Acts 21
1And it came to pass that when we tore ourselves away from them and had set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara,
2and having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.
3And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for the ship was to unload her cargo there.
4And having found the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the spirit they repeatedly told Paul that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.
5And when it came to pass that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. And kneeling down on the shore, we prayed and said farewell to each other.
6And we went on board the ship, but they returned home again.
7And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them one day.
8And on the next day we departed, and came to Caesarea, and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.
9Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied.
10And as we stayed there for some days, a certain prophet came down from Judea, named Agabus.
11And coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man that owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”
12And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, crying 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.”
14And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, and said, “The will of the Lord be done.”
15And after these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.
16And also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing with them Mnason of Cyprus, one of the earliest disciples, with whom we were to lodge.
17And when we had come to Jerusalem the brothers and sisters received us gladly.
18And on the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
19And when he had greeted them, he related, one by one, the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20And when they heard it, they glorified God, and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.
21And they 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 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.
24Take them, and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can shave their heads, and everyone will know that there is nothing true in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law.
25But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote a letter, with our judgment that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.”
26Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple, announcing the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.
27And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from the province of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and grabbed him,
28crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the People, and the law, and this Place. And in addition he even brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this Holy Place”
29(for they had earlier seen him in the city with Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they assumed that Paul had brought into the temple).
30And the whole city was moved, and the People ran together; and they took hold of Paul and dragged him out of 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 Roman cohort, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
32And immediately he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them, and they, when they saw the commander and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul.
33Then the commander came near and took hold of him and commanded him to be bound with two chains. And he began to inquire who he was and what he had done.
34And some among the crowd shouted one thing, some another. And when he was not able to learn the facts because of the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.
35And when he came to the stairs, it came to pass that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,
36for the multitude of the People followed after them, crying out, “Away with him.”
37And as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek?
38Then you are not the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up a revolt and led out into the desert the 4,000 men of the Assassins?”
39But Paul said, “I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city, and I implore you, allow me to speak to the People.”
40And having allowed it, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned with his hand to the People, and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,