使徒行传 21
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
結束第三次宣教旅程
21 我們離別了他們以後，船就直航到了哥士，第二天到羅底，從那裡開往帕大拉； 2 遇見了一艘開往腓尼基的船，就上船起行。 3 我們遠遠看見塞浦路斯，就從南邊駛過，直航敘利亞，在推羅靠了岸，因為船要在那裡卸貨。 4 我們找到了一些門徒，就在那裡住了七天。他們憑著聖靈的指示告訴保羅不要上耶路撒冷去。 5 過了這幾天，我們就啟程前行，他們眾人帶著妻子兒女送我們到城外。我們跪在海灘上禱告， 6 互相道別。我們上了船，他們就回家去了。
7 我們從推羅繼續航行，到了多利買，問候那裡的弟兄，與他們同住了一天。 8 第二天我們離開那裡，來到該撒利亞，到了傳福音的腓利家裡，與他住在一起。他是那七位執事中的一位。 9 他有四個女兒，都是童女，是會說預言的。 10 我們住了幾天之後，有一位先知，名叫亞迦布，從猶太下來。 11 他來見我們，把保羅的腰帶拿過來，綁住自己的手腳，說：“聖靈說，猶太人在耶路撒冷要這樣捆綁這腰帶的主人，把他交在外族人的手裡。” 12 我們聽了這些話，就和當地的人勸保羅不要去耶路撒冷。 13 保羅卻回答：“你們為甚麼哭，使我心碎呢？我為主耶穌的名，不但被捆綁，就算死在耶路撒冷我也都準備好了。” 14 他既然不聽勸，我們只說了“願主的旨意成就”，就不出聲了。
15 過了幾天，我們收拾行裝，上耶路撒冷去。 16 有該撒利亞的幾個門徒同我們在一起，領我們到一個塞浦路斯人拿孫家裡住宿；他作了門徒已經很久了。
保羅報告工作的情況
17 我們到了耶路撒冷，弟兄們歡歡喜喜接待我們。 18 第二天，保羅和我們一同去見雅各，長老們也都在座。 19 保羅問候了他們，就把 神藉著他的工作在外族人中所行的事，一一述說出來。 20 他們聽了，就讚美 神，對保羅說：“弟兄，你看，猶太人中信主的有好幾萬，都是對律法很熱心的人。 21 他們聽說，你教導所有在外族人中的猶太人背棄摩西，叫他們不要給孩子行割禮，也不要遵守規例。 22 他們總會聽見你來了，那怎麼辦呢？ 23 你就照我們的話作吧，我們這裡有四個人，都有願在身。 24 你把他們帶去，和他們一同行潔淨禮，並且替他們付錢，讓他們剃去頭髮，這樣大家就知道以前所聽見關於你的事，都不是真實的，也知道你是遵守律法循規蹈矩而行的人。 25 至於信主的外族人，我們已經寫了信，吩咐他們要禁戒祭偶像的食物、血、勒死的牲畜和淫亂。” 26 保羅就把那幾個人帶走了，第二天和他們一同行了潔淨禮。他們進了殿，報明了他們潔淨期滿的日子，以及各人獻祭的時間。
保羅在聖殿被猶太人捉住
27 七日將完的時候，從亞西亞來的猶太人看見保羅在殿裡，就煽動群眾，並且捉住他， 28 喊叫著說：“以色列人哪，快來幫忙！這個人到處教導眾人反對人民，反對律法和這個地方，他甚至把希臘人也帶進殿裡，污穢了這聖地。” 29 原來他們看見過以弗所人特羅非摩同保羅在城裡，就以為保羅帶他進了殿。 30 於是全城震動，民眾一齊跑來，捉住保羅，拉出殿外，殿門就立刻關起來了。 31 他們正想殺他的時候，有人報告營部的千夫長，說：“整個耶路撒冷都亂了！” 32 千夫長立刻帶著一些百夫長和士兵跑到他們那裡。眾人一看見千夫長和士兵，就停止毆打保羅。 33 於是千夫長上前捉住保羅，吩咐人用兩條鐵鍊捆住他，問他是甚麼人，作過甚麼事。 34 那時眾人叫這個喊那個，吵吵鬧鬧，以致千夫長沒有辦法知道真相，只好下令把保羅帶到營樓去。 35 保羅到了臺階下面的時候，士兵把他抬起來，因為群眾猛擠， 36 而且有一群人跟在後面叫喊：“幹掉他！”
保羅為自己申辯(A)
37 他們帶著保羅快到營樓的時候，保羅對千夫長說：“我可以跟你講一句話嗎？”千夫長說：“你懂希臘話嗎？ 38 難道你不就是不久以前作亂的、帶領四千個殺手到曠野去的那個埃及人嗎？” 39 保羅說：“我是猶太人，是基利家的大數人，並不是無名小城的公民，求你准我向民眾講幾句話。” 40 千夫長准許了他，保羅就站在臺階上，向民眾作了一個手勢。大家安靜下來了，保羅就用希伯來語講話，說：
Acts 21
Living Bible
21 After parting from the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. 2 There we boarded a ship sailing for the Syrian province of Phoenicia. 3 We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship unloaded. 4 We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These disciples warned Paul—the Holy Spirit prophesying through them—not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 At the end of the week when we returned to the ship, the entire congregation including wives and children walked down to the beach with us where we prayed and said our farewells. 6 Then we went aboard, and they returned home.
