Acts 21

1After we had torn ourselves away from them, we set sail and ran a straight course to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

2Finding a ship that was crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.

3After we came in sight of Cyprus and passed it on our left, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there.

4We looked up the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

5But when our days there were over, we left and continued on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, escorted us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt down and prayed.

6After saying goodbye to one another, we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

7We finished the voyage from Tyre and arrived at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day.

8The next day we left and came to Caesarea, and we went to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

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

11He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands with it, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

12When we heard this, both we and the people there begged Paul 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.”

14Since he would not be persuaded, we stopped urging him and said, “May the Lord’s will be done.”

15After these days we got ready and started up to Jerusalem.

16Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us and brought us to the home of Mnason of Cyprus, one of the early disciples, with whom we were to stay.

17When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us warmly.

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

19After greeting them, Paul reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20When they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law.

21They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live by our customs.

22What should we do, then? They will certainly hear that you have come.

23So do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow.

24Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in obedience to the law.

25As for the Gentiles who have believed, we have written to them our decision that they should keep away from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.”

26So the next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went into the temple to give notice of when the days of purification would be completed and the offering would be made for each of them.

27When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia saw Paul in the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

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

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

30The whole city was aroused, and the people came running together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.

31While they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32At once he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

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

34Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another. Since the commander could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks.

35When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob,

36for the crowd of people kept following, shouting, “Away with him!”

37As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” The commander replied, “Do you know Greek?

38Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago started a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”

39Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, let me speak to the people.”

40When the commander had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language: