Paul Sets Out for Jerusalem

21 Now when ^(A)we had parted from them and had set sail, we came by ^(B)a straight course to Cos and the next day to Rhodes and from there to Patara; ² and having found a ship crossing over to ^(C)Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. ³ And when we came in sight of ^(D)Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we kept sailing to ^(E)Syria and landed at ^(F)Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo. ⁴ And after looking up ^(G)the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul ^(H)through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. ⁵ And when ^[a]our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, ^(I)escorted us until we were out of the city. After ^(J)kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. ⁶ Then we went on board the ship, and they returned ^(K)home again.

⁷ And when we had finished the voyage from ^(L)Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting ^(M)the brothers, we stayed with them for a day. ⁸ And on the next day we left and came to ^(N)Caesarea, and entering the house of ^(O)Philip the ^(P)evangelist, who was ^(Q)one of the seven, we stayed with him. ⁹ Now this man had four virgin daughters who ^(R)prophesied. ¹⁰ And as we were staying there for some days, a prophet named ^(S)Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ And coming to us, he ^(T)took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This ^(U)is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will ^(V)bind the man who owns this belt and ^(W)deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” ¹² And when we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him ^(X)not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, crying and breaking my heart? For ^(Y)I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for ^(Z)the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴ And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying, “^(AA)The will of the Lord be done!”

¹⁵ Now after these days we got ready and ^(AB)started on our way up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ And some of ^(AC)the disciples from ^(AD)Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of ^(AE)Cyprus, an ^(AF)early disciple with whom we were to lodge.

In Jerusalem

¹⁷ And after we arrived in Jerusalem, ^(AG)the brothers welcomed us gladly. ¹⁸ And the following day Paul went in with us to ^(AH)James, and all ^(AI)the elders were present. ¹⁹ And after he had greeted them, he ^(AJ)began to relate one by one the things which God did among the Gentiles through his ^(AK)ministry. ²⁰ And when they heard it they began ^(AL)glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many ^[b]thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all ^(AM)zealous for the Law; ²¹ and they have been told about you, that you are ^(AN)teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them ^(AO)not to circumcise their children nor to ^[c]walk according to ^(AP)the customs. ²² What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. ²³ Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who ^[d](AQ)are under a vow; ²⁴ take them and ^(AR)purify yourself along with them, and ^[e]pay their expenses so that they may ^(AS)shave their ^[f]heads. Then all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. ²⁵ But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, ^(AT)having decided that they should keep from ^[g]meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality.” ²⁶ Then Paul ^[h]took the men, and the next day, ^(AU)purifying himself along with them, ^(AV)went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

Paul Is Arrested

²⁷ Now when ^(AW)the seven days were almost over, ^(AX)the Jews from ^[i](AY)Asia, upon noticing him in the temple, began to throw all the crowd into confusion and laid hands on him, ²⁸ crying out, “Men of Israel, help! ^(AZ)This is the man who teaches to everyone everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has ^(BA)defiled this holy place.” ²⁹ For they had previously seen ^(BB)Trophimus the ^(BC)Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. ³⁰ Then all the city was stirred, and ^[j]the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they ^(BD)dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. ³¹ While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the ^[k]commander of the ^(BE)Roman ^[l]cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ³² At once he ^(BF)took along soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³ Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be ^(BG)bound with ^(BH)two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ But among the crowd ^(BI)some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the ^[m]facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into ^(BJ)the barracks. ³⁵ And when he got to ^(BK)the stairs, he actually was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd; ³⁶ for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “^(BL)Away with him!”

Paul’s Defense Before the Jews

³⁷ As Paul was about to be brought into ^(BM)the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he *said, “Do you know Greek? ³⁸ Then you are not ^(BN)the Egyptian who some ^[n]time ago raised a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out ^(BO)into the wilderness?” ³⁹ But Paul said, “^(BP)I am a Jew of Tarsus in ^(BQ)Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” ⁴⁰ And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on ^(BR)the stairs, ^(BS)motioned to the people with his hand; and when there ^[o]was a great hush, he spoke to them in the ^(BT)Hebrew language, saying,