21:1 After 1 we 2 tore ourselves away 3 from them, we put out to sea, 4 and sailing a straight course, 5 we came to Cos, 6 on the next day to Rhodes, 7 and from there to Patara. 8 21:2 We found 9 a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, 10 went aboard, 11 and put out to sea. 12 21:3 After we sighted Cyprus 13 and left it behind on our port side, 14 we sailed on to Syria and put in 15 at Tyre, 16 because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 21:4 After we located 17 the disciples, we stayed there 18 seven days. They repeatedly told 19 Paul through the Spirit 20 not to set foot 21 in Jerusalem. 22 21:5 When 23 our time was over, 24 we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied 25 us outside of the city. After 26 kneeling down on the beach and praying, 27 21:6 we said farewell 28 to one another. 29 Then 30 we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes. 31 21:7 We continued the voyage from Tyre 32 and arrived at Ptolemais, 33 and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 21:8 On the next day we left 34 and came to Caesarea, 35 and entered 36 the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, 37 and stayed with him. 21:9 (He had four unmarried 38 daughters who prophesied.) 39
21:10 While we remained there for a number of days, 40 a prophet named Agabus 41 came down from Judea. 21:11 He came 42 to us, took 43 Paul’s belt, 44 tied 45 his own hands and feet with it, 46 and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over 47 to the Gentiles.’” 21:12 When we heard this, both we and the local people 48 begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking 49 my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, 50 but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded, 51 we said no more except, 52 “The Lord’s will be done.” 53
21:15 After these days we got ready 54 and started up 55 to Jerusalem. 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea 56 came along with us too, and brought us to the house 57 of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, 58 with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 59 21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. 60 21:19 When Paul 61 had greeted them, he began to explain 62 in detail 63 what God 64 had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised 65 God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews 66 there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers 67 of the law. 68 21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living 69 among the Gentiles to abandon 70 Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children 71 or live 72 according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt 73 hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what 74 we tell you: We have four men 75 who have taken 76 a vow; 77 21:24 take them and purify 78 yourself along with them and pay their expenses, 79 so that they may have their heads shaved. 80 Then 81 everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told 82 about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with 83 the law. 84 21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided 85 that they should avoid 86 meat that has been sacrificed to idols 87 and blood and what has been strangled 88 and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, 89 and after he had purified himself 90 along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice 91 of the completion of the days of purification, 92 when 93 the sacrifice would be offered for each 94 of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, 95 the Jews from the province of Asia 96 who had seen him in the temple area 97 stirred up the whole crowd 98 and seized 99 him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, 100 help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, 101 and this sanctuary! 102 Furthermore 103 he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple 104 and made this holy place ritually unclean!” 105 21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and 106 they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) 107 21:30 The whole city was stirred up, 108 and the people rushed together. 109 They seized 110 Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, 111 and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying 112 to kill him, a report 113 was sent up 114 to the commanding officer 115 of the cohort 116 that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 117 21:32 He 118 immediately took 119 soldiers and centurions 120 and ran down to the crowd. 121 When they saw 122 the commanding officer 123 and the soldiers, they stopped beating 124 Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer 125 came up and arrested 126 him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; 127 he 128 then asked who he was and what 129 he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, 130 and when the commanding officer 131 was unable 132 to find out the truth 133 because of the disturbance, 134 he ordered Paul 135 to be brought into the barracks. 136 21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul 137 had to be carried 138 by the soldiers because of the violence 139 of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people 140 followed them, 141 screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, 142 he said 143 to the commanding officer, 144 “May I say 145 something to you?” The officer 146 replied, 147 “Do you know Greek? 148