保罗前往耶路撒冷

21 我们和众人道别之后,乘船直接驶往哥士,第二天到达罗底,从那里前往帕大喇, 在帕大喇遇到一艘开往腓尼基的船,就上了船。 塞浦路斯遥遥在望,船从该岛的南面绕过,一直驶向叙利亚。因为船要在泰尔卸货,我们就在那里上了岸, 找到当地的门徒后,便和他们同住了七天。他们受圣灵的感动力劝保罗不要去耶路撒冷。 时间到了,我们继续前行,众门徒和他们的妻子儿女送我们出城。大家跪在岸边祷告之后,彼此道别。 我们上了船,众人也回家去了。

我们从泰尔乘船抵达多利买,上岸探访那里的弟兄姊妹,和他们住了一天。 第二天我们离开那里,来到凯撒利亚,住在传道人腓利家里。他是当初选出的七位执事之一。 腓利有四个未出嫁的女儿,都能说预言。 10 过了几天,一个名叫亚迦布的先知从犹太下来。 11 他到了我们这里,拿保罗的腰带绑住自己的手脚,说:“圣灵说,‘耶路撒冷的犹太人也要这样捆绑这腰带的主人,把他交给外族人。’”

12 听到这话,我们和当地的信徒都苦劝保罗不要去耶路撒冷。 13 但保罗说:“你们为什么这样哭泣,令我心碎呢?我为主耶稣的名甘愿受捆绑,甚至死在耶路撒冷。”

14 我们知道再劝也无济于事,只好对他说:“愿主的旨意成就。”

15 过了几天,我们收拾行装启程上耶路撒冷。 16 有几个凯撒利亚的门徒和我们一起去,并带我们到一个信主已久的塞浦路斯人拿孙家里住宿。

保罗会见雅各和众长老

17 我们抵达耶路撒冷后,受到弟兄姊妹的热烈欢迎。 18 第二天,保罗和我们去见雅各,众长老都在那里。 19 保罗向大家问安之后,便一一述说上帝如何借着他传福音给外族人。 20 大家听了,都同声赞美上帝,又对保罗说:“弟兄,你知道数以万计的犹太人信了主,他们都严守律法。 21 他们听见有人说你教导住在外族人中的犹太人背弃摩西的律法,不替孩子行割礼,也不遵守犹太人的规矩。 22 他们一定会听到你来这里的消息,这该怎么办? 23 请你听我们的建议,这里有四位向上帝许过愿的弟兄, 24 你和他们一起去行洁净礼,并由你替他们付费,让他们可以剃头,好叫众人知道你严守律法,循规蹈矩,关于你的传闻都是假的。 25 至于那些外族信徒,我们已经写信吩咐他们,不可吃祭过偶像的食物,不可吃血和勒死的牲畜,不可淫乱。”

保罗被捕

26 于是,保罗和四位弟兄第二天行了洁净礼,然后上圣殿报告他们洁净期满的日子,好在期满后让祭司为他们每个人献祭物。 27 当七日的洁净期将满的时候,有些从亚细亚来的犹太人发现保罗在圣殿里,就煽动众人去抓他。 28 他们高喊:“以色列人快来帮忙!就是这人到处教唆人反对我们的民族、律法和圣殿。他还带希腊人进圣殿,玷污这圣地。” 29 这是因为他们在城里见过一个名叫特罗非摩的以弗所人和保罗在一起,以为保罗一定把他带进圣殿了。

30 消息一传开,全城轰动。众人冲进圣殿把保罗拉出来,随即关上殿门。 31 正当他们要杀保罗的时候,有人把耶路撒冷发生骚乱的消息报告给罗马军营的千夫长, 32 千夫长马上带着军兵和几个百夫长赶来了。众人一见千夫长和军队,便停止殴打保罗。 33 千夫长上前拿住保罗,命人用两条铁链把他锁起来,问他是什么人、做了什么事。 34 人群中有人这样喊,有人那样喊,情形混乱不堪,千夫长无法辨明真相,便命人将保罗带回军营。 35 保罗刚走上台阶,众人便凶猛地拥挤过来,士兵们只好把他举起来抬着走。 36 众人挤在后面喊着说:“杀掉他!”

保罗的申辩

37 士兵们抬着保罗来到军营门口,保罗问千夫长:“我可以和你讲几句话吗?”千夫长说:“你也懂希腊话吗? 38 不久前煽动叛乱、带着四千暴徒逃到旷野去的那个埃及人是你吗?” 39 保罗说:“我是犹太人,来自基利迦的大数,并非无名小城的人。请准许我向百姓讲几句话。” 40 千夫长答应了,保罗就站在台阶上向众人挥手示意,他们都安静下来,保罗用希伯来话对他们说:

Paul Travels By Ship To Tyre, Where He Is Again Warned Not To Go To Jerusalem

21 And when it came about that having withdrawn[a] from them we put-to-sea, having run-a-straight-course we came to Cos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. And having found a ship crossing-over to Phoenicia, having boarded, we put-to-sea. And having sighted Cyprus, and having left it behind on the left, we were sailing to Syria. And we came down to Tyre, for there the ship was unloading its cargo. And having found the disciples, we stayed there seven days— who were telling Paul through the Spirit not to be setting-foot in Jerusalem. But when it came about that we finished the days, having gone out, we were proceeding—everyone accompanying us, with wives and children, as far as outside the city. And having put down our knees on the beach, having prayed, we said-farewell to one another. And we went-up into the ship, and those ones returned to their own things.

