kill him, news came to the tribune commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32At once he took soldiers and centurions, and rushed down upon them. When they saw the tribune and the troops, they left off beating Paul. 33Then the tribune came up and seized him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains. "Who is he?" he began asking, "and what has he done?" 34Some among the crowd kept shouting one thing, some another; and when the tribune could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered Paul into the barracks. 35When was going up the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers, because of the violence of the mob, 36for the whole mass of the people were following him, shouting, "Away with him!" 37Just as he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the tribune, "May I speak to you?" 38"Do you know Greek?" said the tribune; "Are you not, then, the Egyptian who in days gone by stirred up to sedition, and let into the wilderness the four thousand cutthroats?" 39"I am a Jew," answered Paul, "a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. And I pray you, give me permission to speak to the people." 40So when he had given leave, Paul stood on the stairs, beckoning with his hands to the people. There came a great hush, and he spoke to them as follows, in Hebrew.