7 The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the believers but stayed only one day. 8 Then we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the first seven deacons.[a] 9 He had four unmarried[b] daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
10 During our stay of several days, a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea 11 and visited us. He took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and turned over to the Romans.’” 12 Hearing this, all of us—the local believers and his traveling companions—begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
13 But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! For I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but also to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When it was clear that he wouldn’t be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The will of the Lord be done.”
15 So shortly afterwards we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. 16 Some disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, and on arrival we were guests at the home of Mnason, originally from Cyprus, one of the early believers; 17 and all the believers at Jerusalem welcomed us cordially.
18 The second day Paul took us with him to meet with James and the elders of the Jerusalem church. 19 After greetings were exchanged, Paul recounted the many things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his work.
20 They praised God but then said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they are all very insistent that Jewish believers must continue to follow the Jewish traditions and customs.[c] 21 Our Jewish Christians here at Jerusalem have been told that you are against the laws of Moses, against our Jewish customs, and that you forbid the circumcision of their children. 22 Now what can be done? For they will certainly hear that you have come.
23 “We suggest this: We have four men here who are preparing to shave their heads and take some vows. 24 Go with them to the Temple and have your head shaved too—and pay for theirs to be shaved.
“Then everyone will know that you approve of this custom for the Hebrew Christians and that you yourself obey the Jewish laws and are in line with our thinking in these matters.
25 “As for the Gentile Christians, we aren’t asking them to follow these Jewish customs at all—except for the ones we wrote to them about: not to eat food offered to idols, not to eat unbled meat from strangled animals, and not to commit fornication.”
26-27 So Paul agreed to their request and the next day went with the men to the Temple for the ceremony, thus publicizing his vow to offer a sacrifice seven days later with the others.
The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from Turkey saw him in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him, 28 yelling, “Men of Israel! Help! Help! This is the man who preaches against our people and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He even talks against the Temple and defiles it by bringing Gentiles in!” 29 (For down in the city earlier that day, they had seen him with Trophimus, a Gentile[d] from Ephesus in Turkey, and assumed that Paul had taken him into the Temple.)
30 The whole population of the city was electrified by these accusations and a great riot followed. Paul was dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him. 31 As they were killing him, word reached the commander of the Roman garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He quickly ordered out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the troops coming, they quit beating Paul. 33 The commander arrested him and ordered him bound with double chains. Then he asked the crowd who he was and what he had done. 34 Some shouted one thing and some another. When he couldn’t find out anything in all the uproar and confusion, he ordered Paul to be taken to the armory.[e] 35 As they reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent that the soldiers lifted Paul to their shoulders to protect him, 36 and the crowd surged behind shouting, “Away with him, away with him!”
37-38 As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, “May I have a word with you?”
“Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised. “Aren’t you that Egyptian who led a rebellion a few years ago[f] and took 4,000 members of the Assassins with him into the desert?”
39 “No,” Paul replied, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia which is no small town. I request permission to talk to these people.”
40 The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet; soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew as follows:
Footnotes
- Acts 21:8 one of the first seven deacons, see 6:5; 8:1-13.
- Acts 21:9 unmarried, literally, “virgin.”
- Acts 21:20 they are all very insistent that Jewish believers must continue to follow the Jewish traditions and customs, literally, “they are all zealous for the law.”
- Acts 21:29 a Gentile, implied.
- Acts 21:34 armory, literally, “castle,” or “fort.”
- Acts 21:37 a few years ago, literally, “before these days.”
Acts 21
New King James Version
Warnings on the Journey to Jerusalem
21 Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. 4 And finding [a]disciples, we stayed there seven days. (A)They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. 5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And (B)we knelt down on the shore and prayed. 6 When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned (C)home.
7 And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day. 8 On the next day we [b]who were Paul’s companions departed and came to (D)Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip (E)the evangelist, (F)who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters (G)who prophesied. 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named (H)Agabus came down from Judea. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, (I)‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”
12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, (J)“What do you mean by weeping 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.”
14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, (K)“The will of the Lord be done.”
Paul Urged to Make Peace
15 And after those days we [c]packed and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.
17 (L)And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to (M)James, and all the elders were present. 19 When he had greeted them, (N)he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles (O)through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all (P)zealous for the law; 21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 [d]What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. 24 Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may (Q)shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. 25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, (R)we have written and decided [e]that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from [f]sexual immorality.”
Arrested in the Temple
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, (S)entered the temple (T)to announce the [g]expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.
27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, (U)the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and (V)laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man (W)who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 (For they had [h]previously seen (X)Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
30 And (Y)all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. 31 Now as they were (Z)seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the [i]garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 (AA)He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the (AB)commander came near and took him, and (AC)commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another.
So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. 35 When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, (AD)“Away with him!”
Addressing the Jerusalem Mob(AE)
37 Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?”
He replied, “Can you speak Greek? 38 (AF)Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?”
39 But Paul said, (AG)“I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no [j]mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.”
40 So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and (AH)motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the (AI)Hebrew language, saying,
Footnotes
- Acts 21:4 NU the disciples
- Acts 21:8 NU omits who were Paul’s companions
- Acts 21:15 made preparations
- Acts 21:22 NU What then is to be done? They will certainly hear
- Acts 21:25 NU omits that they should observe no such thing, except
- Acts 21:25 fornication
- Acts 21:26 completion
- Acts 21:29 M omits previously
- Acts 21:31 cohort
- Acts 21:39 insignificant
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