When Paul Arrives In Caesarea, Agabas The Prophet Foretells Imprisonment

And we, having completed[b] the voyage from Tyre, arrived in Ptolemais. And having greeted the brothers, we stayed with them one day. And having gone-out on the next day, we came to Caesarea. And having entered into the house of Philip the evangelist (being one of the seven[c]), we stayed with him (and this one had four virgin daughters prophesying!). 10 And while we were staying-on for more days, a certain prophet from Judea, Agabus by name, came down. 11 And having come to us, and having taken Paul’s belt, having bound his own feet and hands, he said, “These things says the Holy Spirit: ‘In this manner the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man whose belt this is, and hand him over into the hands of the Gentiles’”. 12 And when we heard these things, both we and the local-residents were begging that he not be going up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul responded, “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”. 14 And he not being persuaded, we were quiet, having said, “Let the Lord’s will be done”.

Paul Arrives In Jerusalem

15 And after these days, having made-preparations, we were going up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, bringing[d] us to Mnason— a certain Cyprian, an old disciple, with whom we might lodge. 17 And we having come-to-be in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.

Paul Meets James. They Formulate a Plan For His Acceptance Among The Jews

18 And on the following day Paul was going in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 And having greeted them, he was describing individually each of the things which God did among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And the ones, having heard it, were glorifying God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of the ones having believed there are among the Jews! And they are all zealots[e] for the Law. 21 And they were informed about you— that you are teaching all the Jews[f] throughout the nations apostasy from Moses, saying that they should not be circumcising their children, nor walking in their customs. 22 What, then, is to be done? They will surely hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this which we tell you: There are four men with us having a vow upon themselves. 24 Having taken along these men, be purified together-with them. And spend[g] money for them, so that they will shave[h] the head. And everyone will know that there is nothing true of the things which they have been informed about you, but even you yourself are walking-in-line[i], keeping the Law. 25 But concerning the Gentiles having believed— we wrote-to them, having determined that they should guard-themselves as to food-sacrificed-to-an-idol and blood and the strangled thing and sexual immorality”.

While Executing The Plan, Paul Is Recognized By Ephesian Jews And Attacked

26 Then Paul— having taken along the men on the next day, having been purified together-with them— was going into the temple, giving-notice as to the completion of the days of purification, until which time the offering was offered for each one of them. 27 But as the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia[j], having seen him in the temple, were stirring-up the whole crowd. And they put their hands on him, 28 crying-out, “Men, Israelites, help! This is the man teaching everyone everywhere against our people and the Law and this place. And furthermore, he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place”. 29 For they had previously-seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they were supposing that Paul brought into the temple. 30 And the whole city was set-in-motion, and a running-together of the people took place. And having taken-hold-of Paul, they were dragging him outside of the temple. And immediately the doors were shut.

The Romans Swoop Down And Take Paul Into Custody

31 And while they were seeking to kill him, a report went up to the commander[k] of the [Roman] cohort[l] that all Jerusalem was stirred-up— 32 who at-once, having taken along soldiers and centurions[m], ran down upon them. And the ones, having seen the commander and the soldiers, ceased striking Paul. 33 Then having drawn-near, the commander took-hold-of him. And he ordered that he be bound with two chains. And he was inquiring as to who he might be and what he has done. 34 But other[n] ones in the crowd were calling-out another thing. And he not being able to know the certainty of it because of the uproar— he ordered that he be brought into the barracks. 35 But when he[o] came-to-be on the stairs, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd— 36 for the multitude of the people were following, crying-out, “Take him away”.

Paul Asks To Speak To The Mob

37 And being about to be brought into the barracks, Paul says to the commander, “Is it permissible for me to say something to you?” And the one said, “You know Greek? 38 Then are you not the Egyptian— the one before these days having caused-an-upset[p] and led out into the wilderness the four-thousand men of the Assassins[q]?” 39 And Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from-Tarsus[r] of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city— and I beg you, permit me to speak to the people”. 40 And he having permitted it, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned with his hand to the people. And a great silence having come about, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:1 Or, been parted.
  2. Acts 21:7 Or, continued.
  3. Acts 21:8 That is, the seven chosen in 6:5.
  4. Acts 21:16 Or, bringing Mnason with them.
  5. Acts 21:20 That is, these Jewish believers are zealously holding on to their Jewish way of life derived from the Law.
  6. Acts 21:21 That is, the Jewish believers to whom Paul had ministered. These in Jerusalem did not object to Paul teaching the Gentile believers in the manner described next, but to his teaching the Jewish believers to abandon their Jewish customs.
  7. Acts 21:24 That is, pay their expenses. This was perceived as a good deed for a Jew.
  8. Acts 21:24 These four would cut off their hair upon completion of their vow, as Paul did in 18:18.
  9. Acts 21:24 That is, with his Jewish heritage.
  10. Acts 21:27 The plan may have worked with the local Jewish Christians, but when these Jews from Asia (Ephesus) aroused the Jews against Paul, the believers could do nothing.
  11. Acts 21:31 Or, tribune, a commander of 600-1000 men, to whom centurions reported. He reported to the procurator, who for this man was Felix (23:24).
  12. Acts 21:31 See Mt 27:27.
  13. Acts 21:32 That is, commanders of 100 men.
  14. Acts 21:34 The one with whom the commander was inquiring was saying one thing, but others in the crowd were shouting different things.
  15. Acts 21:35 That is, Paul.
  16. Acts 21:38 Or, caused-a-revolt.
  17. Acts 21:38 Or, the Sicarii. This was a Jewish nationalist group that used assassination against their political opponents.
  18. Acts 21:39 Tarsus was the capital city of the province of Cilicia.